System Design in Real Life: Why Ancient Museums are actually Microservices?
Source: Dev.to
Introduction
I work as a Backend Developer (Java/Spring) and I’m also a university student studying Museology. While examining the physical security layers of modern museums, I noticed a striking similarity to the architecture of modern cloud software. This observation led me to reverse‑engineer a museum layout as a way to explain system‑design concepts.
The Architecture Breakdown
The Old Way (Monolith)
- Ancient temples were single, massive structures.
- A fire in one room could cause the entire building (system) to collapse.
The New Way (Microservices)
- Modern museums consist of separate wings (e.g., Egyptian Hall, Renaissance Hall).
- If security is breached in one hall, the other wings can seal themselves off, keeping the overall system operational.
Entry Point – API Gateway Analogy
- Turnstile / Ticket Booth – verifies identity.
- Ticket (Token) Check – validates access rights.
- Routing to Entrance – directs the visitor to the appropriate area.
This mirrors an API Gateway that manages traffic before it reaches the underlying services.
Data Protection – Vault Analogy
- Most valuable items are stored in an underground vault, not on public display.
- Visitors (Users) cannot access the vault directly.
- Curators (Backend Services) have the clearance to retrieve items.
This reflects how databases are protected from direct user access.
Takeaway
Viewing physical systems can clarify abstract code concepts. Whether it’s a 2,000‑year‑old temple or a Spring Boot application, the underlying security logic—defense in depth—remains the same.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this analogy or suggest other real‑life systems that resemble coding patterns.