As part of the initial design workshop, one of the customer stakeholders has stated the following: • All Virtual Machines must be encrypted. How would the architect classify this statement?

The statement "All Virtual Machines must be encrypted" is a direct, mandatory directive from a stakeholder that defines a specific capability the final solution must possess. In solution design methodology, this is classified as a non-functional requirement (NFR). It specifies a quality (security) of the system rather than a specific function. The use of the word "must" clearly indicates a mandatory condition that the design has to fulfill, which is the definition of a requirement.

A. A Risk: A risk is a potential event that could negatively impact the project. The lack of encryption would be a risk (e.g., risk of data breach); the statement itself is a requirement to mitigate that risk.

B. A Constraint: A constraint is a limitation or restriction on the design, such as a limited budget, a specific technology that must be used, or a physical space limitation. This statement defines a goal, not a boundary.

D. An Assumption: An assumption is something taken to be true without proof for the purpose of the design. This statement is an explicit, confirmed directive from a stakeholder, not an unverified belief.

1. VMware White Paper

"Conceptual

Logical

Physical: A Design Methodology" (WP-ENG-CONCEPTLOGICALPHYSICAL-A4)

Page 4

Section "Requirements": Defines requirements as "the capabilities that a design must deliver." The stakeholder's statement directly describes a security capability (encryption) that the design must deliver for all virtual machines.

Page 4

Section "Constraints

Assumptions

and Risks": This section distinguishes requirements from constraints ("limitations of the design")

assumptions ("believed to be true... but have not been... verified")

and risks ("potential issues that could negatively impact the design"). This supports why options A

B

and D are incorrect classifications for the given statement.

2. VMware vSphere Design

2nd Edition (Sybex

ISBN: 978-1-118-40791-2) - A VMware Press Publication

Chapter 2

"The Discovery Process"

Section "Requirements": This chapter explains that requirements gathering is the process of identifying what the business needs the solution to do. It states

"A requirement is a condition that must be met by the design." The stakeholder's statement is a perfect example of such a condition related to security.