Issue #11 [May 01-May 05, 2006]
Enterprise Architecture Concepts
In last few weeks we have traveled across few major sectors of Enterprise Architecture Framework concepts. This week we will try to understand the different concepts emphasised by enterprise architecture frameworks. In the current market all of us may have come across different players in enterprise architecture framework arena. There are different top management organisations who have build their own enterprise architecture framework and advised their customers to use them. On the contrary few other well-known independent enterprise architecture frameworks also exist and do very well. However, one very common similarity between them is that none of them are derived from enterprise reference architecture framework like GERAM. These EAs deliver different parts of enterprise concepts, but mostly fail to address different important aspects of any enterprise architecture concepts. This week we will train our neurons to get some knowledge about the EA world concepts.
Introduction
In last few weeks we have traveled across few major sectors of Enterprise Architecture Framework concepts. This week we will try to understand the different concepts emphasised by enterprise architecture frameworks. In the current market all of us may have come across different players in enterprise architecture framework arena. There are different top management organisations who have build their own enterprise architecture framework and advised their customers to use them. On the contrary few other well-known independent enterprise architecture frameworks also exist and do very well. However, one very common similarity between them is that none of them are derived from enterprise reference architecture framework like GERAM. These EAs deliver different parts of enterprise concepts, but mostly fail to address different important aspects of any enterprise architecture concepts. This week we will train our neurons to get some knowledge about the EA world concepts.
Enterprise Architecture Contribution
Before discussing further let us again remind the definition of enterprise engineering defined by GERAM as
“One of the most important characteristics of today's enterprises is that they are facing a rapidly changing environment and can no longer make predictable long term provisions. To adapt to this change enterprises themselves need to evolve and be reactive so that change and adaptation should be a natural dynamic state rather then something occasionally forced onto the enterprise. This necessitates the integration of the enterprise operation and the development of a discipline that organises all knowledge that is needed to identify the need for change in enterprises and to carry out that change expediently and professionally. This discipline is called Enterprise Engineering”. [GERAM]
Due to the dominant consulting organisations and influence of several consultants, people really almost have forgotten that enterprise architecture is not an artistic story, it should rather be an art of expressing the enterprise with the help of engineering concepts. Enterprise Architecture should be able to identify the nature of the enterprise, explain the roadmap to get the success and recommendations to help successful evolution of the enterprise at the same time.
As we have already explained that Enterprise Architecture Frameworks should be Type 2 enterprise architecture, and based on the concepts of Type 2 nature those types of enterprise architectures should be able to provide the guidelines with an objective to unify all these enterprise activities within a guided environment. The scope of type 2 enterprise architecture like GERAM encompasses all knowledge needed for enterprise integration defined through a pragmatic approach. This enterprise integration effort through enterprise architecture framework establishment addresses different enterprise issues like approaches towards green field business problem solution, issues involved to completely re-engineer any specific solution, organisational mergers and acquisitions or reorganisation of specific integration aspects; formation of service oriented virtual enterprise that involve a new value chain or supply chain integration, etc. In a nutshell, enterprise architecture framework is a set of approaches defined and explained to solve, resolve and dissolve most of the enterprise problems.
“GERAM is intended to facilitate the unification of methods of several disciplines used in the change process, such as methods of industrial engineering, management science, control engineering, communication and information technology, i.e. to allow their combined use, as opposed to segregated application.
One aspect of the GERAM framework is that it unifies the two distinct approaches of enterprise integration, those based on product models and those based on business process design. It also offers new insights into the project management of enterprise integration and the relationship of integration with other strategic activities in an enterprise.” [GERAM]
GERAM as a true enterprise reference architecture framework introduced following enterprise concepts:
We can summarize these concepts pictorially with the help of this following diagram:
Conclusion
This week we have discussed different important concepts around the enterprise architecture arena. With these concepts in next few weeks we will be able to understand the broader picture of this enterprise game. We will be able to understand the enterprise architecture players and their motivations; we will be able to uncover the true nature of enterprise architecture and candidate enterprise architecture framework.
References
GERAM: Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology. Version 1.6.3 Also in P.Bernus, L.Nemes and G. Schmidt (Eds) Handbook on Enterprise Architecture, Berlin : Springer (2003) pp 22-64.
[GERAM] GERAM: Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology. Version 1.6.3 ( http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~bernus/taskforce/geram ) also in P.Bernus, L.Nemes and G. Schmidt (Eds) Handbook on Enterprise Architecture, Berlin : Springer (2003) pp 22-64.
[PERA] A HANDBOOK ON MASTER PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION PROGRAMS Based On The Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture and the Purdue Methodology Purdue Laboratory for Applied Industrial Control Edited by Theodore J. Williams, Gary A. Rathwell, Hong Li. February 2001 (Revised from July 1999 PERA website version)
[RM-ODP] Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP). International Organization for standardization, 1994. Technical Report 10746
[Zachman] Extending and Formalising the framework for information systems architecture by J.A.Zachman and J.F.Sowa Published in IBM Systems Journal, 31(3): p 590-616, 1992
http://www.pera.net/Pera/Wha_mast.html
http://www.enterpriseunifiedprocess.com/essays/phases.html
PERA AND GERAM--ENTERPRISE REFERENCE ARCHITECTURES IN ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION by Theodore J. Williams, Institute for Interdisciplinary Engineering Studies, Purdue University and and Hong Li, Senior Consultant, Claremont Technology Group, Inc
[GERAM Report 1995] A SPECIFICATION AND STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR GERAM by THEODORE J. WILLIAMS and HONG LI, November 1995
