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 ## architecture
 
-[architecture.graphml](architecture.graphml) has been created and therefore can be opened/viewed/edited with [yEd Graph Editor](https://www.yworks.com/products/yed).
-Alternatively you can take a look at [architecture.pdf](architecture.pdf).
+* [architecture.graphml](architecture.graphml): network diagram (created with [yEd Graph Editor](https://www.yworks.com/products/yed))
+* [architecture.md](architecture.md): information on network diagram
+* [architecture.pdf](architecture.pdf): PDF export of network diagram
 
 ## OEA
 
diff --git a/architecture.md b/architecture.md
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+# architecture
+
+network diagram of the basic structure of the OEA platform
+
+## discover
+
+Clients (mobile, laptop, desktop) can request the **search** application via a **webserver**.
+The **search** application is crafted to allow calls from the client to the **api gateway** via the **webserver**.
+The **api gateway** provides an abstraction layer to the individual API of the engine used within the **index** application,
+and is also responsible for tasks as authentication and authorization.
+
+Servers might utilize direct requests to the **index** application via **webserver** and **api gateway**.
+
+**webserver**, **search**, **api gateway** and **index** are represented as blocks representing container technology for easy engineering, deployment and scalability.
+
+Technology suggested to be used is noted inside and at the upper right corners of the container blocks.
+
+The **metaharvest** application is configured to fetch metadata and information on LTI connectors from repositories.
+These repositories provide digital objects whose metadata and LTI connectivity is provided thru the **index** application.
+The **metaindex** application operates as a message queue for the **metaingest** application which in turn feeds the **index** application.
+
+## feed
+
+The **feed** part of the OEA platform is considered separate from the **discover** part.
+
+Clients (mobile, laptop, desktop) can request the **ingest** application via a **webserver**.
+The **ingest** application is crafted to allow upload of digital objects supplied with metadata to a specific repository.
+
+---
+This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
+