Concept: Logical and Physical Components
There are two levels, or types, of components. Logical components are technology independent, and physical components are technology specific.
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Main Description

Components can be classified as follows:

  • Logical components: Represent concepts in the domain being studied, and are independent of the physical aspects of the software or hardware
  • Physical components: Represent actual software or hardware technology

For example, a Message Bus is a logical component responsible for routing and transforming data between applications. IBM® WebSphere® Message Broker is an example of a physical component that implements this logical component.

A logical component emphasizes what the component does. For example, the logical Message Bus component defines all of the functionality of the Message Bus, but does not consider how it will deliver this functionality.

A physical component emphasizes how the component does its job. For example, the physical WebSphere Message Broker component defines how the logical Message Bus implements its functionality using a specific technology and product.

A logical component is transformed into a physical component by making decisions about what technology will be used.

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