ContentsApplication DesignDesign parametersOperational

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Operational design parameters define a category of design that is often completely abstracted by the end user. Unless someone's budget is on the line, these design considerations are sometimes completely ignored until they become a problem.

Operational design parameters for web applications include:

• what client capabilities are required? (e.g. pure HTML, cookies, JavaScript, Java applets, cascading style sheets, forms, nested tables, minimal resolution and color)
• what server platforms and resources are required? (e.g. an RDBMS, a specific operating system, a proprietary web server, CORBA, disk space, and memory)
• what routers do our network packets need to go through - is there a firewall somewhere?
• is there a need for security?
• are user accounts required?

As a general rule, the application should not impose any significant operational design parameters. The life of the system administrator is already challenging enough.

Sometimes we forget that the reason we are using Java is not for the reason that Bill Gates chooses to endorse (the language characteristics) - the real reason is platform independence. By providing our applications with as much platform independence as possible, those who are responsible for keeping the infrastructure up and running can relocate our application as required. Only Java Servlets allow web applications to be moved without regard to the underlying components such as the hardware (Sparc, Intel, RS/6000, Macintosh), operating system, and web server. Proprietary tools almost always fasten your application to a specific platform and don't allow for easy migration when the time comes.

Scalability and portability may not matter for this particular application, but it's a good thing to keep in practice for.

ContentsApplication DesignDesign parametersOperational

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