Maintaining Enterprise Architecture Metadata
from a Holistic, Enterprise Perspective
from a Holistic, Enterprise Perspective
Holistic Perspective
Overall Model
The overall model includes the corporate strategy model, the IT project
model, the process model, the information model, the integrated
application model, and the technical model. The process model, information
model, integrated application model, and technical model show the current
and future state of the enterprise's IT assets. The strategy model and the IT
project model show the planned changes to the assets.
The overall model includes the corporate strategy model, the IT project
model, the process model, the information model, the integrated
application model, and the technical model. The process model, information
model, integrated application model, and technical model show the current
and future state of the enterprise's IT assets. The strategy model and the IT
project model show the planned changes to the assets.
Top-Down – Process and Information
The highest level models for an enterprise are the process and information
models. These models are tied together by the information flow. The
information flow shows what information is in the flow and which processes
are sharing the information. The process that is the source of the information
is the owner of the information.
The EA Toolkit represents only an extraction of information that should come
from other models. For example, there are excellent tools available for doing
logical data modeling that can seamlessly provide physical database
models. The EA Toolkit is not intended to replace these products.
The highest level models for an enterprise are the process and information
models. These models are tied together by the information flow. The
information flow shows what information is in the flow and which processes
are sharing the information. The process that is the source of the information
is the owner of the information.
The EA Toolkit represents only an extraction of information that should come
from other models. For example, there are excellent tools available for doing
logical data modeling that can seamlessly provide physical database
models. The EA Toolkit is not intended to replace these products.
Bottom-Up – Architecture Layers
The architecture provides the foundation for the applications, the information,
and the processes. It is made up of products and frameworks that provide
the technical services needed for the business to operate.
Because technology is constantly changing, the architecture model must be
revised regularly to meet new challenges. The "To Be" or "Reference" model
shows the planned layered architecture. Using this plan, gaps and
weaknesses can be identified.
Detail technical information such as servers and what is on each server is
best captured using a Configuration Management Database (CMDB). The
EA Toolkit is only interested in architecture layers and the categories of the
technical components.
The architecture provides the foundation for the applications, the information,
and the processes. It is made up of products and frameworks that provide
the technical services needed for the business to operate.
Because technology is constantly changing, the architecture model must be
revised regularly to meet new challenges. The "To Be" or "Reference" model
shows the planned layered architecture. Using this plan, gaps and
weaknesses can be identified.
Detail technical information such as servers and what is on each server is
best captured using a Configuration Management Database (CMDB). The
EA Toolkit is only interested in architecture layers and the categories of the
technical components.
Middle-Out – Integration Points
Applications are in the middle. They are logically constructed within the
process and information models and implemented using the technical
architecture.
Each application integration point defines the source and target processes,
the subject data being shared, and the architecture layers of the source and
the target. These are the services and the references to services that tie the
entire enterprise together.
For most applications ,a Unified Modeling Language tool would be used to
design the components. Today, the actual code can be generated from
these models. The EA Toolkit is only interested in the integration points as
defined by the deployment description of SCA.
Applications are in the middle. They are logically constructed within the
process and information models and implemented using the technical
architecture.
Each application integration point defines the source and target processes,
the subject data being shared, and the architecture layers of the source and
the target. These are the services and the references to services that tie the
entire enterprise together.
For most applications ,a Unified Modeling Language tool would be used to
design the components. Today, the actual code can be generated from
these models. The EA Toolkit is only interested in the integration points as
defined by the deployment description of SCA.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Click picture for a larger view.