Microsoft Application Architecture Guide 2nd Edition Book Review

Man, was I glad to see them print this thing. I had bugged them about it, but they said it wouldn’t pay for itself. It’s good to see they changed their mind. I have been lugging it around in a binder, and that had been less than pleasurable. I like keeping this with me because it serves as great reference of all the things I am supposed to remember, but often forget. When it comes time to begin a new architecture I like having my valuable books nearby, and this is one of them. This book is packed with guidance on Mobile applications, Rich client applications, Rich Internet applications, Service applications, and Web applications built with .NET. The solution guidance provided in this book is all 100% .NET and Microsoft centric. It maps all the important aspects of software architecture to ways to implement them in .NET or with Microsoft products. This is the compass you need to find out what Microsoft has to offer for building different types of architectures. The book includes individual chapters on designing Mobile applications, Rich client applications, Rich Internet applications, Service applications, Web applications, Hosted and Cloud Services, Office Business applications, and SharePoint LOB applications. The book also includes some nice appendixes. They include the Microsoft Application Platform, Presentation Technology Matrix, Data Access Technology Matrix, Integration Technology Matrix, Workflow Technology Matrix, patterns & practices Enterprise Library, and a patterns & practices Pattern Catalog. The book primarily focuses on architecture, but each chapter provides resources for guidance on the details of implementation for the technologies mentioned in that chapter. The book focuses on the technical aspects of .NET architecture. It does not cover the soft skills needed to be an architect, or cover the customer facing skills need to communicate with the business stakeholders. You won't find much on process either, just an overview. These missing topics have not taken away from the book, they have made it a stronger book. There are plenty of resources on how to execute the soft skills and architecture process. This book concentrates on how to communicate with the development team through solid design and well known patterns and principles. If you are a .NET Architect, Developer, or Project Manger of a .NET team, you should have this book at your side. As a matter of fact, I would recommend making one of your interview questions for your team members – “Tell me what your favorite part of the Microsoft Application Architecture Guide 2nd Edition is?” If the candidate does not have a favorite part, you get back that hour you almost wasted on them.