Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the analysis, particularly, of computing systems. The invention implements an architecture based analysis. The architecture of the system to be analysed is first of all modelled, using a hierarchical model comprising Connections, Components, and other entities. The modelling requires the steps of obtaining the architecture of the system and populating a database or file with the architecture model. The modelled architecture is then evaluated, probably by running simulations of operation of the architecture and also by visualising the architecture using a number of different visualisations. Following the evaluation, changes may be imposed to the architectural model and to the system in order to meet non-functional requirements.