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Beschreibung

If you’ve been looking for a way to unlock the potential of Microsoft Power Platform and take your career as a solution architect to the next level, then look no further—this practical guide covers it all.
Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect’s Handbook will equip you with everything you need to build flexible and cost-effective end-to-end solutions. Its comprehensive coverage ranges from best practices surrounding fit-gap analysis, leading design processes, and navigating existing systems to application lifecycle management with Microsoft Azure DevOps, security compliance monitoring, and third-party API integration.
The book takes a hands-on approach by guiding you through a fictional case study throughout the book, allowing you to apply what you learn as you learn it. At the end of the handbook, you’ll discover a set of mock tests for you to embed your progress and prepare for PL-600 Microsoft certification.
Whether you want to learn how to work with Power Platform or want to take your skills from the intermediate to advanced level, this book will help you achieve that and ensure that you’re able to add value to your organization as an expert solution architect.

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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

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Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect’s Handbook

An expert’s guide to becoming a Power Platform solution architect and preparing for the PL-600 exam

Hugo Herrera

BIRMINGHAM—MUMBAI

Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect’s Handbook

Copyright © 2022 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing or its dealers and distributors, will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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First published: July 2022

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For my daughter, Laura – thank you for being there. You made writing this book possible.

– Hugo Herrera

Contributors

About the author

Hugo Herrera is an experienced and versatile Power Platform and Dynamics 365 solution architect, with a track record of successfully implementing solutions on behalf of Microsoft and the global Partner Network. His hands-on approach to technical leadership brings teams together and gets them working to the highest standards, using industry best practices. He is an articulate communicator who engages with business owners and stakeholders alike, running workshops and presentations with large audiences for maximum effect. As a freelance solution architect, he works with financial institutions, global consultancies, government organizations, partners, and Microsoft to fulfill their business goals.

To all the editors who supported me through this journey, and especially my wife, Janni – thank you

About the reviewer

Tristan Shortland is chief innovation officer at Infinity Group, a UK-headquartered Microsoft partner, specializing in providing digital transformation services across the Microsoft stack. Tristan has worked with Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement for over 13 years, having started with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. During this time, he has worked in multiple roles, including consultancy, architecture, and presales, with both end users and Microsoft partners. In his latest role as chief innovation officer, Tristan is responsible for thought leadership, presales, and product development at Infinity Group.

Table of Contents

Preface

Part 1: Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction to Power Platform Solution Architecture

Laying the foundations for great solution architecture

The security concept

Empowered users – the cloud citizen

Compliance

Maintainability and supportability

Availability and recoverability

Performant and scalable solutions

Implementation and operation efficiency

Cloud delegation

Balanced design decisions

Understanding the solution architect’s role

Managing expectations and project scope

Defining standards and implementation guidelines

Breaking down work into implementable tasks

Leading by example

Helping people reach the same conclusion

Giving good news and bad news

Power Platform architecture overview

Dataverse, the foundation of Power Platform data-based applications

The four key Power Platform components

Other Power Platform building blocks

Environments and tenants

Security

Power Platform application life cycle management

The Microsoft cloud-based ecosystem

Dynamics 365

Microsoft 365

AppSource

Azure

A hands-on approach to Power Platform solution architecture

Summary

Further reading

Chapter 2: The Digital Transformation Case Study

Introducing Inveriance Corps

Understanding the architecture as-is

Understanding the to-be architecture

Summary

Part 2: Requirements Analysis, Solution Envisioning, and the Implementation Roadmap

Chapter 3: Discovery and Initial Solution Planning

Discovering the business and its needs

Pre-discovery research

Case study – pre-discovery research

Preparing effective discovery questions

Running the discovery phase

Case study – a discovery outcome and project plan

Identifying applicable solutions within the Microsoft Power Platform and the wider Microsoft Cloud-Based ecosystem

Case study – matching Inveriance Corps’ requirements to Microsoft solutions

Leveraging AppSource apps, third-party applications, and other solutions

Case study – matching Inveriance Corp’s requirements to AppSource components

Estimating the migration effort

Case study – sizing the migration effort at Inveriance Corps

Summary

Chapter 4: Identifying Business Processes, Risk Factors, and Success Criteria

Conducting high-level discovery workshops

Preparing discovery sessions

Delivering discovery sessions

The post-discovery session wrap-up

Understanding the organization’s key success criteria

Case study – reviewing the key success criteria at Inveriance Corps

Facilitating understanding through high-level processes and data modeling

The benefits of a high-level process and data models

Modeling the high-level business processes

Case study – modeling existing and proposed business processes

Identifying automation opportunities and process optimization

Case study – a high-level model of the existing data structure

Balancing digital transformation risk factors through planning and mitigation

Case study – the SWOT analysis

Case study – an initial project risk analysis

Summary

Chapter 5: Understanding the Existing Architectural Landscape

Assessing the existing enterprise architecture

Understanding the current enterprise architecture

Understanding the upcoming changes that may have an impact on the enterprise architecture

