June 21, 2014

Software Systems Architecture

computergears

Are you getting the business return you expected from your technology investment? Are you complying with all the privacy regulations?

Aykira provides in-depth software systems architecture skills either to lead business projects or to supplement expertise in your technology teams. This helps to ensure you’re getting the best from your investment in technology.

We can audit and produce recommendations on the following:

  • High-level system architecture: technologies, inter-dependencies, technical debt.
  • Code Reviews: how well put together a system is.
  • Technology life-cycle: engineering skills fit, costs of operation, replacement costs/risks.
  • Security: weaknesses and ways to address.
  • External Dependencies: packages, suppliers, standards.
  • Frameworks: Off-the-shelf, open-source, bespoke.
  • Business Objective Fit: missed opportunities, competitive advantages.
  • Regulatory Compliance: where you have compliance gaps and what you need to do to address them.

Systems Architecture Design is Critical to Long-term Success

We consider a well-thought-out and planned Systems Architecture to be critical to long-term business success; without such a technical roadmap it is often difficult to know if what is being done is actually helping a business or hindering it. Also, it becomes very difficult to deal with unexpected changes in confidence, as you have no clear picture of the consequences and actions required.

A good systems architecture is also a strong indication that engineering is being done correctly and with the right visibility and consultation to ensure a successful outcome – it’s very much the ‘glue’ that enables an engineering team to work effectively. Likewise, a system architecture that takes into account the overall business strategy and direction will empower your business.

You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, it’s unthinkable that you would even try – to us the same rule applies to software systems on the cloud. How can you design systems to be reliable, robust, and secure without an architecture plan?

Systems Architecture is Critical to Regulatory Compliance

Most businesses are faced with having to comply with a variety of regulations to operate. This has recently come to a head in Australia with the focus on the GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulations) in Europe and the requirement for Mandatory Breach Notifications in Australia.

Systems need to be proven to be secure and you need to be able to answer inquiries as to what information you hold on an individual. As well as being 100% confident that when sensitive personal data is finished with it has been fully deleted. Such functions need to be designed right into systems at the architectural level to succeed and be maintained over time. You cannot just ‘bolt-on’ solutions to be compliant – it has to be designed in and provably so, it’s in the regulations.


Aykira has over 15 years of experience in scaling and securing cloud architecture with blue-chip companies internationally, producing innovative technical design solutions and patents. We know how to approach Software Architecture at scale to ensure the right outcomes.  If you think we could help you, please fill in our contact form.