Enterprise Architecture Frameworks

BICS - Week 5 Tutorial

Presented by Adrian Sharp

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FEAF (Federal Enterprise Architecture

Framework)

DATA APPLICATION

TECHNOLOGY

PLANNER List of Business Objects

List of Business Processes

List of Business Locations

OWNER Semantic Model Business Process model

Business Logistics System

DESIGNER Logical data model

Application Architecture

System Geographic Deployment Architecture

BUILDER Physical Data Model

Systems Design

Technology Architecture

SUBCONTACTOR

Data Dictionary Programs Network Architecture

ARCHITECTURE

PER

SP

EC

TIV

E

(1)

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Key Features

Provides structure to develop, maintain and implement IT systems

Divides architecture into 3 levels of description

Within each cell specification documents are suggested

Provides a listing of functional roles and associated responsibilities assigned to EA core team members

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ZACHMANWhat(Data)

How(Functio

n)

Where(Location

s)

Who(People)

When(Time)

Why(Motivati

on)

Planner List Processes business performs

Locations business operates

List List Business goals & strategies

Business Owner

Entities Dictionary

Activity Diagram

workflow model

Master Schedule

Business plan

Designer Logical data model

Systems Diagrams

Human interface

State Diagram

Builder System Design

Technology architecture

ControlStructure

Rule Design

Subcontractor

Data Definition

Program

Functioning System

Data Function Network Organisation

Schedule

Strategy(1)4

Key Features

What – Understanding of and dealing with an enterprises data

How – Translating mission of enterprise into more detailed definitions of operations

Where – Geographical distribution of enterprises activities

Who – Stakeholders involved in the business and in the introduction of new technology

When – Effects of time on the enterprise

Why – Translation of business goals and strategies into specific ends and means. (2)

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Participants rolesPlanners (Scope) – Concerned with positioning the product in the context of its environment, including specifying its scope.

Business Owner’s (Enterprise Model) – Interested in the business deliverable and how it will be used

Designers (System Models) - Works with specifications for the product to ensure it will in fact fulfil the owners expectation

Builders (Technology Model) – Manages the process of assembling and fabricating the components in the production of the product

Subcontractors (Detailed representations) – Fabricates out of context components which meet the builders specifications.

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Opportunities presented

Becomes a bridge between business and technical domains (2)

Improves consistency, accuracy, timeliness, sharing of IT-managed information across the organization (1)

Enables integrated vision and global perspective of information resources (2)

Acts as way to pass from chaos and disagreement to order and structure (2)

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Challenges for an organization

Modeling – Requires significant time and effort to choose a suitable model/framework.

Management – Typically large organisation will have multiple ongoing projects that are renovating/replacing information systems as well as developing new ones.

Maintenance – Essential to an EA because operational consistency must be preserved while the organisation continues to evolve the architecture.

Security – System architects need to take into consideration the confidentially, integrity and availability of the systems and infrastructure. (4)8

References

1. Chief Information Office Council 2001 ‘A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture’, Federal Architecture Working Group

2. Pereira, C & Sousa, P 2004 ‘A Method to Define an Enterprise Architecture using the Zachman Framework’ ACM Symposium on Applied Computing

3. Leist, S & Zellner, G 2006 ‘Evaluation of Current Architecture Frameworks’, Institute of Information Management, April, 23-27

4. Kaisler, S, Armour, F & Valivullah, M 2005 ‘Enterprise Architecting: Critical Problems’ Proceedings of the 38th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

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