Physical

Intro

Physical refers to real‑world implementations or states of a subject. In EA, physical models describe concrete technologies, deployments, and constraints.

Key points:

• Translates logical designs into implementable solutions.
• Captures runtime constraints and operational details.
• Common use cases across EA/BPM/Data/App/Tech include physical data models, deployment topologies, and process work instructions.
• Pitfall: locking designs to current tech without considering evolution.

Examples:

• Physical network and server layout for an application.
• Concrete database schema with indexes and partitions.
• Workstation setup and tooling for a manual task.

In practice:

Derive physical designs from logical models, then validate against performance, security, and support constraints.

Related terms: Logical; Architecture; Architecture Principles

FAQs:

Q: Are physical models tool- or vendor-specific?
A: Often, since they reflect actual technologies and platforms.

Q: When to create physical models?
A: After logical agreement and technology selection.

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