SIP-029 — Implementation and Deployment Independence

Go to Annex C: Requirements

The proposed Reference Architecture SHALL NOT prescribe specific implementation technologies, deployment topologies, or System architectures.

A Reference Architecture identifies common architectural concepts, responsibilities, relationships, and constraints. Implementation technologies, deployment topologies, and individual System architectures are realization decisions made for particular operational, technical, security, and acquisition contexts.

Preserving this distinction allows SIP-RA to support multiple implementations and deployment environments. It also prevents the Reference Architecture from becoming a design for a particular product, platform, or System.

The Submission satisfies this requirement when the proposed Reference Architecture:

1. Avoids requiring a specific implementation technology or product
2. Avoids prescribing a particular physical or logical deployment topology
3. Avoids defining the architecture of a specific operational System
4. Distinguishes Reference Architecture elements from implementation components
5. Permits multiple System architectures to realize the Reference Architecture
6. Permits centralized, distributed, connected, disconnected, or other applicable deployment arrangements
7. Distinguishes platform-specific mappings and examples from normative architectural content
8. Avoids making conformance dependent on a particular implementation or deployment arrangement

This exclusion does not prevent SIP-RA from identifying architectural constraints that an implementation, deployment, or System architecture must satisfy.

A Submission may include nonnormative realization examples or mappings to demonstrate that the Reference Architecture can support different technologies and deployment arrangements.

SIP-001 — Platform-Independent Reference Architecture establishes the corresponding positive requirement for platform independence.