Understanding the desired enterprise architecture

Identifying Power Platform data sources, their usage, and quality standards

Case study – current data sources at Inveriance Corps

Documenting the organization’s architecture and detailed business processes

Case study – assessing the existing architecture at Inveriance Corps

Summary

Chapter 6: Requirements Analysis and Engineering for Solution Architecture

Overview of effective requirements analysis and engineering

Planning the requirements gathering sessions

Defining the purpose and desired outcome of the sessions

Reviewing previously defined requirements

Defining a clear agenda

Identifying attendees and stakeholders

Scheduling the workshops

Sharing the session prerequisites with the attendees

Preparing facilities, equipment, and demonstration platforms

Preparing the baseline documentation

Arranging for any support required during the workshop sessions

Delivering the requirements gathering sessions

Starting with the desired outcome

Driving the agenda

Refining the high-level requirements

Identifying functional requirements

Identifying non-functional requirements

Assessing requirement feasibility

Managing conflicting requirements

Managing exceptions

Managing scope creep

Leveraging requirements capture methodologies and templates

Helping stakeholders share your vision

Post-requirements capture review and sign-off

Reviewing the requirements capture workshop sessions

Confirming/re-aligning the requirements to your digital transformation goals

Summary

Chapter 7: Power Platform Fit Gap Analysis

Introduction to Power Platform fit gap analysis

Power Platform fit gap analysis essentials

Deep-diving into feasibility analysis

Will a feature be used?

Is it technically possible to implement a feature?

Are there any regulatory compliance issues?

Deep-diving into best fit analysis – matching Microsoft product capabilities

Matching requirements to Power Platform components

Matching requirements to Dynamics 365

Matching requirements to industry accelerators

Best fit analysis deep-dive – matching AppSource, third-party product capabilities

Case study – matching Inveriance Corp’s requirements to AppSource components

Validating solutions through POCs

Summary

Part 3: Architecting the Power Platform Solution

Chapter 8: Designing the Power Platform Solution

Defining the Power Platform Solution Architecture topology

Understand the current state

Understand the to-be state

Considering the project’s constraints

Architecture that fits short and long-term objectives

Linking the architectural building blocks

Presenting multiple architecture options to facilitate selection

Review iterations

Product roadmap

Power Platform detailed design

Power Apps design patterns

Power Automate design

Facilitating understanding through descriptive visual designs

Defining user experience prototypes for customer-facing and internal applications

Benefits of UX prototypes

Designing data migration strategies

Defining the application life cycle management process

Summary

Chapter 9: Effective Power Platform Data Modeling

Translating complex business requirements into visual data models

Creating logical data models

Creating physical data models that support the implementation

Strategies for creating effective data models and diagrams

Deciding factors for integrating or importing external data sources

Dataverse

Copying data to Dataverse

Copying data to Azure Data Lake

Direct access to external data

Defining extensible Power Platform data models

Dataverse table types

Selecting column data types

Optimal reference and configuration data modeling strategies

Modeling reference data

Modeling configuration data

Establishing table relationships and cascade behaviors

Types of Dataverse relationships

Relationship behaviors

Power Platform data modeling best practices

Deciding whether to use built-in or custom tables

Deciding whether to use the Account and Contact tables

Summary

Chapter 10: Power Platform Integration Strategies

Introduction to Power Platform integrations

Your role during the implementation of Power Platform integrations

Benefits of an integrated Power Platform

Power Platform integration challenges

Integration layers

Managing Power Platform integration implementations

Designing integrations between Power Platform and Microsoft 365

Designing for Exchange integration

Designing Power Platform integrations with Outlook

Designing Power Platform SharePoint integrations

Designing integrations with on-premise and cloud-based customer systems 

Options for connecting on-premise systems and Power Platform

Integrating Power Platform applications with cloud-based services

Defining inbound and outbound authentication strategies

Designing Power Platform inbound authentication strategies

Designing Power Platform outbound authentication strategies

Designing a business continuity strategy for Power Platform integrations

Monitoring and alerts

Recovery

Summary

Chapter 11: Defining Power Platform Security Concepts

Designing the Power Platform core security model

Understanding an organization’s security requirements

Securing Power Platform environments

Providing Dataverse API access to external applications

Defining data loss prevention policies for Power Platform solutions

Securing Dataverse-based applications 

Common usage patterns for security design

Best practices

Leveraging Dataverse security features

Defining a Dataverse permissions matrix

Defining access routes for external Power Platform users

Summary

Part 4: The Build – Implementing Solid Power Platform Solutions

Chapter 12: Validating the Solution’s Design and Implementation

Continuous review of detailed designs and their resulting implementation

Validating the Power Platform detailed designs

Validating and reviewing the Power Platform implementation

Validating compliance with the defined security requirements

Validating Dataverse security for compliance with best practices and guidelines

Validating authentication strategies

Validating storage and processing secrets

Monitoring for security compliance

Implementing solutions that work within Power Platform API limits

User API limits

Dataverse service protection API limits

Power Automate limits

Resolving business automation conflicts

Systematically problem-solving automation conflicts

Resolving integration conflicts

Systematically problem-solving integration conflicts

Summary

Chapter 13: Power Platform Implementation Strategies

Power Platform environment and tenant configurations

Selecting a geographical location for the environments

Deciding on a Power Platform environment strategy

Optimizing the output of cross-functional Power Platform development teams

Understanding the team’s capabilities

Implementing effective test strategies for Power Platform solutions

Manual testing

Automated tests

Load tests

Penetration tests

Summary

Chapter 14: Leveraging Azure DevOps for Power Platform

Leveraging Azure DevOps for task management

Leveraging Azure DevOps for source control

Leveraging Azure DevOps for application life cycle management (ALM)

