Users with the user profiles Technology Manager, Portfolio Manager, and Portfolio Admin can add and edit components in Alfabet FastLane. For an overview of permission concepts, see Permissions to work with data.

A component is a reusable block of functionality that is implemented by software. Applications are built on components that provide the technologies that enable the applications.

In Alfabet FastLane, components typically represent an interface for data exchange, a shared element that is able to deliver functionality to multiple applications, a subsystem of an application or a semi-finished application. In contrast to an application, a component typically does not deliver functionality to end users but rather provide technical functionality to support an application. Typical examples for components are databases, operating systems, and vendor products.

What's the difference between an application and component? An application differs from a component in that the application provides functionality that is used by end users. Typically, users will know the application by name and the name is typically different than the name of the vendor delivering the application. Components, on the other hand, do not typically provide functionality to end users but rather provide technical functionality to support an application. For example, applications include products like customer portals, project management systems, vacation tracking systems, or a product like SAP@CRM System. Components include operating systems, Web servers, and Web browsers, or a product like SQL Server Database Management Studio.

The following table serves as an aid when trying to determine whether an object in your IT architecture is an application or a component.

Components can be created and defined in Alfabet FastLane or imported based on IT products from ITPedia®.