Architecture: Layers and

Packages

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Architecture

 Often a system is composed of multiple packages/subsystems.

 Some packages may not be just a conceptual group of things. Instead they are subsystems with behavior and
interfaces. For example, java.util is not a subsystem, it is a package. A PersistenceEngine is a subsystem.

 Example:
 An information system connects to a use interface
and a persistent storage mechanism.
 How does one show subsystems/packages and their
interactions in UML ?

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Three tier architecture (1)
Object Store

UPC Quantity
Presentation layer
Cash

Cash Balance

Enter Item End Sale Make Payment

Application logic
Record Sales Authorize payments

Storage
Persistent storage
Database
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Three tier architecture (2)

 Separates the application logic into a distinct middle layer.

 Presentation layer (mostly) free of application processing.

 Middle layer communicates with the back-end layer.

Would you prefer a two-tier architecture? (Obtained by placing application logic into the
presentation layer.)

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Decomposing the application layer

Presentation POSTApplet

Payment Sale Domain concepts

Application logic
DBInterface ReportGenerator services

Storage
Database

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Multi-tiered architecture

 Multi-tiered architecture useful when:

 The application logic needs to be split and isolated into multiple layers.

 The application logic needs to be distributed amongst several

computers.

 Development of components needs to be distributed amongst various

developers.

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Deployment

 A 3-tier architecture may be deployed in various

configurations.

 Presentation and app logic on one computer, database on a

server.

 Presentation on client computer, app logic on application server,

and database on a data server.

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Communication Across Layers [1]

 Requests from actors, i.e. system operations, go via the

Presentation Layer to the Application or the Domain
layer.

 Note that Presentation objects are not shown in the SSD.

 How would you handle requests from secondary actors?

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Communication Across Layers [2]

 Communication from the presentation layer to the lower

layers is referred to as “downward communication.”

 Communication from the lower layers to presentation

layer is referred to as “upward communication.”

How to achieve such communications while minimizing coupling?

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 Layers and Architectural patterns [1]

 Architectural layers define “big parts” of a system.

 Architectural design patterns are used for designing

communications amongst layers (or “big parts”).

 Architectural design patterns include Façade and

Observer.

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Packages

Domain concepts

Core elements Sales

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Package diagrams [1]

Presentation Presentation

Domain
App. logic

Services

Storage
Database

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Package diagrams [2]

Presentation

Domain

Relational DB Communication Object DB Reporting

interface interface

App frameworks
and support libraries A B

A has knowledge
OO DB of B.
Relational
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Package diagrams: Coupling
Presentation

Swing Text

Domain

Sales Pricing Tech Services

Persistence Jess
Service Access Payments

Inventory
Only partial coupling shown.
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 Package diagrams: Alternate Notation

Presentation:: Swing Presentation:: Text

Domain::Sales

Domain::
POSRuleEngine

Technical Services::
UML path name expression: Authorization
<PackageName::<TypeName>

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Identifying packages

 Layers of an architecture represent vertical tiers.

 Partitions represent horizontal tiers, e.g. the Services

layer may be divided into Security and Reporting.

 Upward and downward communication is feasible across

components in a vertical layer. This is also known as a
“relaxed layer” architecture.

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Packaging: Guidelines [1]

 Java provides package support. Hence reverse

engineering can be used to generate package diagrams.

 Packages developed during design might change during implementation.

Reverse engineering is used to get the up-to-date diagrams.

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Packaging: Guidelines [2]

 Package functionally cohesive vertical and horizontal slices:

e.g. Domain package: contains Sales and Pricing packages.

 Package a family of related interfaces.

 Package by work and by clusters of unstable classes.

 Most responsible classes are likely to be most stable.

 Factor out independent types.

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Visibility between packages: Model View
Separation Principle

What visibility should packages have to the Presentation Layer?:

Avoid direct coupling between window objects and the “Model.”

 Upward communication:
 The Observer pattern: Make the GUI object appear as an
object that implements an interface.

 A presentation façade object that receives requests from

below.

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Example of “downward” communication

Presentation

ProcessSaleFrame UIFacade
Not a GUI class. Just a
plain object that adds a
level of indirection.
Domain

Register Sale

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 Example of “upward” communication
Property listener (observer)
:Presentation:: :Domain:: s:Domain
swing:Process Sales:Register Sales:Sale
SaleFrame
:cashier
enterItem(id,qty)
enterItem(id,qty) Subject
makeLineItem(spec,qty)

onPropertyEvent(s,”sales.total”,total)

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Package diagrams: Domain Model Packages
in POS

Domain

Core/Misc. Payments Products

Authorization
Sales
Transactions

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Mapping to Implementation Packages (Java)

// Presentation packages
com.foo.nextgen.ui.swing
com.foo.nextgen.ui.text

// Domain packages
com.foo.nextgen.domain.sales
com.foo.nextgen.domain.pricing

// Our team creates

com.foo.util
com.foo.boeingutilities

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Summary

 What did we learn?

 What is architecture?
 Why use multi-tiered architecture?
 What is deployment?
 What are package diagrams?

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