In the world of software engineering, reference architectures act as the guideline for operations. They provide the framework for processes and documentation. They also continuously enhance the efficiency and performance of your systems and processes. This leads to cost savings, better optimization, and increased productivity. 

Discover what reference architecture is in this article, along with best practices and examples. Read on to learn all you need to know about this guideline! 

Reference architecture, also known as enterprise architecture, is a template or a set of documents. This template makes it easy for software architects and developers to address specific problems. For example, it could contain definitions for commonly-used words, an architecture blueprint with elements and relationships, data models, communication standards, recommended processes, etc. 

The idea is to make the job easier for anyone investigating problems or implementing solutions in that domain. In short, enterprise architecture is a resource you can refer to while designing and implementing complex technology solutions. But you may ask yourself how this helps you and why you should have one in the first place. I’ll talk about this in the next section. 

A reference architecture adds value to companies in the following ways:

But how can you harness these benefits for your company? Let’s see how you can create your own enterprise architecture.

Creating your reference architecture is challenging as no predefined steps or processes exist. However, below are 5 key steps to help make the implementation process easier!

Firstly, ask yourself some questions to identify the purpose of the enterprise architecture:

Exploring the answers can help you create a pragmatic reference document.

Once you have the answers to the questions, start writing things you want to include in your enterprise architecture. Ensure you align items with the foundational statements and your company’s culture and values. 

Now, you’re all set for the technical aspects of your document. The next step is to decide the frameworks and patterns you want to follow within your company. Ideally, include the rationale for these decisions so others can understand them. Add all the rules required to achieve the principles formulated earlier.

Next, build the rules and standards across different departments within the company. Come up with a list of possible challenges and choose the correct standard for each scenario.

Finally, narrow your enterprise architecture down to include the vocabulary and context for each situation. Your document acts as a comprehensive reference point for everyone within your company. To this end, it starts with a broad definition and systematically refines terms and actions for each situation and context. That said, this isn’t the only way to build your enterprise architecture. Most companies follow a logical process, making it easy to incorporate industry best practices. 

Now let’s discover the best practices you can adopt in your company.

When you use best practices to design your enterprise architecture, you ensure you leverage all its benefits. In particular, you can improve efficiency, meet regulatory requirements, and reduce the chance of errors. Below is a brief look at best practices to optimize your solution:

The above list doesn’t cover everything, but it gives you an idea of how you can create reference architectures. It can also help you adapt reference architectures to your company’s needs. 

Now let’s look at some examples that give you an idea of how to implement an enterprise architecture solution.

Below are a few reference architecture examples to help you understand what they are. They also demonstrate how they can help the software development process.

Java Platform Enterprise Edition incorporates a set of definitions and specifications that extend Java Platform Standard Edition (SE). To this end, it’s well-suited for applications and microservices. This includes components for scaling, deployment, and security. You’ll often find it in the accounting, banking, and e-commerce sectors.

The IBM Insurance Application Architecture is a well-known architecture for the insurance industry. This architecture helps insurance companies link IT projects with business requirements, support critical operations, and handle regulatory compliance. 

Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) is a reference architecture for electronic control units in the automotive sector. It covers scalability, transferability of your software, safety requirements, and the sustainable use of environmental resources. 

Now that you know how an enterprise architecture can positively impact your company let’s recap!

To conclude, a reference architecture is a blueprint or guide that helps decision-making for complex networks. Typically, this architecture can help you choose the best model and approach to building sustainable software applications that meet your business objectives. 

Do you have more questions about reference architecture? Check out the FAQ and Resources sections below!

No, a reference architecture defines the entire domain of a company. On the other hand, an architectural pattern is restricted to just a single problem or solution. You should note that a reference architecture also can span multiple challenges.

No. Architecture frameworks, like Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF), provide an architecture standard. Enterprise architects may come up with different architectures. But a reference architecture helps you to decide on the best architecture from this list based on industry best practices, your existing resources, and other pertinent factors.

Yes, it can. Often, a reference architecture defines 4 views; interoperability, scalability, security, and availability. Views ensure software engineers and architects have templates to create world-class products. 

A reference architecture is a template for creating and delivering high-quality software products. For example, it could contain data models, relationships between elements, communication protocols, views, processes, etc. 

The core objective of an enterprise architecture is to provide a standardized uniformity across the company. It acts as a template to help different teams make decisions related to architecture choices, troubleshooting, and more. Check this review of Windows Server’s reference architecture.

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