Software Engineering

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CHAPTER 12 
Configuring the Physical Architecture
Successive levels of structural components should be identified that combine struc-
tural subcomponents and/or units into larger components. These central structural 
components in the integration hierarchy may be labeled 
intermediate
 structural 
components. The integration of structural subcomponents and/or units into inter-
mediate structural components should continue until the topmost components are 
recognized. This should result in a final set of 
primary
 structural components from 
which the software product configuration will be assembled.
Each structural component must be specified by combining and assimilating the 
specifications of the integrated elements. These structural component specifications 
should not address the functionality exhibited by an individual substructural ele-
ment (component or unit), but should address functionality or transaction process-
ing, which is realized or provided as a result of the integration effort.
The individual component integration test strategy must ensure that the inte-
grated component performs satisfactorily. However, the main focus of the integra-
tion test strategy should be to ensure that the component requirements that are most 
affected by the integration are stressed. Structural component requirements that are 
not impacted as a result of the integration may be assumed to be satisfied by the 
subcomponent or unit-level testing.
The number of levels in the component integration hierarchy provides a gage 
into the overall complexity of the software design solution. Therefore, the for-
mulation of the software integration strategy should be guided by the following 
guidelines: