Mapping system architecture to components

Just as different types of blueprints represent different aspects of building architecture (for example, floor plans, electrical wiring, and plumbing), a good software system architecture contains different views to represent its different aspects. The Rational Unified Process defines an architectural view as a simplified description (an abstraction) of a system from a particular perspective or vantage point, covering particular concerns and omitting entities that are not relevant to this perspective.

The Rational Unified Process suggests using multiple architectural views. Of these, the implementation view is most important for configuration management. The implementation view identifies the physical files and directories that implement the system’s logical packages, objects, or modules. For example, your system architecture may include a licensing module. The implementation view identifies the directories and files that make up the licensing module.

From the implementation view, you should be able to identify the set of UCM components you need for your system. You typically develop, integrate, and release components together. Large systems normally contain many components. A small system may contain one component.