Enterprise Architecture Management
Enterprise Architecture Management Overview
In order to achieve effective corporate architecture management, it is necessary to create an up-to-date, consistent knowledge base on the chain of events, as well as an integrated planning process from demand to budget in order to achieve direct future projection.
The enterprise architecture function also includes reviewing and consolidating detailed architectural decisions and transition plans to determine efficiency, advance standardization, and align business and IT priorities. As IT architecture layers, business support processes, and organizational structures become increasingly complex and prone to constant change, Model-Centered "inadequate" Enterprise Architecture Management practices will haphazardly lead to business and IT alignment.
This approach is useful as it only shows the enterprise architecture as a snapshot over time, but does not offer iterative process support for developing architectural solutions and continuously testing them against different scenarios, benchmarks and standards set by concurrent business and IT strategies. Trying to keep the model-centered approach up to date is an extremely time-consuming process. With the difficulty of controlling changes made to the architecture, it is isolated in the minds of corporate architecture professionals, giving a lot of opportunity for mistakes. Instead, enterprise architecture management practices should pool the highly distributed knowledge of all experts and allow each participant to provide such information and input on terms that best suit the experience and expectations of the contributing stakeholders.
Successful enterprise architecture programs are approached from a management perspective rather than a modeling perspective.
This creates a new generation of enterprise architecture planning tools that support not only the modeling of the architecture but also the creation of deployment and implementation plans for continuous IT improvement over time.
A key aspect of this approach is the support of collaboration between a broad group of stakeholders from both enterprise and IT, including C-level, IT strategists, planning teams, technology practitioners, and business analysts who contribute to the enterprise architecture management and planning process. In this way, enterprise architecture management (EAM) supports sustainable business strategy realization.
What is Enterprise Architecture?
Enterprise Architecture is a comprehensive electronic document that describes an organization's strategies, business processes, data and information requirements, information systems and technology infrastructure within a certain framework. The main function of the enterprise architecture is to provide information about the objectives of the institution, its structure, functioning, the systems it uses and the technologies used in the systems.
Enterprise Architecture is the process by which organizations standardize and organize their IT infrastructure to align with their business objectives. These strategies support digital transformation, IT growth and modernization of IT as a department.
The main function of Enterprise Architecture is to inform and manage the objectives of the institution, its structure, functioning, the systems used and the technologies used in the systems. In this context, the enterprise architecture is not only responsible for managing the current structure, but also for determining and creating a projection for the IT infrastructure that will support the future plans of the organization.
Enterprise Architecture helps businesses structure their IT projects and policies to achieve desired business results and follow industry trends and disruptions using architectural principles and practices, also known as Enterprise Architectural Planning (EAP).
Enterprise Architecture is particularly useful for large businesses going through digital transformation because it focuses on bringing legacy processes and applications together to create a more seamless environment.
Its main purpose is to ensure that information systems and technologies within the institution comply with common standards in accordance with the objectives and functioning of the institution, and in this way, the effective and efficient use of information and communication resources.
Enterprise Architecture is not a one-off study. To the extent that changes in the general and sectoral environment affect the structure and functioning of the institution, the institutional architecture also needs to be reviewed and changed. While creating the institutional architecture, the existing architecture is first examined and described. Then, the systems that will support the corporate strategies, provide data and information on core processes and the technological components that will create these systems are determined. System and technology policies, procedures, and standards are recreated. Finally, how the existing architecture will be transformed into the required architecture is projected and implemented.
What are Enterprise Architecture Tools and Software?
Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint are the two most basic tools you will use in enterprise architecture planning. However, there are other third-party tools and software packages to help you create advanced EA strategies for your business.
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BIZZdesign
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Orbus Software
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Sparx Systems
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Software AG
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HoriZZon by BiZZdesign
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Avolution
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Mega
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Erwin
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planview
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HANDLE
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BOC Group…
What are the Goals of Enterprise Architecture?
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Contribute to the IT decision-making process
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Transforming manual or automated business processes within the organization into an integrated and standards-compliant environment that responds quickly to changes and supports the implementation of strategies.
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Striking the balance between IT efficiency and innovation in business processes
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To create and maintain IT Inventory
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To provide a playing field and competitive advantage to independent business units within their own objectives
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Providing infrastructure for synergy between business units
What are Enterprise Architecture Interests?
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Support for next generation IT projects
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Application inventory management and maintenance processes
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Compatibility and security
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Cost comparison
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Strategic KPIs Target architectural studies
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Termination plans
Corporate Architecture Branches
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Business Architecture: Determines the processes that business units will implement to achieve their goals
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Application Architecture: It determines the applications needed in the institution and their relations with each other.
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Information and Data Architecture: Determines how enterprise data sources are organized and how they are accessed.
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Technology Infrastructure Architecture: Determines the hardware and software infrastructure to support applications and their relationships.
Benefits of Enterprise Architecture
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More efficient IT operations
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Reduction in software development, maintenance and support costs
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More app portability
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Increased application interoperability
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Easy system and network management
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Easier handling of issues that span the organization
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Easier updating and replacement of system components
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Better return on investment and lower investment risk
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Elimination of complexity in IT infrastructure
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Maximum return on existing investments
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Provide flexibility to develop, purchase or outsource IT solutions
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Reducing risk and total cost of ownership in new investments
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Fast, simple and inexpensive procurement process
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Purchasing decisions are made easier as information collection procedures exist as coherent plans
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The purchasing process is fast, a fast and flexible process is carried out without ignoring the architectural rules.