Summary

Chapter 15: Go-Live Strategies

Selecting a go-live strategy

Selecting a phased go-live strategy

Selecting a big-bang go-live strategy

Preparing for go-live

Identifying the resources required to go live

Training users and maximizing adoption

Defining the post-go-live capacity management and monitoring plan

Planning the go-live cutover (who will do what and when)

Ramping up the operational support activities

Preparing a communication plan

Common go-live issues and how to preempt them

Validating the solution before rolling it out to production

Taking into account the Power Platform product release schedule

Running through the go-live checklist

The go/no-go decision

Rolling out the production environment

The cutover

Deciding when to roll back

Troubleshooting data migration issues

Handing over operational support

Summary

Part 5: Power Platform Solution Architect Certification Prep

Chapter 16: Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Certification Prep

The benefits of being a Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert

Preparing for the PL-600 – the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Microsoft exam

Tips for the day

PL-600 example questions

Question 1 – Dataverse column types

Question 2 – Dataverse security

Question 3 – Select a Power Platform component

Question 4 – Identify functional and non-functional requirements

Question 6 – Select the most appropriate feature

Question 7 – Power Apps portal (Power Pages) security features

Question 8 – Retry strategies

Question 9 – Select a suitable Power Platform feature

Question 10 – Select a suitable Power Platform feature

Question 11 – Select a suitable application

Question 12 – Identify functional and non-functional requirements

Question 13 – Data migration

Question 14 – API and service protection limits

Question 15 – External client authentication

Question 16 – Data security

Question 17 – Table security

Question 18 – Dataverse relationships

Question 19 – Data security

Question 20 – Customer satisfaction surveys

Question 21 – Integration options

Question 22 – Select the ideal components

Question 23 – Select integration options

Question 24 – Functional versus non-functional

Question 25 – Table columns

Question 26 – Connecting external services

Question 27 – Dataverse teams

Question 28 – External users accessing a solution

Question 29 – Identify the functional requirements

Question 30 – Fit gap analysis

Question 31 – Microsoft 365 integration

Question 32 – Document management

Question 33 – Integration options

Question 34 – Solution strategies

Question 35 – Dataverse features

Recommended further reading and additional learning materials

Conclusion on practice exams

Final thoughts

What we have discovered so far

Where to next?

Other Books You May Enjoy

Preface

If you’ve been looking for a way to unlock the potential of Microsoft Power Platform and take your career as a solution architect to the next level, then look no further—this practical guide covers it all.

Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect’s Handbook will equip you with everything you need to build flexible and cost-effective end-to-end solutions. Its comprehensive coverage ranges from best practices surrounding fit-gap analysis, leading design processes, and navigating existing systems to application lifecycle management with Microsoft Azure DevOps, security compliance monitoring, and third-party API integration.

The book takes a hands-on approach by guiding you through a fictional case study throughout, allowing you to apply what you learn as you learn it. At the end of the handbook, you’ll discover a set of mock exam questions for you to embed your progress and prepare for the PL-600 Microsoft certification.

Whether you want to learn how to work with Power Platform or want to take your skills from the intermediate to advanced level, this book will help you achieve that and ensure that you’re able to add value to your organization as an expert solution architect.

Who this book is for?

This book is for solution architects, enterprise architects, technical consultants, and business and system analysts who implement, optimize, and architect Power Platform and Dataverse solutions. It will also help anyone who needs a detailed playbook for architecting and delivering successful digital transformation projects that leverage Power Platform apps and the Microsoft business apps ecosystem. A solid understanding of Power Platform configuration and administration, Power Automate processes, Power Apps portals, canvas apps, Dataverse plugins, and workflow capabilities is expected.

What does this book cover?

Chapter 1, Introducing Power Platform Solution Architecture, describes the solution architect’s role, the general approach to applying best practices to solve problems, and a Power Platform architecture overview.

Chapter 2, The Digital Transformation Case Study, introduces the fictional case study used throughout the book.

Chapter 3, Discovery and Initial Solution Planning, discusses high-level business requirements and how to identify suitable solutions across the Microsoft stack.

Chapter 4, Identifying the Desired Business Process, Risk Factors, and Success Criteria, discusses options for running discovery workshops, performing high-level process and data modeling, and identifying automation opportunities. The chapter concludes with a discussion on balancing risk factors through mitigation strategies.

Chapter 5, Understanding the Existing Architectural Landscape, describes the enterprise architecture assessment process and how to identify external data sources and document the existing architectural structure and business processes.

Chapter 6, Requirements Analysis and Engineering for Solution Architecture,discusses effective requirements analysis and engineering, including the preparation, delivery, and post-requirement-capture activities.

Chapter 7, Power Platform Fit-Gap Analysis, describes the fit-gap analysis process, AppSource, third-party solution evaluation, proofs of concept, and the overall project scope definition.

Chapter 8, Leading the Power Platform Design Process, covers the design process from defining the architecture topology to detailed visual designs, prototyping, and data migration strategies.

Chapter 9, Effective Power Platform Data Modeling, discusses how to translate business requirements to visual data models, deciding factors for the integration or import of data, defining extensible Dataverse models, reference data strategies, table relationships, and overall data modeling best practices.

Chapter 10, Power Platform Integration Strategies, discusses various options for integrating Power Platform with on-premises and cloud-based systems and Microsoft 365 services. It then concludes with authentication and business continuity strategies.

