Skip to main content

ADR-006-v4: Data Model Architecture - Part 1 (Narrative)

Table of Contents​

↑ Back to Top

Document Specification Block​

Document: ADR-006-v4-data-model-part1-narrative
Version: 1.0.1
Purpose: Explain CODITECT's multi-tenant data model architecture for secure, scalable development
Audience: Business leaders, developers, architects, product managers
Date Created: 2025-08-31
Date Modified: 2025-08-31
QA Review Date: 2025-08-31
Status: DRAFT

1. Introduction​

1.1 For Business Leaders​

Imagine running a massive apartment complex where thousands of families live. Each family needs complete privacy - they can't see into other apartments, can't access other mailboxes, and can't use other storage units. Yet the building management needs to efficiently maintain the entire complex, track utilities, and ensure security for everyone.

CODITECT's data model works exactly like this well-managed apartment complex. Each company (tenant) gets their own completely isolated space where their users, projects, and AI agents work together seamlessly. No data ever leaks between companies, yet the system scales effortlessly to millions of users. This architecture is the foundation that makes CODITECT both secure and infinitely scalable.

1.2 For Technical Leaders​

CODITECT implements a hierarchical, multi-tenant data model using FoundationDB's key-value architecture. Every piece of data is prefixed with a tenant ID, ensuring complete isolation at the database level:

  • 21 specialized models covering users, projects, tasks, AI agents, and more
  • Tenant-prefixed keys guarantee data isolation without complex queries
  • Unified Member abstraction treats humans and AI agents equally
  • No schema migrations - the key-value design evolves gracefully

This architecture enables sub-millisecond queries while maintaining strict security boundaries between tenants.

↑ Back to Top

2. Context and Problem Statement​

2.1 The Challenge​

Modern development platforms face an impossible trinity:

  1. Complete Security: No data leaks between customers
  2. Infinite Scale: Support millions of concurrent users
  3. Real-time Performance: Instant response for all operations

Traditional approaches fail:

  • Single Database: Security requires complex queries that kill performance
  • Database per Tenant: Doesn't scale beyond hundreds of tenants
  • Sharded Databases: Complex to manage and prone to hotspots

We need an architecture that provides all three without compromise.

2.2 Current State​

Most SaaS platforms struggle with multi-tenancy:

  • Row-level Security: Complex, error-prone, performance overhead
  • Schema per Tenant: Database proliferation, upgrade nightmares
  • Application-level Isolation: One bug exposes everything

These approaches work at small scale but break down as platforms grow.

2.3 Business Impact​

Without Proper Data Architecture:

  • Data breaches destroy customer trust
  • Performance degrades as customer base grows
  • Development slows due to migration complexity
  • Costs spiral with database proliferation

With CODITECT's Model:

  • Zero data leaks by design
  • Consistent performance at any scale
  • Rapid feature development
  • Predictable infrastructure costs

↑ Back to Top

3. Decision​

3.1 Core Concept​

We implement a key-value data model where every key starts with the tenant ID. This simple pattern provides complete isolation while maintaining blazing performance. Like postal addresses that start with country, then city, then street - our data addresses start with tenant, then entity type, then specific ID.

3.2 How It Works​

Every piece of data lives under its tenant's namespace - completely isolated yet efficiently accessible.

3.3 The Model Hierarchy​

↑ Back to Top

4. Key Capabilities​

4.1 Complete Tenant Isolation​

  • Database-level separation - Not just application logic
  • No shared queries - Each tenant is a universe unto itself
  • Instant provisioning - New tenants start immediately
  • Zero cross-contamination - Physical impossibility

4.2 Unified Member System​

  • Humans and AI agents as equals - Both can own tasks, projects
  • Seamless collaboration - Mixed human/AI teams
  • Consistent permissions - Same RBAC for all members
  • Future-proof - Ready for advanced AI capabilities

4.3 Hierarchical Organization​

  • Flexible structure - Corporation → Division → Department → Team
  • Inherited permissions - Rights flow down the hierarchy
  • Cross-functional teams - Members from any level
  • Scalable governance - Works for startups to enterprises

