How to make an Architecture Diagram

[Ratheesh Narayanan]

Hi,

I am assigned to make an architecture diagram for a J2EE project which was already built. Can you please provide some useful information about how to approach to it and some sample architecture diagrams / URLs will be helpful.

I was spending quite lot time at google but couldn�t find anything exactly.

Thanks in advance
Ratheesh

[Stan James]

There are many possible ways to view a given architecture, and each has its own set of diagrams. A non-exhaustive bunch of views ...

Classes - static structure and dynamic interaction
Components - structure & interaction, services, protocols
Processes - what runs in parallel or in sequence
Processors - how many servers for which processes, load balance, fail over
Topology - physical location, synchronization, fail over, security
Infrastructure - networks, server farms, ESB
Technology - what products and versions are in use

You may have to go back to whoever asked for diagrams and see what really interests them. If you can fill in "_____ reads _____ to learn _____ so they can _____" you're a big step closer to knowing what to write. And if your requestor can't answer that, gently suggest you don't waste electrons (and their money) on writing anything.

If you know enough of those answers to narrow down what category of diagrams to make, we can talk about lower level details. Doesn't this assignment sound like great fun, now?
[ November 02, 2007: Message edited by: Stan James ]

[Craig Bayley]

Do you need to create an architecture template, or a full architectural diagram?