Introduction

Running an organization involves multiple software and strategic applications. The ROI largely depends on how well the application architecture works within the company. Considering the large-scale programs within an organization, it has become important to learn about the enterprise application architecture and utilize it most beneficially. Along with many dynamic growth strategies and plans, obtaining the Enterprise Application Architecture (EAA) is crucial indeed.

Enterprise application architecture is a structured framework that helps to manage the overall application ecosystem of an enterprise or business organization. Like a building’s architecture defines the designs of interior and exterior, the enterprise application architecture does the same for software used in a company structure. However, many times, people confuse the application architecture with the design itself, whereas both are different.

To be specific, enterprise application architecture is not just the applications’ designs, but it provides guidance for the designs. Anyways, such confusion and lack of knowledge may lead to the mismanagement of the overall infrastructure of applications or software within an organization. Therefore, this blog is here to discuss what it is, how it works, and how you can implement enterprise application services.

Understanding Enterprise Application Architecture

Building a house without any proper architectural plan may lead to disaster, and the same happens with company software applications when you deploy them without setting up a suitable enterprise application architecture. EAA is a structured and scalable blueprint of how applications within a company are designed, built, evolved, and deployed, ensuring alignment with the business vision and compliance with regulations. Encompassing data, software, hardware, and diverse network components necessary to run the business, enterprise application architecture comes in four layers. The layers are:

Presentation Layer:

This layer includes what users can see or interact with. The web, mobile, and desktop user interfaces are a part of this layer. The guiding principles of this layer denote where certain navigation buttons are supposed to be placed or how the menu structure should be.

Business Logic Layer:

Lying beneath the presentation layer, the business logic layer includes the principles of how the applications function. The modules defining business rules, workflow, and core application functionality form this layer. Although it may not be as visible as the presentation layer, it is no less important.

Data Access Layer:

Also known as the database layer, this layer comprises data. It includes clear rules for how data is supposed to be accessed, used, stored, and managed. The modules related to the server and database are parts of this enterprise application architecture layer.

Integration Layer:

The layer comprises rules, patterns, and structures that enable the applications to connect seamlessly with the different systems under the overall company software ecosystems. The integration layer mechanisms may include the APIs and middleware, with the help of which the applications are interfaced with other tools.

Common Enterprise Application Architecture Types

As setting up a steady enterprise application architecture helps to deal with complex applications swiftly, you should go for it at the earliest. However, here are the major types of enterprise application architecture that help in software development, managing the applications, and so on. The types include:

1. Monolithic architecture:

It is a complex application architecture that is associated with legacy systems that were built long before modern service-oriented constructs came into existence. This complex architecture is challenging to scale up. It is useful for small-scale projects and low-traffic applications, e.g., web calculators, etc.

2. Service-oriented architecture (SOA):

Developed into the 1990s, service-oriented architecture (SOA) breaks down into discrete services that can be reused. These services are designed to communicate with each other through a common enterprise service bus. For example, message queuing is used to exchange messages among them asynchronously.

3. Microservices architecture:

Evolved from service-oriented architecture, microservices architecture is used in cloud-native, agile development infrastructures like DevOps. The architecture breaks down applications into small, loosely coupled, and functionally independent components. Developers assemble applications from microservice architecture while enabling rapid software development.

4. Web application architecture:

Specifically designed for programs run into web browsers and mobile apps, web application architecture includes rules that define usable components along with their interactions in the context of the distributed nature of the internet. With improving browser capabilities, web application architecture has evolved and become better.

5. Event-driven architecture (EDA):

EDA is ideal for use in self-service applications and real-time scenarios. This architecture responds to an event like the press of a button or swipe of a debit or credit card and processes the data to provide the desired outcome. Event-driven architecture is usually built on microservice architecture, as the occurrence of any event begins a set of specific tasks.

6. Serverless architecture:

As the latest invention under microservice architecture, serverless architecture is used in tasks like image recognition, event processing, machine translation, and automated software testing. With this architecture, cloud-based third-party services construct diverse applications. This type of architecture scales well and, at the same time, can be spun up and shut down quickly. As cloud instances are not necessary, serverless architecture has become one of the least expensive ways to deploy software.

The Major Applications of Enterprise Application Architecture

The global enterprise application market is gaining popularity, and industry experts predict that by 2030, the market will reach $527.40 billion. When the architecture is so much in use, many companies don’t understand how to leverage it in the best possible way. So, here are the specific applications of EAA that businesses can use in their everyday chores.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems:

It is a powerful tool to improve sales processes and customer relationships as it handles diverse aspects of a customer’s lifecycle. CRM does it all, from managing and tracking interactions with potential leads to retaining customers by accumulating and storing information about them. EAA helps to build the overall architecture of CRM systems, which comprises layers, components, and the ways they react. Salesforce, Hubspot, etc., are prominent examples of CRM systems built on enterprise application architecture.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems:

When CRM simplifies and automates the sales process, ERP helps manage, optimize, and automate day-to-day business operations. It may include everything from accounting and human resource management to R&D, and product manufacturing. ERP is used to integrate different departments into a single system within an organization to ensure better functionality, simplified monitoring, and transparency. EAA provides a solid framework for developing the designs and implementing ERP systems. An example of an ERP system is SAP ERP.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) Systems:

SCM tools are used to handle supply chains within an organization and among businesses, which includes managing the transportation of goods from one company to another. With SCM systems, you can get a strong hold on inventories and control the production and shipments and thus you can reduce any sort of extra cost. EAA helps to build a suitable framework for supply chain management systems and connects them with other business functions. It ensures that various SCM systems can communicate and integrate seamlessly. SAP SCM and Oracle SCM are two examples of supply chain management tools.