Chapter 11, Defining Power Platform Security Concepts, discusses the core security model, implementing data loss prevention policies, Dataverse security, and defining access routes for external users.

Chapter 12, Validating the Solution Design and Implementation, discusses the design and implementation review process, compliance with security concepts, Power Platform API limits, and options for resolving automation and integration conflicts.

Chapter 13, Power Platform Implementation Strategies, discusses the configuration of environments and tenants, optimizing the output of Power Platform teams, and effective test strategies.

Chapter 14, Leveraging Azure DevOps for Power Platform, describes the use of Azure DevOps for application lifecycle management.

Chapter 15, Go-Live Strategies and Support, discusses go-live strategies, preparation, and the rollout of Power Platform solutions into production.

Chapter 16, Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert Practice Exams, discusses the benefits of being a Microsoft Certified Power Platform Solution Architect, how to prepare for the PL-600 examination, PL-600 prep questions, recommended reading, and final thoughts.

To get the most out of this book

This book assumes general knowledge of the configuration and administration of Power Platform applications. The PL-200: Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant and PL-400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer exams cover the ideal base knowledge required for this book.

Any errata related to this book can be found at https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Microsoft-Power-Platform-Solution-Architect-s-Handbook.

Download the color images

We also provide a PDF file that has color images of the screenshots and diagrams used in this book. You can download it here: https://packt.link/D9wUs

Conventions used

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Tips or Important Notes

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Part 1: Introduction

This section introduces the solution architect’s role in Microsoft Power Platform implementations. After completing this part, you will have a high-level understanding of Power Platform’s capabilities and how it benefits from the Microsoft 365 and Azure ecosystem. This section contains the following chapters:

Chapter 1, Introducing Power Platform Solution Architecture Chapter 2, The Digital Transformation Case Study

Chapter 1: Introduction to Power Platform Solution Architecture

Microsoft Power Platform solution architects have functional and technical knowledge across the Microsoft cloud ecosystem and other third-party technologies. This chapter introduces the solution architect’s role, the Power Platform, and the broader Microsoft stack. You will be taken through a journey covering the hands-on approach used to apply best practices, solve problems, identify opportunities, and increase the value of the customer’s investment in Microsoft solutions.

In this chapter, we are going to cover the following main topics:

Laying the foundations for great solution architectureUnderstanding the solution architect’s rolePower Platform architecture overviewThe Microsoft cloud-based ecosystemA hands-on approach to solution architecture

By the end of this chapter, you will be equipped with the tools and context to propel you through the activities and scenarios in the chapters to come. You will also gain an awareness of the various components and moving parts that make up Power Platform implementations of varying sizes and complexity.

Laying the foundations for great solution architecture

The advent of cloud-based solutions has brought forth the era of scalable, highly performant, and secure business applications. Planning, designing, and building great Power Platform solution architecture requires the consistent application of a set of principles. Each organization and solution is unique, and while a single solution design pattern does not exist, the following nine concepts will help you lay the foundations for a great Power Platform solution architecture:

Figure 1.1 – The pillars for great solution architecture

Now, let’s outline these nine key concepts for great Power Platform solution architecture.

The security concept

Data is the crown jewel of most organizations. The security concept encompasses every aspect of the implementation. You define the authentication strategies, identify network vulnerabilities, and management of secrets, certificates, and other credentials. These activities will result in effective perimeter control for your solution.

The definition of a solid security concept will do the following:

Provide the client with confidence in their Power Platform investment.Expedite the implementation and configuration of the solution.Reduce the risk of data breaches in production environments.

Through access control, you will also define the level of access that the internal users will be granted. In the chapters that follow, you will learn how to define a security concept that ensures data is placed only in the hands of the right users.

Empowered users – the cloud citizen

The Power Platform provides a wealth of features, allowing users to extend the base implementation. A great architecture blueprint will be cognizant of these user-accessible features and plan for these to be used as part of the user’s daily activities. The Power Platform design will define guardrails to safely empower users to build their components, allowing them to achieve greater productivity through a synergy between the base implementation and user-created enhancements.

In the use case scenarios that follow, you will learn how to define Power Platform guardrails to safely empower users.

Compliance

Privacy and trust requirements vary greatly, depending on the industry, geographical location, scope, and nature of the implementation. Data retention policies and access request channels are defined to comply with local and international regulations.

In this book, you will explore the Microsoft Trust Center tools and capabilities to locate certifications for the components that make up the solution architecture.

Maintainability and supportability

Power Platform solution architects design solutions that leverage the inherent functionality available within each Microsoft component. Making use of the standard functionality within the various Power Apps, Dataverse, and the wider Microsoft ecosystem, configuring and customizing these components are the first implementation point of call. Custom development is considered only when all other options have been exhausted and implemented within the bounds of supported customizations.

Following the configure-first approach outlined and thorough documentation of the implementation build, a solution architect defines the implementation principles and best practices for the teams to follow.

Availability and recoverability

Organizations have expectations regarding the uptime and availability of their critical systems and business applications. As a part of the initial phases of the solution design, these requirements are identified and mapped to Power Platform product capabilities. Solution architects understand the availability and recoverability features within each component in the implementation, and design integrations with retry strategies and fallbacks to prevent the transient faults from impacting the solution.

In the following chapters, you will explore the features available within each Power Platform component, define recoverability strategies, and design integration patterns that benefit from a high level of fault tolerance.