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It is possible to supply systems that are homogeneous and supplied by more than one supplier.
Major Enterprise Architecture Frameworks
Enterprise architecture as a framework can be ambiguous as it aims to address the entire organization rather than individual needs, issues, or business units. Therefore, several frameworks are available to help companies implement and monitor EAP effectively.
The Open Group Architectural Framework (TOGAF): TOGAF provides principles for designing, planning, implementing, and managing enterprise IT architecture. The TOGAF framework helps businesses establish a standardized approach to EA with a common vocabulary, recommended standards, compliance methods, recommended tools and software, and a way of defining best practices. The TOGAF framework is hugely popular as an enterprise architect framework and has been adopted by more than 80 percent of the world's leading organizations, according to The Open Group.
The Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture: The Zachman framework is named after one of the original founders of enterprise architecture and is another popular EA methodology. It is better understood as a "taxonomy," according to CompTIA, and encompasses six architectural focal points and six key stakeholders to help standardize and define IT architecture components and outputs.
Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF): The FEAF was introduced in 1996 as a response to the Clinger-Cohen act, which introduced powers for IT activity in federal agencies. It is designed for the US government, but can also be applied to private companies that want to use the framework.
Gartner Enterprise Architecture Methodology (Gartner EA Methodology): After acquiring The Meta Group in 2005, Gartner identified best practices for EAP and adapted them into the company's general consulting practices. While not an individual framework, CompTIA recognizes it as a "practical" methodology focused on business results "with a few clear steps or components".
These are just four of the most commonly referenced and accepted EA methodologies, but others exist. For example, European Space Agency Architectural Framework (ESAAF), US Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), British Ministry of Defense Architecture Framework (MODAF), SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework, OBASHI Business and IT Methodology and Framework…
These frameworks specifically target individual industries or products, targeting a more niche market than the more generalized EA methodologies listed above.
Who Is a Corporate Architect?
First of all, to be a Corporate Architect; A bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology or a related field and at least 10 years of experience in IT or a related field are needed. In addition, in general; Experience working with computer systems, hard drives, mainframes and other architectural technologies is also required. Enterprise Architects need a variety of social skills such as communication, problem solving, critical thinking, leadership and teamwork to be successful.
Enterprise Architects often report to the CIO or other IT managers. They are responsible for analyzing business structures and processes to see that they are aligned effectively and efficiently with business objectives. As a corporate architect, you will also be responsible for ensuring that these structures and processes are agile and durable so they can adapt quickly and withstand major changes.
The most commonly reported hard skills for the Enterprise IT Architect include:
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Java and J2EE
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Service-oriented architecture (SOA)
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Enterprise application integration
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cloud computing
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Software and system architecture
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Enterprise solutions
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Strategy Development
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IT and project management
Enterprise Architecture Certificates
There are certifications you can acquire to demonstrate your EA skills, including more specific certifications that focus on skills such as cloud and security architecture...
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TOGAF 9 Certificate
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Open group Certified Architect (Open CA)
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AWS Certified Solution Architect
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Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)
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Axelos ITIL Master certificate
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Microsoft Certified Architect
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Professional Cloud Solutions Architect Certificate
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Virtualization Council Master Infrastructure Architect certification
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CISSP Information Systems Security Architecture Specialist (ISSAP)
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Dell EMC Cloud architect training and certification
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Red Hat Certified Architect
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EC Council Certified Network Defense Architect (CNDA)
Almost all of the enterprise architecture frameworks consist of four basic architectural elements, and the models used are used to describe and analyze the details of these elements and the relationships between them:
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Business Architecture;
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Information and Data Architecture;
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System Architecture;
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Technology Infrastructure.
There are four main frameworks most commonly used for enterprise architecture:
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The Open Group Architectural Framework.
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Gartner Enterprise Architecture.
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Zachman Framework.
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Federal Enterprise Architecture.
A general enterprise architecture framework. In general, an enterprise architecture framework consists of four sets of elements:
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Architectural Elements
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Institutional Elements
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Structural Elements
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Administrative Elements
Architectural elements consist of four layers, starting with the business architecture, which constitutes the basic social and economic function of the enterprise, and extending to the information and communication technologies infrastructure. The structure of each layer is defined by the stakeholders in that layer, the processes that the stakeholders perform for certain reasons, at a certain time, in a certain place and using certain tools.
Institutional elements consist of different business units or departments and their management layers, depending on the type of business. Each institutional element consists of a set of vertically related architectural elements and a horizontally related set of structural elements.
Administrative elements include common information and communication technologies policies, procedures and standards that are compatible with corporate strategy. Thanks to these common elements, the possibility of integration and consolidation of the IT and communication resources of the enterprise arises; resources are used more efficiently.
Architectural Elements
The elements that make up the enterprise architecture are gathered in four main groups:
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Business Architecture Elements
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Information and Data Architecture Elements
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System Architecture Elements
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Technology Background Elements
Business architecture elements include use cases and task diagrams that describe business processes. Objects that constitute data entries, records, data summaries and management decisions that occur during workflows are also part of the business architecture.
Information and data architecture describes enterprise entities, the relationships between these entities, data flows between entities, and business logic. The elements that make up the information and data architecture come together to form the system architecture.
Asset packages, interfaces, components, and architectural structures are used to describe the system architecture. Technology infrastructure, on the other hand, describes the technological elements that make up the systems, application software, system software, peripherals, computer hardware and computer networks, and the relationships between these elements.