Appropriate Architecture Pattern/Style: Microservices

George Mason University's course registration system faces fluctuating traffic throughout the academic year. Adopting a Microservices architecture provides the ability to dynamically scale up services based on demand. For instance, during peak course registration periods, scaling up user management and registration services becomes essential to efficiently handle increased traffic.

The increased modularity inherent in Microservices architecture offers several advantages. It facilitates easier maintenance and debugging while enabling faster rollout of updates. This is achievable as development teams can concurrently work on multiple modules. Additionally, the system gains enhanced fault tolerance due to increased modularity.

Non-Functional Requirements/Quality Attributes:

1. Scalability: The system must horizontally scale to accommodate peak registration periods and a growing user base over time.
2. Availability: Given the anticipated surge in traffic during peak registration periods, maintaining high availability and minimizing downtime is crucial for uninterrupted service.
3. Security: Robust security measures, including two-factor authentication, must be implemented to safeguard sensitive user data.
4. Performance: Rapid course filling necessitates a high-performance system to ensure swift and responsive user interactions.
5. Reliability: Each microservice should demonstrate reliability and resilience. Implementing proper error handling, logging, and monitoring is imperative to swiftly identify and address issues.
6. Interoperability: Microservices should effectively communicate through well-defined APIs and protocols to ensure seamless integration.
7. Data Management: A robust data management strategy is essential, covering aspects such as data consistency, backup procedures, and disaster recovery plans.
8. Compliance: Ensuring compliance with relevant data protection regulations and standards, such as GDPR or FERPA, is imperative based on the jurisdiction and nature of the handled data.

In summary, adopting a Microservices architecture not only addresses the dynamic nature of George Mason's course registration system but also aligns with key non-functional requirements, enhancing scalability, availability, security, performance, reliability, interoperability, data management, and compliance.