Architecture
«Firmitatis, Utilitatis, Venustatis»
«Durability, Utility, Beauty» Main properties of good architecture according Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, Roman architect, ca. 27 BC.
Search the internet and you will find some 130+ definitions about architecture. There is no global consensus about the details and the precise relationship to systems engineering. The standard about architecture descriptions ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 provides the following definition:
«System architecture aggregates the fundamental concepts or properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in the principles of its design and evolution.»
iso-architecture.org — The web sites about ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010, the standard about architecture description. This site provides resources related to architecture, architecture descriptions and architecture frameworks.
http://www.iso-architecture.org
The INCOSE Architecture Working Group
http://www.incose.org/practice/techactivities/wg/sysarch
The INCOSE UK Architecture Working Group (AWG) — Most content is only accesible after registration.
http://www.ukawg.org/architecture/doku.php?id=start
Gaudí System Architecting — Site operated by the Netherland’s Embedded Systems Institute with introduction to systems architecture, papers and book reviews. The site takes its name from the Spanish architect Gaudí.
http://www.gaudisite.nl/index.html
Principles of System Architecture — Intorduction into the issue
http://sysarch.pbworks.com/w/page/7241231/FrontPage
TRAK Enterprise Architecture Framework — Architecture framework originally designed for the UK Departement of Transport to provide easier application that the heavy architecture frameworks used in defence area.
http://trak.sourceforge.net
An additional site provides contact to a community and a wiki about TRAK.
http://trak-community.org
TOGAF — The architecture framework of the open group.
http://www.opengroup.org/togaf
Architecture Framework Forum — A site about architecture frameworks.
http://www.architectureframework.com
Paul Jansen’s view on architecture — A site with nicely animated information about architecture.
http://www.pauljansen.eu/architect.htm