APPLICATION INTERFACE

An application interface is defined as a point of acces where an application

service is made available to user or another application

Example:

In the model below, an

Accounting component
is shown that provides an
Application interface for
Transaction data exchanGe, and a Billing component, That requires such
an interface.

Behavioral Concepts
An application service is an externally visible
unit of functionality, provided by one or more
components, exposed through well-defined
interfaces, and meaningful to the environment.

The service concept provides a way to explicitly

describe the functionality that components share
with each other and the functionality that they
make available to the environment. The concept
fits well within the current developments in the
area of web services.

Application Function

An aplication function is defined as a behavior element

that groups automated behavior that can be performed by an application
component

An application function describes the internal

Behavior of an application component. If this
Behavior is exposed externally, this is done
through one or more services.

Example:
In the model below, the internal behavior
of the Financial application component is
modeled as an application function consisting of two sub-functions. These application
functions realice the application services
that are made available to the users of
the application.

Application Interaction
An application interaction is defined as a behavior element that
describes the behavior of an application collaboration.

Describes the collective behavior that is performed by

the components that participate in an application
collaboration.

This may, for example, include the

communication pattern between these
components. An application interaction can
also specify the externally visible behavior
needed to realize an application service.

The details of the interaction between

the application components involved in
an application interaction can be
expressed during the detailed
application design using, e.g., a UML
interaction diagram.

An application collaboration may be assigned to an application

interaction. An application interaction may realize an application
service. Application services and infrastructure services may be
used by an application interaction. An application interaction
may access data objects. The name of an application interaction
should preferably be a verb.

Example

In the model below, an Accounting component and a Billing

component of
a
financial
system
co-operate to
compose an administrate transactions interaction. This is
modeled as an application interaction assigned to the
collaboration between the two components.

APPLICATION SERVICE
An application service is defined as a service that
exposes automated behavior.
Exposes
the
functionality
of
components to their environment. This
functionality is accessed through one
or more application interfaces. An
application service is realized by one
or more application functions that are
performed by the component. It may
require, use, and produce data objects.

An application service should be meaningful from

the point of view of the environment; it should
provide a unit of functionality that is, in itself,
useful to its users. It has a purpose, which states
this utility to the environment. This means, for
example, that if this environment includes
business processes, application services should
have business relevance.

A purpose may be associated with an application service. An application service may be

used by business processes, business functions, business interactions, or application
functions. An application function may realize an application service. An application
interface may be assigned to an application service. An application service may access
data objects. The name of an application service should preferably be a verb ending
with ing; e.g., transaction processing. Also, a name explicitly containing the word
service may be used.

Example
In

the

model
below,
a Transaction
processing (application-to-application)
service
is
realized
by
the Accounting application function, and is
accessible by other components through
a Transaction
processing application
programming interface (API). This service is
used by the Billing application function
performed by the Billing component.
The Billing application function offers an
(application-to-business)
function Bill
creation, which can be used to support
business processes, and is accessible to
business roles through a Billing screen as an
application-to-business interface.

PASSIVE STRUCTURE CONCEPTS

Also at the application layer, we distinguish the passive counterpart of the

component, which we call adata object.

A data object can be seen as a representation of a business object, as a

counterpart of the representation concept in the business layer.

The ArchiMate language does not define a specific layer for information; however,
concepts such as business objects and data objects are used to represent the
information entities and also the logical data components that realize the business
objects.

Data Object
A data object is defined as a passive
element suitable for automated processing.
A data object may be communicated via interactions and used or produced
by application services.
Typical examples of data
objects are a customer
record, a client database, or
an insurance claim.

EXAMPLE
In the model below,
two application
functions co-operate
via an application
service, in which a
data object
holdingTransaction
data is exchanged.