Introduction

1.what is Architecture?

Design framework that enables the various parts of an organization to articulate how information and technology can be used in the context of business strategy. It helps to improve business and technology decisions.

Architecture as framework is to guide systems development, integration and set management guidelines.

Macro level: Enterprise systems-to manage the diverse technology and application portfolios

Micro level: Single application design objectives (inputs, outputs and data sharing) for reuse of business logic and data sharing, improving application interoperability.

Layered approach to expose the separate but inter-related dependencies of applications, data and technology linked to business strategy.

2. Basic EA Terms

Enterprise

An organisation supported by a business scope and mission. It contains interdependent human, organisational and IS resources that must coordinate and share information to achieve business mission.

Architecture

The fundamental organization of a system embodies in its components, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, and the principles guiding its design and evolution.

Applications

An application, or application program, is a software program that runs on a computer device.

Enterprise Architecture

An information asset base that defines the enterprise mission, the information necessary to execute the mission, and the technology necessary to execute the mission.

An EA also includes a transitional plan and process for implementing new technologies in response to changing enterprise needs.

Fundamentally, an EA includes a baseline architecture, a target architecture, and a transitional plan.

Baseline Architecture

A set of products that portray the current 'AS-IS' enterprise, its business practices and technical infrastructure.

Target Architecture

A set of products that portray the future 'TO-BE' enterprise, its business practices and technical infrastructure.

Architecture Artefact

A specific document, report, analysis, model, or other tangible that contributes to an architectural description.

Architect

One whose responsibility is the design of an architecture and the creation of an architectural description.

Architectural description

A collection of products (artefacts) to document an architecture.

Architectural framework

A skeletal structure that defines suggested architecture artefacts, describes how those artefacts are related to each other, and provides generic definitions for what those artefacts might look like.

Architectural methodology

A generic term that can describe any structured approach to solving some or all of the problems related to architecture.

Architectural process

A defined series of actions directed to the goal of producing either an architecture or an architectural description.

Architectural taxonomy

A methodology for organizing and categorizing architectural artefacts.

3. Role of Architecture

To examine individual components and conceptual structure of EA

-descriptive(Taxonomy)

-Not a design/development approach

EA is a process and an artefact.

Different methodologies have different taxonomies.

4. EA as Artefact

An information repository, which defines:

-the enterprise mission

-the data and information required to undertake the mission

-the applications, technology necessary to support the mission

-the transitional steps for implementing new applications and technology in response to changing business needs.

5. Advantages of an EA

A good EA delivers important business benefits

Efficiency

Lower cost

Improve interoperability and system network management

Better ability to address critical enterprise-wide issues i.e. security, access etc.

Easier to upgrade and exchange of system components

Better ROI

Reduced risk

Reduced complexity

Procurement efficiencies

6. Business Needs

Effective enablement

-Aligned with business mission and objectives

-IS supports business activities

-Useful i.e. the right solutions

-Fit with reality

Stable

-Supports business changes

-Dose not require constant fiddling

Robust

-Reliable, low rate of operational error

-Performance

Integrated

-Facilitates shared access to enterprise-wide common data and meaning

-Reusable components

Streamlined

-Efficient smooth flow, no manual intervention, maintenance of digital workflow, low error rate

Agility

-Flexible to accommodate business changes efficiently

7. Business Processes

Porters Value Chain

-Generic Model

-Cut across organizational, departmental or functional lines

-Primary and secondary activities

Always consider the architectural dependencies of core process improvement

8.IS Objectives

Key terms and Concepts

efficiency, accuracy, control and reach

-Routine transaction processing

-Reduced manual input

-Planning, forecasting and replenishment systems

-Marketing Analysis and Campaign systems

-Customized and targeted customer interaction

-Reduction of potential error

-Reduced cost (i.e. headcount)

reduce cycle times

support peak and routine processing times

9. How EA helps to realize IS Objectives

Effectiveness

-Single Source of Truth

-Define essential business requirements from key business activities

-Change data as reality changes- ie real-time, capture at source

Stability

-Base the system on the essence of the enterprise independent of organization and techonology constraints

-Separate things which change frequently from things which don't (eg. data from process from rules from interfaces from reports)

Robustness

-Through requirements, internal consistency, completeness, simplify

Integration

-Structure around data

Streamlining

-Logical patterning (approach to application deployment)

-Minimise redundancy

Flexibility

-Abstraction

-Generalization

-each thing implemented in only one place

-minimal duplication and expenditure of effort