What is a .NET System Architect?

[Big Charles]

Hello,
Recently, a friend of mine has told me that he is a .NET System
Architect.
What is a .NET System Architect? What are their functions?
What is the difference between an Architect and a programmer and a
System Analyst?

Thanks for your help !

 

[Daniel]

..net system architect = bulls**t 'business talk' line to sound more
important that he is lol

 

[Karl Seguin]

Pretty much.

He might be talking about a specific Microsoft certification though...like
MCAP (microsoft certified architect program):
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certifications.mspx


Which I've blogged about how crappy they are:
http://codebetter.com/blogs/karlseguin/archive/2006/07/24/147628.aspx

Karl

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

The System Architect is the overall designer and integrator of the application,
and is responsible for creating the overall design architecture, and for maintaining
the conceptual integrity of the architecture throughout the project life cycle.

The System Architect is responsible for assuring the quality of technical work products
delivered by the project team, including designs, specifications, procedures and documentation.

The System Analyst is responsible for specifying the code structure ( not its architecture )
and testing prototypes of the system at all stages of its implementation.

A Systems Architect could specify a language platform for the application.

A Systems Analyst would not., except in small companies which don't have the job granularity
needed for System Architects to exist within the corporate structure.

A programmer implements ( writes the code ) for the architecture which the System Architect
specifies
to the System Analyst and the System Analyst serves, in turn, as Quality Control for the
Application,
keeping an eye on the code which programmers write, making sure it remains within the app's specs.




Juan T. Llibre, asp.net MVP
asp.net faq : http://asp.net.do/faq/
foros de asp.net, en español : http://asp.net.do/foros/
===================================

 

[Mark Rae]

He might be talking about a specific Microsoft certification though...like
MCAP (microsoft certified architect program):
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certifications.mspx

Which I've blogged about how crappy they are:
http://codebetter.com/blogs/karlseguin/archive/2006/07/24/147628.aspx

I couldn't have put it better myself!

Some people actually include their MCP "qualifications" in their sig, like
that somehow means they know what they're talking about!!!

 

[Karl Seguin]

ouch...the only reason my MVP isn't in my sig/name is because I formatted
and forgot

Karl

 

[Mark Rae]

ouch...the only reason my MVP isn't in my sig/name is because I formatted
and forgot

MVP is fine because that is actually earned through recommendations from
other MVPs, etc... With (almost) no exceptions, MVPs really *do* know what
they're talking about.

What I really find pitiable is people who put things like MCP, MCTS, MCSD
etc in their sig as if that somehow "validates" their posts...

Just to see if it's still possible, I searched the internet for the question
pools for all of the MCPs which currently make up an MCSD - found them in
about 10 minutes. All I'd have to do is learn them parrot-fashion, book the
tests, pay Microsoft the money and suddenly I'm an MCSD!

Utterly, utterly worthless...

 

[Eliyahu Goldin]

Although I agree that certification doesn't add much to one's professional
level, I did see jobs requiring certification. So it is sometimes useful for
job search.

 

[Karl Seguin]

They require it because of Microsoft Partner Program. Most employees with
certifications give their companies partner points. If anything, it makes
you think twice about the partner program...

Karl
--
http://www.openmymind.net/
http://www.fuelindustries.com/

Although I agree that certification doesn't add much to one's professional
level, I did see jobs requiring certification. So it is sometimes useful
for
job search.

--
Eliyahu Goldin,
Software Developer & Consultant
Microsoft MVP [ASP.NET]

MVP is fine because that is actually earned through recommendations from
other MVPs, etc... With (almost) no exceptions, MVPs really *do* know
what
they're talking about.

What I really find pitiable is people who put things like MCP, MCTS, MCSD
etc in their sig as if that somehow "validates" their posts...

Just to see if it's still possible, I searched the internet for the question
pools for all of the MCPs which currently make up an MCSD - found them in
about 10 minutes. All I'd have to do is learn them parrot-fashion, book the
tests, pay Microsoft the money and suddenly I'm an MCSD!

Utterly, utterly worthless...

 

[Mark Rae]

They require it because of Microsoft Partner Program.

Most do - a few actually think it's a measure of ability...

Most employees with certifications give their companies partner points.
If anything, it makes you think twice about the partner program...

I couldn't agree more!

 

[Big Charles]

Thanks for your response.
However, I don't see too much difference between an Architect and an
Analyst.

Is it that nowadays is fashionable to say "system architect" instead of
"system analyst"?

Or maybe an analyst is more related with the business processes than
with technology (understanding technology as programming language,
framwork, os, network, internet, database, hardware, etc).

 

[John Timney \(MVP\)]

I think Juans summation of it is a good assessment of what an architects
role is.

To ad to Juans response my take is that there is really no such thing as a
..NET architect in the real world - only architects. Any architect
(Solutions/Systems or Enterprise) should understand significantly more than
..NET based technology and architecture. If they don't then they are not a
well balanced architect and its all certification and title!

--
Regards

John Timney (MVP)
http://www.johntimney.com
http://www.johntimney.com/blog

 

[Karl Seguin]

"Architect" is the new buzz word amongst programmers.

Karl

 

[Registered User]

Hello,
Recently, a friend of mine has told me that he is a .NET System
Architect.
What is a .NET System Architect? What are their functions?
What is the difference between an Architect and a programmer and a
System Analyst?

Thanks for your help !

Consider a simplistic hierarchy as the real world model and consider
the tasks, duties and responsibilities of each layer.

Architect -> Contractor -> Construction Worker
Architect -> Analyst -> Programmer

AFA being a ".NET System Architect "goes the title may or may not be
descriptive of the position. An architect should be able to abstract
the .NET out of the title.

regards
A.G.

 

[Mark Rae]

"Architect" is the new buzz word amongst programmers.

Indeed - like a "transparency hygiene operative"... ;-)

 

[Karl Seguin]

We've all kinda beat this horse...but.....I dunno if I agree with the last
statement. Over the last 2 years, I've had very bad experience with supposed
Java "architects" screw up .NET code beyond belief.

In theory you are right, in practice architecture IS technology specific.

Karl

 

[Steve Dybing [MSFT]]

Be careful about lumping the Microsoft Certified Architect Program in with
the rest of the MCP tests, it's a completely different animal. We actually
had one of the folks from the program come talk to the Architect MVPs a
while back, available publicly here:
http://www.skyscrapr.net/blogs/arcasts/default.aspx?ID=403 and while I don't
claim to be an expert, it really has nothing in common with the MCP tests.
In fact, it's not a test at all. You have to present projects that you've
completed to a review board and go through a pretty strenuous (and
expensive!!!) review process. You might want to have a look at the
description at http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/architect/default.mspx.

 

[Registered User]

We've all kinda beat this horse...

Hmm, I'm picturing a National Lampoon cover from the early seventies.

but.....I dunno if I agree with the last
statement. Over the last 2 years, I've had very bad experience with supposed
Java "architects" screw up .NET code beyond belief.

But we may agree the Java architects are architects only in the
titular conext. OK let me change the coment about being a .NET System
Architect to

"A qualified architect should be able to abstract the .NET out of the
title."

In theory you are right, in practice architecture IS technology specific.

Aw we're both correct. Abstraction can reach relatively granular
levels before platform specific details become involved. I think it
might be described as models encapsulating models encapsulating ....
The SDLC starts with 99.99% pure abstraction and ends with a
technology/platform specific implementation.

regards
A.G.