Software architecture evaluation for sustainability as a risk and cost assessment

Abstract

As software systems become increasingly complex, there is a growing need for evaluation frameworks that systematically assess architectural decisions through the lens of sustainability while considering the relationship between risks and costs. This thesis aims to evaluate software architecture by analyzing how the relationship between risks and costs affects architectural sustainability in a multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system. The research adapts the Software Architecture Framework (SAF) blueprint (1) by integrating the Cost Benefit Analysis Method (CBAM) (2) formula to create a comprehensive evaluation approach combing risk, cost and Sustainability. The analysis reveals three distinct patterns in risk-cost relationships affecting sustainability. The study’s limitations include its single-case study design focusing on one multi-tenant SaaS system, which may limit generalizability.