Performant and scalable solutions

Users expect business applications and portals to respond within a specific amount of time. Successful Power Platform solutions take these expectations into account and are designed to perform within the customer’s requirements. Solution architects document these performance requirements and translate them into actionable implementation tasks. Considerations such as Dataverse capacity planning, integration response times, Power Automate throughput, and Power Apps portal user experience are considerations during the solution architecture process.

In addition to performance, the solution architect plans for the dynamic allocation of resources to scale with changing demands on the system. In the following chapters, you will work through the planning of efficient resource allocation to maximize performance while optimizing costs.

Implementation and operation efficiency

A solid monitoring architecture provides a platform for the detection of faults in the solution before they happen. Monitoring strategies also provide visibility over the usage of resources. Administrators can visualize how efficiently the solution is performing and make adjustments where needed.

In the upcoming chapters, you will learn how to plan effective monitoring solutions to facilitate the efficient operation of the Power Platform systems.

Cloud delegation

The Power Platform and the wider Microsoft cloud-based ecosystem present the opportunity to delegate the responsibility for the setup and maintenance of the management of the underlying platform. Solution architects have greater freedom to focus on the implementation architecture, compared to on-premises solutions, which require careful consideration of hardware and software capabilities, constraints, and ongoing administration overheads.

In the chapters that follow, you will learn how to shift the responsibilities to the service provider, leveraging the Microsoft support infrastructure.

Balanced design decisions

Applying the aforementioned key solution architecture concepts will result in the creation of a scalable, performant, and secure Power Platform implementation. Adhering to these pillars of architecture attracts a cost, be it financial, increased project implementation timescales, or operational agility.

Throughout this book, you will learn how to balance the cost of employing these key concepts versus the benefits to the organization using the systems. You will learn how to initiate discussions with key stakeholders to agree on the goals that are most important to the organization and balance these with the cost/benefits associated with each pillar for great solution architecture.

Note

Look out for the Applying the pillars for great architecture sections, as these are hands-on applications of each of the nine pillars discussed previously throughout the activities covered in the upcoming chapters.

Understanding the solution architect’s role

The Power Platform solution architect’s role is to harness their technical knowledge and functional expertise to chart a path for the implementation team, navigating risks, issues, and changes to make the implementation a success. The solution architect is in constant dialog with the project stakeholders, project managers, and development and implementation team members to ensure the project’s vision is achieved.

The following diagram illustrates the key activities a solution architect engages in on a typical Power Platform implementation:

Figure 1.2 – The solution architect’s role

Managing expectations and project scope

A solution architect is responsible for ensuring project requirements are actioned. When requirements inevitably change throughout a project, the solution architect manages the change in scope, assesses the risk and impact these changes would bring to the build, and sets the right expectations regarding timescales for implementation. When scope creep occurs, the solution architect reviews the change, breaks down the new requirements into tasks, and communicates an action plan to the project managers, stakeholders, and the development team, thus preventing unexpected impacts on the project budget and implementation timeline.

Managing expectations and project scope is one of the key activities performed by a Power Platform solution architect and ensures that nothing is over-promised or under-delivered. The chapters that follow provide practical examples for successfully managing project scope and customer expectations.

Defining standards and implementation guidelines

As a solution architect, you will be responsible for defining the development and implementation standards that will help Power Platform consultants and developers build high-quality supportable solutions. Development standards define the technical approach, conventions, and controls expected from the implementation team, and provide a template for the Power Platform solution.

Defining clear implementation standards helps boost the build teams’ output capacity by providing a foundation for the customization of each aspect of the Power Platform, from table and column-naming conventions to advanced integration patterns, peer reviews, and coding standards. In the chapters that follow, you will learn how to define implementation standards that bring new team members up to speed faster and propel your implementation.

Breaking down work into implementable tasks

Organizational requirements are captured in the early stages of a Power Platform project and throughout the various phases of implementation. For these requirements to be implemented in harmony with the overall solution, they are broken down into tasks that the various implementation team members can perform.

Through the use of task management and sprint planning tools, such as Azure DevOps, solution architects analyze these requirements and related user stories, design a blueprint for the implementation, and create tasks that are later assigned to the implementation team members. Having an awareness of the various technical skillsets that make up a Power Platform implementation team, tasks are created to address each aspect of the organizational requirement.

In the chapters that follow, you will work through sample scenarios, and learn how to divide implementation work into discrete pieces of work to match the technical and functional skillsets of a build team.

Leading by example

Having defined the project development standards and designed a blueprint for the Power Platform solution to be implemented, solution architects proceed to lay the foundations for the implementation, helping team members build the solution from the ground up. Junior team members requiring additional attention during the early stages of the project are guided by the solution architect, providing a cushion to handle development issues, and making sure the project timescales are achieved by boosting the overall output for the team.

Helping people reach the same conclusion

During the various phases of a Power Platform project, team members will have varying opinions on the best course of action when implementing customer requirements. The solution architect listens to the options proposed by team members, project managers, and stakeholders, to ascertain the value contribution to the project. It is the solution architect’s job to convey the best solution for the various problems and tasks that come up during the implementation.

Achieving harmony and the cooperation of the implementation team is achieved by creating an environment in which discussions can take place, weighing up the pros and cons, and clearly explaining why the solution blueprint put forth is the best way forward to achieve the current and future organizational requirements. Solution architects do not assume all team members have the same level of technical expertise. They aim to raise the team’s awareness of the benefits the solution design brings to the implementation by highlighting use cases where specific implementation strategies have been successful in the past.

