Components within a functional architecture

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This doth be a machine-wrought text which may contain errors!

When we speak of operational architecture, we mean all those parts which do together comprise the IT infrastructure of an enterprise. ‘Tis of networks, servers, storage, services, and security, and how all doth hang together.

What be an operational architecture?

An operational architecture is an overview of all the IT components within an environment and how they be joined together. Think upon it as a map of the entire IT system. It doth include all things, from physical hardware unto software and measures of security.

For a small enterprise, this may be as simple as a router, a server, and some PCs. For a larger company, it may include hundreds of servers, diverse networks, cloud services, and much more.

Network Components

The network doth form the very foundation of an operating architecture. Without it, no devices may commune one with another.

Component What it doth perform Example
Switch Connecteth devices within a local area network (LAN) Unifi Switch, TP-Link
Router Sendeth traffic ‘twixt diverse networks Thine home router, ISP router
Gateway The entry point ‘twixt thy network and the internet Oft combined with the router
Firewall Filtereth traffic and blocketh unwelcome access pfSense, OPNsense, Unifi Gateway
Access Point (AP) Granteth wireless connection to the network Unifi AP, TP-Link AP

Hvordan henger det sammen?

A typical order is:

Internet → Router/Gateway → Firewall → Switch → Devices (PCs, servers, APs)

The switch doth connect all things internally, and the router/firewall doth govern what entereth and departeth.

Easy Task the First – Map Thy Home Network

What manner of network gear doth thou possess within thy dwelling? Most folk have at the least a router from their internet provider. Endeavour to discover:

  • Hast thou a router, a switch, or a combination of both?
  • Dost thou possess a separate access point, or is WiFi built into the router itself?
  • What is the IP address of thy router? (Hint: ipconfig in the terminal on Windows)

Servers and Clients

In a working architecture, we do distinguish ‘twixt servers and clients:

Role Description Example
Server A machine which doth offer services unto others Webserver, fileserver, printserver
Client A machine which doth use the services offered Thy PC, mobile, tablet

A server need not be a great, costly machine. An old laptop running Linux and sharing files o’er the network is, technically speaking, a server. ‘Tis of the role, not the size, that we speak.

Formfaktorer

Servers exist in diverse physical forms:

  • Tower - It doth resemble a common desktop PC. Well-suited for small domains.
  • Rack - Mounted within a server cabinet (rack). The standard for data centres.
  • Blade - Compact modules set within a chassis. Employed in great data centres.

Storage

Data must be stored in some place. Within an operational architecture, there exist manifold alternatives:

Type Explanation Example
Local disk Storage directly within the machine SSD, HDD in a PC or server
NAS Network storage shared amongst devices Synology, TrueNAS
SAN Dedicated storage network for high prowess Used in great datacenters
Cloud storage Storage with a cloud provider OneDrive, Google Drive, S3

NAS vs. SAN

  • NAS (Network Attached Storage) doth share files o’er common network. Easy ‘tis to set up.
  • SAN (Storage Area Network) doth employ a separate, dedicated network for storage. Swifter, yet more complex.

For most small and middling companies, NAS is more than sufficient.

Services and Software

The servers within an operational architecture do run divers services. Here are some common ones:

Service What it doth Example
E-mail and Interaction Communication and collaboration Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
File Servers To store and share files internally SharePoint, SAMBA
Web Servers To deliver web pages unto users Nginx, Apache
Print Server To share printers ‘twixt devices CUPS (Linux), Windows Print Server
Software Applications wherewith the users do labour Office, Teams, Visual Studio Code

Watchfulness and Security

To keep a working architecture sound, we require insight into what doth transpire:

Component What it doth do Example
Logging-server Gathereth log data from servers and services Grafana + Loki, Graylog
Watchfulness Showeth status and performance in real time Grafana, Zabbix, Uptime Kuma
Access Control Governeth who hath access to what Username/password, MFA
Antivirus Protecteth against malware Windows Defender, ClamAV
Backup Security copy of data and systems Proxmox Backup, Veeam

Backup is not optional

A good rule of thumb is the 3-2-1 rule:

  • 3 copies of thy data
  • 2 diverse storage media (e.g., disk + cloud)
  • 1 copy far from thy dwelling (offsite)

Easy Task the Second - Dost Thou Observe 3-2-1?

Ponder upon thine own school files:

  • How many copies hast thou of thy projects?
  • Dost thou employ only OneDrive, or hast thou aught locally as well?
  • What doth befall shouldst thou lose access to thy Microsoft account?

Many do discover that they possess but a single copy. ‘Tis sufficient until it is not.

Virtualization

In lieu of possessing a physical engine for every service, we may employ virtualization to run manifold services upon the selfsame hardware:

Technology Explanation Example
Virtual machines (VM) Entire operating systems that run upon shared hardware Proxmox, VMware
Containers Light, isolated environments for single applications Docker, Podman

Virtualization is amongst the most paramount concepts in modern IT operations. It doth save space, power, and rendereth the management of services more easy.

To Conjure It Together

Here doth lie an example of how a simple operational architecture might appear for a school of modest size:

Internet
   │
   ▼
[Router / Firewall]
   │
   ▼
[Switch]──────────────────────────────────┐
   │          │          │                │
   ▼          ▼          ▼                ▼
[Server]  [AP WiFi]  [Printer]    [Elev-PCer]
   │
   ├── VM: Webserver (Nginx)
   ├── VM: File server (SAMBA)
   └── Docker: Grafana + Loki

This survey doth demonstrate ‘tis need not be complex. The point is to possess an overview of that which doth exist, and how ‘tis linked together.

Easy Task the Third - Depict the School’s Architecture

Essay to draw a simple overview of the IT infrastructure at thy school (or home). Use freely pen and paper, or a tool such as draw.io.

  • What network devices doth exist?
  • How many networks dost thou deem the school possess? (Hint: scholars and staff are like to be upon divers networks)
  • What services do ye employ daily? (WiFi, file storage, printing, e-mail…)

Thou needest not know all. The point is to begin to think in systems.

Summary

A works architecture doth concern itself with understanding the whole:

  • Network doth bind all things together
  • Servers do deliver services
  • Storage doth preserve the data
  • Security doth guard against threats
  • Monitoring doth grant thee insight
  • Virtualisation doth save resources

When thou canst describe these components and explain how they are linked, thou hast a good understanding of the works architecture.