Human Resource Management (HRM) systems:

Also known as human capital management (HCM) systems, HRM is a set of applications that are used to manage the lifecycle of human resources within a company, from recruitment to retirement. The job roles of HRM systems include gathering and storing employee information, automating daily HR tasks like payroll, and analyzing employee performance and data to make crucial decisions. Based on enterprise application architecture, HRM simplifies the functions of an HR department. The HRM software applications are designed, developed, and managed well with the foundation of EAA. BambooHR is one such HRM system that businesses often look for.

Content Management Systems (CMS):

Built on enterprise application architecture, CMS helps to create, store, manage, organize, and modify digital content through a simple and user-friendly interface that does not ask you to showcase any type of coding language. Different types of CMS include SaaS CMS, open source CMS, proprietary content management systems, etc. With the help of a well-developed base of EAA, content management systems streamline publishing content and ensure that more than one user can work on the content at the same time. WordPress, Drupal, etc., are examples of content management systems.

Business Intelligence (BI) systems:

By turning huge volumes of data into effective, actionable insights, business intelligence systems help organizations improve their workflow and find growth opportunities in their everyday activities. Developed on enterprise application architecture, BI tools become an integral part of businesses across industries. EAA provides scalability and security to these systems while initiating data consolidation, integration, and management in the BI tools. Tableau is an example of a business intelligence system.

How to Implement Enterprise Software Architecture

Although there are diverse uses of enterprise application architecture, many companies still don’t understand how to implement the architecture in the best possible way. So, here are the steps mentioned for implementing the EAA.

Analyse business needs:

Every business comes with unique requirements and has certain gaps in its infrastructure. Identify the specific needs which can be addressed with the abilities of enterprise software architecture.

Choose the right patterns and types:

As discussed above, EAA has multiple applications that serve different purposes. Depending on your business needs, select the appropriate type of enterprise application architecture. It can be anything from a content management system, a BI tool, or an ERP system.

Establish governance:

Once you decide which EAA pattern and type suits your business needs, you can focus on its governance, by defining clear policies, procedures, and standards. Also, a process of continuous monitoring is developed at this step.

Deploy the architecture:

Next, after creating a robust implementation plan with the suggestions and intervention of stakeholders and enterprise in-house technicians, you have to deploy the EAA architecture.

Monitor, track, and adjust:

Finally, when the architecture is deployed successfully, it needs to be supervised by experts. Appoint the workforce to pay attention to how the architecture works after deployment and adjust the components and work process as required.

The Key Considerations:

However, when leveraging the benefits of enterprise software architecture, you should make sure that it is deployed and utilized properly. Otherwise, you might not be able to get the best outcome. Some key considerations that need to be remembered for this purpose are as follows:

Make sure that it is aligned with the business strategy.
It is flexible and scalable.
It should ensure proper security and compliance.
Open communication and mutually beneficial collaborations should be there.
Enterprise application software can skyrocket a business’s growth and success when used in the right way. So, follow the steps as discussed and keep essential points in mind.

The Future Trends in Enterprise Application Architecture

In the ever-evolving business landscape, understanding future trends has become crucial when you use enterprise application architecture. The trends that are shaping EAA in 2025 include:

AI and ML Integration:

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are likely to be used in a broader scope to enhance the efficiency of the architecture and enable proactive data-driven solutions. They can be used to personalize the businesses’ experience with EAA more than ever.

Cloud-native Architectures:

It can allow developers to focus sharply on diverse business logic without taking the stress of managing servers.

Serverless architecture:

Edge Computing:

It is a distributed computing paradigm that can be used to bring data storage, computing resources, and applications closer to the sources of data. It results in reduced latency and improved security and decision-making.

Strong focus on sustainability:

With ongoing concern about environmental hazards due to the increasing usage of technologies, businesses are likely to embrace sustainable EAA practices. The green initiatives associated with EAA are eco-friendly data centers, sustainable supply chain optimization, and so on.

About SquareOne

With 16 years of expertise, SquareOne drives digital innovation for companies across diverse industries and helps with data-driven storytelling in business operations. Our solutions in Automation, Data & AI, Low-code App modernization, Content management, and Fraud & Risk protection enhance business growth through strategic innovation and partnerships.

Final Thoughts

Companies, regardless of their size and business nature, can adopt enterprise application architecture to automate and streamline their work processes and management systems. EAA simplifies the day-to-day business chores while adding enhanced efficiency to the systems. By integrating diverse applications used in the business into one single system, EAA helps enterprises sustain and grow by holding strong positions in the industry. Thus, in this technology-driven era, you, as a company owner, prove to be a new-age thought leader in the industry. Implement enterprise application architecture in your business and leverage technology to drive maximum business success.