In the coming chapters, you will work through several scenarios where these negotiating skills will come into play, helping the project become a success.

Giving good news and bad news

Everyone enjoys giving people good news. There will be times during the implementation of business applications and portals when unexpected complications arise. This may be in the shape of new technical constraints, changes to the licensing model resulting in additional costs, or the deprecation of product features. A solution architect is responsible for the timely management of these issues, researching solutions to mitigate risks, and communicating the best course of action to the customer or project stakeholders.

In the chapters that follow, you will work through a sample implementation scenario that requires just this type of intervention to ensure the successful completion of a Power Platform project.

This section described the general activities and responsibilities solution architects take on during a typical Power Platform implementation. In this book, you will work through these activities to help cement their understanding for application in future projects.

Power Platform architecture overview

The Power Platform architecture comprises four key components, the environments and tenants that host these components, and the security capabilities used to control access.

Before delving into the Power Platform components, it is important to understand the data management framework that underpins the majority of Power Platform implementation. Dataverse is the foundation of most Power Platform implementations and is the first topic for our architecture overview.

Dataverse, the foundation of Power Platform data-based applications

Dataverse is a configurable business application data store with advanced processing capabilities and the foundation of most Power Apps-based solutions. Previously known as the Common Data Service, it consists of a relational database made up of tables and fields. Dataverse is configured using a graphical user interface (the Solution Explorer), and a wide range of processing capabilities, APIs, and security features. Dataverse includes a wide range of integration, security, and business process logic features.

The following diagram illustrates the key Dataverse components and interactions:

Figure 1.3 – Key Dataverse components and interactions

The flexible and configurable nature of Dataverse, combined with the wider Power Platform capabilities provides a unique opportunity to solve business problems for a virtually unlimited set of use cases. In the chapters that follow, you will learn how to design Power Platform solutions that make the most of Dataverse’s capabilities.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/data-platform) for further information on Dataverse capabilities and configuration options.

The four key Power Platform components

The Microsoft Power Platform is made of up four key components, each delivering powerful capabilities on its own; combined, they provide a compelling framework for the creation of advanced business applications. The four key Power Platform components are as follows:

Power AppsPower AutomatePower BIPower Virtual Agents

An overview of each of the four Power Platform components follows.

Power Platform component 1 – Power Apps

Power Apps makes up one of the five key components within the Power Platform architecture. Model-driven apps, Canvas apps, Power Pages, and Power Apps Portals are the four types of applications available via this low-code/no-code Power Apps framework. All Power Apps are managed via the https://make.powerapps.com portal, which is illustrated in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.4 – Screenshot listing Power Apps in a Power Platform environment

A summary of the three different types of Power Apps available is as follows:

Model-driven apps are a key component of a Power Platform implementation. They are the user-facing portion of a Dataverse database. The following figure illustrates a simple model-driven app (top) and the corresponding model-driven app editor (bottom):

Figure 1.5 – Screenshot of a model-driven app next to its editor page

Web and mobile users interact with model-driven apps through the web or dedicated mobile applications. The diagram that follows presents a high-level architectural view of the component:

Figure 1.6 – Model-driven apps architectural overview

Power Pages are internet-facing websites that leverage Dataverse capabilities to present a rich and customizable web experience. The administration section includes default templates for typical requirements such as customer service, partner management, employee self-service, and community portals. These default templates may be extended, or complete custom portal applications may be created depending on the organization’s requirements. The following screenshot illustrates the Power Pages editor:

Figure 1.7 – Screenshot of the Power Pages editor

The diagram that follows presents a high-level architectural view of the component:

Figure 1.8 – Power Apps portal architectural overview

Power Pages are an evolution of Power Apps Portals, providing a superset of the Portals capabilities, including new low-code capabilities and out-of-the-box templates.

Power Apps Portals are the predecessors to Power Pages, providing the same core functionality but lacking the additional templates and low-code editor capabilities afforded by Power Pages.Canvas apps are user interface (UI)-centered applications that can be used standalone or embedded into other Power Platform applications. They may be connected to a Dataverse database or other data sources to present a fully customizable UI for interacting with the underlying data. The screenshot that follows illustrates a sample canvas app and its editor:

Figure 1.9 – Screenshot of a canvas app editor

All three Power Apps use Dataverse as an underlying platform and data source. The administration of usage of Dataverse databases is discussed in detail in the following sections and chapters.

Note Regarding Canvas Apps

The usage of Dataverse is optional within canvas apps, as these applications may be solely connected to alternative data sources, such as OneDrive or SharePoint, without the need for a Dataverse database.

The diagram that follows presents a high-level architectural view of the component:

Figure 1.10 – Canvas Apps Architectural Overview

In the chapters that follow, you will learn how to design leading-edge business applications that benefit from the extensible and rapid development afforded by the three Power Apps.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/) for full details on Power Apps capabilities.

Power Platform component 2 – Power Automate

Power Automate is another key component within the Power Platform architecture. It provides a no-code/low-code solution for business process automation.

Cloud flows provide a graphical user interface to build advanced business logic to suit exacting organizational requirements. Integrations with other Power Platform applications and external third-party systems are achieved through an easy-to-use point-and-click editor.

