Overview

Role in the system

Application platforms implemented together with the servers, databases, identity services, networks and integrations they depend on, so that performance and availability are engineered across the whole stack.

Application implementation must therefore be coordinated with the wider ICT architecture.

Enterprise application tiers and supporting servicesSeven application tiers from users through load balancers, web servers, application servers, middleware, databases and storage. Identity services and network conditions connect on the left, integration interfaces and monitoring connect on the right.Application tiersUsers and devicesbrowsers, mobile, field unitsLoad balancersdistribute and fail over sessionsWeb serverspresentation tierApplication serversbusiness logic, workflowMiddleware, brokers, cachesqueues, message brokers, searchDatabasestransactions, replication, recoveryStorageblock, file and objectIdentity servicesdirectory, single sign-on,roles and access reviewNetwork conditionslatency, bandwidth,segmentationApplication monitoringservice availability, response time,error rates, transaction volume,queue depth, database performance,background-job statusIntegration interfacesAPIs, files, events anddevice links to other systemsAvailability and performance are set by the weakest tier: concurrent users, transaction volume, response time, query time,network latency, storage performance and failover behaviour are engineered and tested across all of them.
  • Data path
  • Power
  • Management path
  • Fault or alert
Application tiers. An application is a stack of dependent tiers, with identity, network, integration and monitoring each attached to specific tiers.

Application scope and implementation

Application categories

The company may support:

  • Enterprise resource planning
  • Customer relationship management
  • Workflow platforms
  • Document management
  • Asset management
  • Project monitoring
  • Command-and-control applications
  • Analytics platforms
  • Data platforms
  • Monitoring applications
  • Industry-specific applications

Application implementation

Implementation follows a controlled path from validated requirements to production transition, with performance validated before users are moved.

Implementation may include:

  • Requirement validation
  • Environment design
  • Installation
  • Configuration
  • User-role setup
  • Workflow setup
  • Data migration
  • Integration
  • Testing
  • Performance validation
  • Training
  • Production transition

Infrastructure and performance

Application infrastructure

Each tier is sized and made resilient on its own terms; the weakest tier sets the availability of the application.

Application infrastructure may include:

  • Web servers
  • Application servers
  • Databases
  • Middleware
  • Message brokers
  • Caches
  • Search engines
  • Object storage
  • File storage
  • Load balancers
  • Identity services
  • Monitoring systems

Application performance

Performance targets are stated as measurable conditions — concurrent users, transaction rate, response time — and tested, including in failover.

Performance engineering should consider:

  • Concurrent users
  • Transaction volumes
  • Response time
  • Database queries
  • Network latency
  • Storage performance
  • Application dependencies
  • Peak-load behaviour
  • Batch processing
  • Failover conditions

Third-party software

Licensing and subscription management

Licence metrics, version compatibility and infrastructure prerequisites are checked during design, not discovered during deployment.

Where third-party applications are involved, the company may support:

  • License sizing
  • Subscription coordination
  • User-count validation
  • Infrastructure prerequisites
  • Version compatibility
  • Renewal planning
  • Support coordination
  • Compliance tracking

Discuss an ICT Requirement

Describe the requirement, the locations involved and where the project stands. We will respond with the technical questions that need answering first.

Discuss an ICT Requirement