4.4 Comprehensive Audit Trail​

  • Every action logged - Complete accountability
  • Tamper-proof - Append-only audit log
  • Compliance ready - SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA capable
  • Performance analytics - Track system usage patterns

↑ Back to Top

5. Benefits​

5.1 For Security Teams​

  • Zero trust by default - Isolation at the deepest level
  • No SQL injection risks - Key-value patterns only
  • Audit everything - Complete activity history
  • Compliance simplified - Clear data boundaries

5.2 For Development Teams​

  • No migrations needed - Schema-less evolution
  • Simple queries - Just key lookups
  • Predictable performance - No query plan surprises
  • Easy testing - Isolated test tenants

5.3 For Operations Teams​

  • Linear scaling - Add nodes for more capacity
  • No hot spots - Even distribution
  • Simple backups - Per-tenant if needed
  • Clear monitoring - Tenant-specific metrics

5.4 For Business Leaders​

  • Unlimited growth - Architecture scales infinitely
  • Customer confidence - Provable isolation
  • Rapid onboarding - Instant tenant creation
  • Cost predictability - Resource usage per tenant

↑ Back to Top

6. Analogies and Examples​

6.1 The Apartment Building Analogy​

Think of CODITECT like a modern apartment building:

  • Each Tenant = Complete apartment with locked door
  • Users = Family members with their own keys
  • Projects = Rooms within the apartment
  • Tasks = Furniture and items in each room
  • AI Agents = Smart home assistants that only work in your apartment
  • Audit Log = Security camera footage for your apartment only

The building (CODITECT) provides the infrastructure, but each apartment (tenant) is completely private.

6.2 Real-World Scenario​

TechStartup Inc joins CODITECT:

  1. Instant tenant creation with ID: tenant_12345
  2. All their data keys start with tenant_12345/
  3. They create users: tenant_12345/users/alice, tenant_12345/users/bob
  4. They start a project: tenant_12345/projects/mobile_app
  5. AI agent joins: tenant_12345/members/ai_assistant_1
  6. Complete isolation from tenant_67890 (another company)

Even if both companies have a "mobile_app" project, they're in completely different universes.

↑ Back to Top

7. Risks and Mitigations​

7.1 Key Design Complexity​

  • Risk: Developers might create incorrect key patterns
  • Mitigation: Strong typing and builder patterns enforce correct keys

7.2 Tenant Migration​

  • Risk: Moving data between tenants could be complex
  • Mitigation: Explicit migration tools with audit trails

7.3 Cross-Tenant Analytics​

  • Risk: Business intelligence needs cross-tenant data
  • Mitigation: Separate analytics pipeline with aggregated, anonymized data

7.4 Backup Granularity​

  • Risk: Tenant-specific backups could be complex
  • Mitigation: Key prefix enables efficient tenant-specific snapshots

↑ Back to Top

8. Success Metrics​

8.1 Security Metrics​

  • Zero cross-tenant incidents - Perfect isolation record
  • Audit coverage: 100% of operations logged
  • Compliance certifications: SOC2, ISO 27001
  • Security scan results: Zero vulnerabilities

8.2 Performance Metrics​

  • Query latency: <1ms for key lookups (p99)
  • Write latency: <5ms for transactions (p99)
  • Throughput: 1M+ operations/second per cluster
  • Scale linearly: Performance consistent at any size

8.3 Business Metrics​

  • Tenant onboarding: <1 second
  • Customer trust score: >4.8/5
  • Data incidents: Zero
  • Growth capability: Unlimited tenants

↑ Back to Top

Foundation Standards​

Architecture Dependencies​

↑ Back to Top

10. References​

Industry Best Practices​

Security Resources​

↑ Back to Top

11. Approval Signatures​

Document Approval​

RoleNameSignatureDate
AuthorAI System (Claude)_________________2025-08-31
Technical Lead____________________________________________
Data Architect____________________________________________
Security Lead____________________________________________
CTO____________________________________________

Review History​

VersionDateChangesReviewer
1.0.02025-08-31Initial draft documenting 21 data modelsAI System
1.0.12025-08-31Added QA Review date to metadataAI System

This document provides the business context and rationale for CODITECT's multi-tenant data model architecture. See Part 2 (Technical) for detailed implementation specifications.