The following screenshot shows a simple Power Automate cloud flow being edited:

Figure 1.11 – Screenshot of the Power Automate cloud flow editor

The two key components of a cloud flow are the trigger (the action that will initiate the process) and one or more actions that will be executed when the flow runs.

Cloud flows may be triggered manually (for example, a user presses a button) or automatically (a record is created). There is a wide range of cloud flow triggers available. The key Dataverse triggers are as follows:

Figure 1.12 – Cloud flow Dataverse triggers

The wide range of available cloud flow actions provides solution architects with a powerful toolset for the automation of business processes and rapid integration with several Microsoft services and third-party APIs. A full list of Power Automate connectors is documented on the Microsoft documentation page titled Connector reference overview ().

The screenshot that follows illustrates a subset of the actions available when using the Dataverse connector:

Figure 1.13 – A selection of cloud flow Dataverse actions

The diagram that follows presents a high-level architectural view of the component:

Figure 1.14 – Cloud flows architectural overvie

Desktop flows are designed to automate rule-based tasks on a user’s workstation. They provide a wide range of conditions and actions that interact with UI elements, Excel files, web browsers, and various other systems typically available in a user’s workstation.

The following screenshot illustrates a simple desktop flow being edited:

Figure 1.15 – Screenshot of the desktop flow editor

Cloud flows and desktop flows provide a rich toolset for business process automation. In this book, you will learn how to create architectural blueprints that leverage this powerful toolset.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/) for detailed instructions on the creation and administration of Power Automate flows.

Power Platform component 3 – Power BI

The third Power Platform component discussed in this book, Power BI is an analytics and reporting framework that connects to various data sources, to present high-impact visuals. Advanced data visualizations can be quickly generated from multiple data sources and presented through a range of software services. The diagram that follows presents a high-level architectural view of the component:

Figure 1.16 – Power BI architectural overview

Power BI reports are edited using either the Power BI desktop app or the web version of the report editor. The following screenshot presents a Power BI report in the process of being edited:

Figure 1.17 – Screenshot of the Power BI report editor

Working through the implementation scenarios discussed in this book, you will learn how to plan and design Power BI-based solutions to solve an organization’s most complex reporting business requirements.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/) for detailed information on Power BI capabilities, data modeling, development of Power BI reports, and best practice guidance.

Power Platform component 4 – Power Virtual Agents

Organizations streamline costs and provide their customers with a responsive user experience using Power Virtual Agents. Users interact with the platform through various channels, including web chat and SMS messaging, benefiting from advanced routing capabilities.

The following screenshot illustrates a Power Virtual Agents chatbot test facility:

Figure 1.18 – Screenshot of a Power Virtual Agent being tested

Power Virtual Agents can be embedded within websites and deployed to entities including Facebook, Slack, Twilio, email, and mobile apps. The following diagram provides an overview of the Power Virtual Agents architecture:

Figure 1.19 – Power Virtual Agents architectural overview

In this book, you will learn how to define customer interaction strategies that leverage the cost-saving and operational benefits of Power Virtual Agents.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-virtual-agents/) for step-by-step guidance on the creation of Power Virtual Agents.

Other Power Platform building blocks

The previous sections described the four key Power Platform components. These components are underpinned by two additional building blocks:

Data connectors

Data connectors facilitate integrations between Power Platform components and external systems, solving previously complex integration problems with just a few clicks. Connections to Dataverse, SQL databases, SharePoint files, and various other sources of data are easily accessible through the use of data connectors.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/connectors/) for further information on available Power Platform connectors and their capabilities.

AI Builder

A pivotal tool in the Power Platform arsenal. AI Builder provides a no-code solution for the creation of AI-powered automation processes.

Further Reading

Please visit https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/ai-builder/ for full instructions on using the AI Builder for Power Automation, Power Apps, and other Microsoft services.

In the coming chapters, you will navigate through the use cases for these two building blocks, and design architectural blueprints to maximize an organization’s investment in the Power Platform and the wider Microsoft ecosystem.

Environments and tenants

Power Platform applications exist within an environment. In turn, environments are hosted within a Microsoft tenant. A Power Platform environment is made up of the following components:

Name: A textual label for the environmentLocation: The geographical region where the data and configuration will be stored within Azure data centersAdmins: The users that will administer and configure the environmentSecurity groups: Controls that define who can access specific data records and application featuresApps: Model-driven apps, portals, canvas apps, and other applications that exist within the environmentFlows: Power Automate components that implement business process and integration routesBots: Power Virtual Agents chatbots that are configured to interact with usersConnectors: Identifies the connections that have been configured for Power Platform and external systemsGateways: Components that allow the integration with on-premise applicationsDataverse: An optional Power Platform component and data store instance used by various Power Apps, such as model-driven apps

The following screenshot presents a typical set of development, test, and production Power Platform environments:

Figure 1.20 – Screenshot of a Power Platform environments list

Multiple environments may be created to support the development and release cycles. A typical Power Platform implementation includes development, test, and production environments. They may all be hosted within the same tenant or spread across a multi-tenant architecture. In this book, you will learn how to decide on the best environment and tenant strategy to achieve the organization’s goals.

Further Reading

Please follow the documentation link (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/admin/environments-overview) to review the options available when managing Power Platform environments.

Security

The security of data hosted within a Power Platform environment is enforced through the following layers:

Azure AD

The cloud-based Active Directory solution. Users are configured for access to specific resources, assigned security groups, and authentication policies.

