Dec 08, 2023

Google Cloud Reference Architectures

The Google Cloud Architecture center – https://cloud.google.com/architecture – offers a wealth of information on building Solution Architectures using new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Microservice Architectures, Hybrid cloud, and Security. It includes reference architectures for different Use Cases in each area.

Google Cloud Icon Set

Google also offers an icon set for use to visualize these architectures, available on this page: https://cloud.google.com/icons

UNICOM Systems is a business partner with Google. To provide customers with a repository-based EA solution for the Google Cloud icon set, UNICOM Systems provides:

• The Google Cloud icons redistributed in a folder structure set up for import into a System Architect encyclopedia,
• A custom-metamodel template – provided via a USRPROPS.TXT file – for architecting data-driven Solution Architectures in System Architect with a data-driven Solution Architecture diagram,
• A bitmap for each icon so that you can select and easily draw the icons in diagrams in System Architect.

For example, the following Solution Architecture diagram was built in System Architect using the custom metamodel (enabled via USRPROPS.TXT), the bitmaps provided, and the Google Cloud icon set:

Using the System Architect – Google Cloud Architecture Add-In

To use the System Architect – Google Cloud Architecture Add-In, perform the following steps:

1. Optionally watch this video – which uses the Amazon AWS icon set – but all concepts apply to the Google Cloud icon set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsUGDDBXpFo
2. Download the UNICOM_SystemArchitect-Google_Cloud_Architectures.zip add-in*.
3. Unzip the add-in into a directory on your computer. You will see:
   • a USRPROPS.TXT file that creates 2 new diagram types:
     • Solution Architecture (Google)
     • Solution Conceptual (Google)
   • an IMAGES directory with. svg and .bmp files in it.
4. In System Architect, create a new, test encyclopedia. Choose any Framework (TOGAF, DoDAF2, UAF, etc), including None. The usrprops.txt is independent of framework.
5. Select Tools, Customize User Properties, Import USRPROPS.TXT (Encyclopedia) – or use File Manager (Tools, Encyclopedia File Manager) or SAEM – to import the USRPROPS.TXT file into the encyclopedia.
   • (If you wish to import the Google Cloud Architecture metamodel into an existing encyclopedia, then you should merge the contents of the USRPROPS.TXT provided into the USRPROPS.TXT of that encyclopedia.)
6. Use SAEM or System Architect's File Manager (Tools, Encyclopedia File Manager) to import all of the contents of the Images\Google directory. They will automatically be imported into the Files table of the encyclopedia with an "Images/Google/" prefix.
7. Reopen the encyclopedia for the changes to take effect.
8. Note that you will have two new diagram types on which to draw Google Cloud concepts:
   • The "Solution Architecture (Google)" diagram type, and
   • The "Solution Conceptual (Google)" diagram type.
9. Optionally import the Google_Cloud_Solution_Architecture_Examples.xml file into the encyclopedia, by right-mouse clicking in the Explorer tree (browser) of SA and selecting Import XML File. You will see two Solution Architecture diagrams, and be able to edit them or create your own.

**Note: You do not have to use the metamodel provided in the USRPROPS.TXT to use these images – you can apply them to existing symbols or definitions in the Framework you are using, via the USRPROPS Depiction command. For more details, watch the video in Step 1 above, refer to the help, and/or contact Tech Support.