Platform Hosts and Platform Applications - How to map these?

[Tom104]

Hi All,

I'm trying to get some clarity regarding how we should be mapping our Platform Hosts and Platform Applications.

What I'd like to address specifically, is what we classify as a platform host/platform application.

As an example, my current firm use Microsoft Dynamics extensively. This is hosted within Microsoft Azure (Which they have modelled as a Business Application).

However, a number of custom "Business Applications" have been built within Microsoft Dynamics.

As such, which of the following should be listed as the Platform Host (Microsoft Azure, or Microsoft Dynamics)?


If, we determine that Microsoft Azure is the Platform Host, and Microsoft Dynamics is a "Platform Application", what then should be the relationship between Microsoft Dynamics and the "Business Applications" built using this?

[CFrandsen]

Hi @Tom104

Good question...
This scenario has been discussed quite alot during our implementation of  CSDM 4.0, especially when you’re dealing with SaaS/PaaS services and then building business apps on top of them.
I would approach it like this:

Platform Host: Is the infrastructure layer that supports platform applications. In your example, Microsoft Azure would be modeled as the Platform Host because it provides the underlying hosting capability.

Platform Application: the technical platform that customers use to build or configure solutions.
Here, Microsoft Dynamics 365 would be your Platform Application, since it sits on top of Azure and is the foundation for business applications built inside it.

Business Application: the consumable applications that the enterprise uses for business outcomes. So the custom solutions built inside Dynamics would be modeled as Business Applications.

Following the CSDM hierarchy wheb building the relations:

Platform Host (Azure) -> hosts → Platform Application (Dynamics 365)

Platform Application (Dynamics 365) → hosts → Business Applications (your custom Dynamics solutions)

I think this could be a way to go about it.