Licenses

Assignment of licenses to Azure AD users grants them access to specific Power Platform applications, providing an additional access security layer.

Environments

Assigning security groups to Azure AD users sets them up for access to the applications within environments associated with those security groups. An additional security layer for Power Platform applications and data sources.

Data loss prevention policies

Data loss prevention policies define the types of connectors and inbound/outbound data privileges afforded to users of Power Platform applications.

Security roles

Security roles provide granular control over the data tables and columns stored in the Power Platform Dataverse. They further control access to specific features within Power Platform applications.

Encryption

Power Platform applications benefit from the encryption of data both in transit and at rest.

The various security features and considerations will be discussed in more detail in the upcoming chapters, where you will learn how to define a security concept document to satisfy an organization’s strict requirements.

Power Platform application life cycle management

Application life cycle management (ALM) is a set of disciplines through which Power Platform projects can be defined, implemented, deployed, and operated through a controlled framework. It is a cyclical set of activities and processes through which Power Platform requirements are captured, broken down into tasks, developed, tested, and deployed. Once deployed, the operation of the system is managed and monitored, and the next cycle is optimized based on lessons learned.

Figure 1.21 – Power Platform ALM activities and key components

ALM is the key to the success of any Power Platform project. In the chapters that follow, you will work through a set of practical scenarios, configuring Azure DevOps to manage the life cycle of a Power Platform project, configuring task management, source control, build, unit test, and automated deployment pipelines, and monitoring capabilities.

The Microsoft cloud-based ecosystem

The Microsoft cloud-based ecosystem caters to a wide range of business needs. Solution architects are aware of the capabilities afforded by this rich set of business applications and resources. In this chapter, we will review Dynamics 365 business applications, Microsoft 365, Azure, and AppSource.

Dynamics 365

Several Dynamics 365 applications are based on the same DNA as Power Platform model-driven apps. The following Dynamics 365 applications use Dataverse as the backbone for their data storage and business logic processing capabilities:

Dataverse-based Dynamics 365 applications – Dataverse is the foundation for the following applications:Dynamics 365 SalesDynamics 365 MarketingDynamics 365 Field ServiceDynamics 365 Project OperationsOther Dynamics 365 applications – The following Dynamics 365 applications also provide a rich feature set outside the confines of the Dataverse framework:Dynamics 365 Business CentralDynamics 365 Human ResourcesDynamics 365 FinanceDynamics 365 Supply Chain ManagementDynamics 365 Customer InsightsDynamics 365 CommerceDynamics 365 Customer Voice (uses Dataverse to store configuration and operational data)

Further Reading

Please visit https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/ for full product documentation on all Dynamics 365 applications.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is the ubiquitous office application platform. Power Platform solutions leverage the capabilities of Microsoft 365 to present a complete solution for most business needs.

The key Microsoft 365 applications discussed in this book are as follows:

Exchange SharePointOffice applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, OneDrive, and Microsoft Forms)

Further Reading

Please visit https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365 to review the documentation on the Microsoft 365 suite of applications and services.

AppSource

AppSource is a vital resource for Power Platform and Dynamics 365 solutions beyond the standard Microsoft feature set. Solution architects leverage the applications and extensions found in AppSource to fill functionality gaps. Applications are available for instant download and installation onto your Power Platform environment.

In the use case scenarios discussed in this book, you will learn how to use this valuable resource.

Further Reading

Please visit https://appsource.microsoft.com/ to access the full range of AppSource business applications and extensions for Power Platform and Dynamics 365.

Azure

Microsoft Azure provides a wide range of cloud-based components that are used to extend the Power Platform beyond its functional boundaries. Solution architects analyze organizational requirements and map the implementation to Azure components when the Power Platform feature set does not fulfill the project goals. The key Azure components used in typical Power Platform implementations are listed here:

Logic AppsFunctionsAzure SQLWeb AppsData FactoryApplication ProxyData gateways

In the upcoming chapters, you will learn how to run a fit-gap analysis for business requirements, decide when to leverage Azure components, and define a secure architectural blueprint that combines Power Platform with Azure capabilities to build a successful Microsoft-based solution.

Further Reading

Please visithttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=compute for detailed documentation on Azure components referenced in this book.

A hands-on approach to Power Platform solution architecture

By providing best practice guidance and laying the foundations for the implementation, solution architects lead by example. They complement and enhance the technical capabilities of the delivery team, resulting in team output that is greater than the sum of the individual members. The following diagram illustrates the support, documentation, and tools a solution architect may provide to the various project teams and individuals:

Figure 1.22 – Illustration of a Power Platform solution architect’s hands-on role and responsibilities

Solution architects interact with a wide variety of teams during a Power Platform implementation, and will typically provide hands-on support to the following individuals:

Supporting technical consultants and developers

Technical consultants and developers working on a Power Platform implementation benefit from access to high-level technical blueprints and detailed designs. The blueprints provide a clear direction for the technical implementation. Standardized toolsets, source control strategies, development templates, and a continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) framework will help guide the implementation using a common and consistent approach.

Supporting functional consultants

Functional consultants benefit from design documentation in the same way as technical consultants. When provided with functional implementation templates (for example, Power Automate design patterns and Dataverse table best practices), consultants benefit from a consistent approach to Power Platform configuration and implementation, resulting in a maintainable and more closely aligned solution with published best practices.

Supporting business analysts