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Component
A software that provides an API and it's packed together in a redistributable versioned artifact.
Tool
A tool is a component that is a locally executable which realizes a set of tasks, e.g. desktop application.
Platform
The platform is a set of Services, Tools and/or Components that seamlessly cooperate.
Service
A service is a component that provides functionalities to clients by exposing an API that is accessible over a networking protocol.
Information Point
A Point of Information is a Service that collects, provides, and exposes the current status of certain matters of interest.
System Orchestrator
A Service that supports, collects, and provides the necessary information, resources, or any system-wise thing that other Services need in order to work properly, e.g. configuration.
Data Archiver
A Service that collects, stores, and exposes data.
Data Processor
A Service that collects, processes, aggregates, annotates, re-distributes, and exposes data.
Message Handler
A Service that collects, queues, filters, re-distributes, and/or routes messages using the sender/receiver information.
Identity Provider
A Service that identifies or authenticates a user, service, or device.
Policy Enforcer
A Service that provides or blocks access using policies or rules depending on the identity of the user, target protocol, or intended operations.
Security Accounter (under revision)
A Service that securely collects and persists information of the subjects, objects, operations, and the relation and resolution between them in given time.
Suite
A suite is a set of services, tools, and components bound and distributed together and realizing specific task.
Gateway
Any component that tunnels a communication between two components (tools, services, etc.), while it may provide certain service transparently to the involved components.
Application
An Application is a set of components, tools, services, suite, etc. that are build, connect or deploy together to realize certain use case(s) in specific scenarios.