Architect Cafe #17 - Where Does This Actually Run?

The seventeenth edition of the Architect Cafe promises to be a unique experience, not only because of the theme but also because of the location: the Johan Cruijff ArenA, during the Eredivisie match Ajax vs. Willem II.

As always, IT Rockstar Oscar van der Leij leads the session. In an intimate setting of just 20 seats, top architects from leading Dutch organizations go into the depths together.

Event Overview

Presentation: Where Does This Actually Run?

Architecture diagrams often look convincing. Until someone asks that one simple question: "But where does this actually run?"

Oscar takes you into the world of deployment diagrams within the C4 model. How do you make the step from a logical architecture model to the infrastructure your software actually runs on? How do you show which containers land on which deployment nodes, how cloud, on-premises, and Kubernetes relate to one another, and which connections exist between components in practice?

Above all, this is about the art of leaving things out. When do you put a region, cluster, VM, pod, or managed service on your diagram? Which deployment details are relevant to architecture, and when does your diagram turn into an unreadable collection of infrastructure icons?

Architecture Dilemmas

In break-out sessions we then get to work on architectural dilemmas from practice. Think of general architectural choices such as monoliths versus microservices, CQRS, security versus speed, the influence of technical debt on strategic decision-making, or the question related to the presentation of how much infrastructure detail an architecture diagram actually needs.

After the break-outs, the most important insights are shared plenarily and challenged from different perspectives.

Architecture, infrastructure, and top-level sport. Three worlds in which overview, collaboration, and the right positioning make the difference. The Architect Cafe offers not only new insights, but above all the chance to learn from peers.

The evening then continues with the Ajax vs. Willem II match from the skybox, which gives the group a relaxed setting to carry on the conversations started during the breakouts.

Agenda

17:30
Walk-in

18:00
Presentation: Where Does This Actually Run?

18:30
Dinner and break-out sessions in Skybox Team Rockstars IT

19:30
Feedback from the break-out sessions

19:45
Match preview

20:00
Kick-off Ajax - Willem II

22:00
Programme Concludes