Defining the Architecture type on business applications

Shannon16
Tera Contributor

yesterday

Hello everyone,

 

I’m looking for guidance on how others are populating Architecture Type, Platform, and Platform Host (where applicable) for Business Applications - specifically which combinations are most realistic and commonly used.

 

We have a general understanding of our application portfolio and have already classified applications as COTS, Homegrown, or SaaS and are now trying to further our data by adding the architecture type and platform.  

 

 

ServiceNow provides the following Architecture Type options and definitions:

  • Client Server: Application structure that divides tasks between the service providers and service requesters.
  • N-Tier: A multi-layered architecture where presentation, processing, and data management exist as physically separate layers.
  • Web-based: Applications accessed over a network connection.
  • Platform Host: Hardware or software that hosts the business application.
  • Platform Application: Application that runs on a platform and can be associated to a host.

 

I know that when Platform Application is selected, the Platform Host field becomes required.

 

ServiceNow also provides a lot of Platform choices (e.g., AWS, Azure, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Windows, Linux, etc.). Does anyone have more detailed explanations, examples, or decision guidance beyond the out‑of‑box definitions?

 

Where we’re struggling

Our main point of confusion is when to select Web‑Based versus Platform Application.

Most modern applications—especially SaaS—run on a platform and are accessed over a network. Because of that:

  • Does Web‑Based effectively apply to most SaaS applications?
  • When is Platform Application the better choice?
  • Is the intent that Platform Application be used only when you explicitly know the hosting platform and want to report or relate outages to that host?

Example

We are a financial services company with vendor‑hosted products such as FactSet and Bloomberg. These applications are hosted by the vendors (cloud or private data center), but they are business‑critical for our traders.

Should applications like these be modeled as:

  • Web‑Based, because we consume them as SaaS and do not control the hosting?
  • Or Platform Application, because we care about availability and may want to report on vendor platform outages that impact business operations?

 

Key question

How do you decide between Web‑Based vs. Platform Application, and what criteria should drive that choice in a CMDB?

 

Any best practices, real‑world examples, or lessons learned would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!

0 Helpfuls
  • 102 Views
1 REPLY 1

chinook2
Tera Contributor

yesterday

Hello Shannon16 - while I would not choose to approach the means in which you characterize your Services - I too noticed some time ago that the additional values added were anomalous to the previous OOTB choices for "Architecture Type".

The change occurred between CSDM 3.0 and CSDM 4.0 more or less.
The additional values of Platform Host and Platform Application give us the ability to group Business Applications within the Platform Host (ex: one model shows "ServiceNow" as the Platform Host and Modules as the Platform Applications.

In database theory - one of the normal form "rules" suggests NOT using a field for 2 different purposes.
BUT in given the rapidity of change in the IT world - my take is the need for the structure of Host outweighed the need to retain the differentiation between "Application Type" and "Architecture Type"

So - Yes - choosing either Platform Host or Platform application precludes the use of the other values (theoretically since it's a dropdown).

One thought that comes to mind, though - is that Web Based as a choice could equally be expressed in the Application Type field (which already has the value of "Saas".

In a world changing VERY fast with new methods every day - I'd be tempted to expand on choices in Application Type and keep Architecture Type primarily for the (Host/Platform) pairing - but then I'm affectionate about grouping the Business Apps and have found many uses for that.

As well - I've found that since the Business Application table is not (with child) OOTB - custom fields there are easier to add and subtract than anywhere else. Hence could create custom fields there for detailed pairs and values to characterize as you wish?

Great question - is part of the individuality of the history / legacy and character of the data model.
Best Regards, Jim G.

0 Helpfuls