Key Terminology Flashcards
Key terms of Enterprise Architecture
Application
A deployed and operational IT system that supports business functions and services; e.g. payroll. Applications use data and are supported by multiple technology components but are distinct from technology components that support the application.
Application architecture
n applications architecture describes the behavior of applications used in a business, focused on how they interact with each other and with users. It is focused on the data consumed and produced by applications rather than their internal structure. In application portfolio management, the applications are usually mapped to business functions and to application
Description of the major logical grouping of capabilities that manage the data objects necessary to process data and support the business.
Architecture
Formal description of a system or the detailed plan of the system at component level to guide its implementation.
Structure of components their inter-relationships and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time.
Architecture continuum
Part of Enterprise continuum. Repository of architecrtural elements with increasing details and specialization. Reference modesl, strategies, building blocks .. Industry architectures and specific organization architectures
ABB Architecture Building Blocks
A building block describes a single aspect of the overall architecture model.
Architecture Development Method (ADM)
Core of TOGAF standard. Step by step approach to develop and use an enterprise architecture.
Architecture Domain
Architectural area being considered. TOGAF has 4 domains: Business, data, application and technology.
Architecture Framework
Conceptual structure used to develop, implement and sustain an architecture.
Architecture Principles
Qualitative statement of intent that should be met by the architecture. Has at least a supporting rational and a measure of importance.
Architecture Vision
A concise description of the target architecture that describes its business value and the changes to the enterprise that will result from its successful deployment. Serves as an aspirational vision and a boundary for detailed architecture development.
Baseline
Specification that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon that thereafter serves as the basis for further development or change.
Building Block
Potential reusable component of business, IT or architectural capability that can be combined with other building blocks to deliver architectures and solutions.
Can be defined at various level of detail. E.g. name or outline description or later one BB becomes multiple supporting BB and are accompanied by specifications. BB can relate to architectures or solutions.
Business Architecture
Description of structure and interaction between the business strategy organizations functions, business processes and information needs.
Business Governance
Ensuring that the business processes and policies deliver the business outcomes and adhere to relevant business regulation
Capability
An ability that an organization, person or system possesses. Typically expressed in general and high-level terms
Concerns
Key interests that are crucially important to the stakeholders in a system and determine the acceptability of the system.
Constraint
External factor that prevents an organization from pursuing particular approaches to meet its goals.
Data Architecture
Description of structure and interaction of enterprise major types and sources of data, logical data assets, physical data assets and data management resources.
Deliverable
Work product that is contractually specified and in turn formally reviewed, agreed, and signed off by stakeholders. Output of projects and deliverables in documentation form might be archived or used as reference models, standards at end of a project.
Enterprise
Highest level of description of an organization and typically covers all missions and functions. Enterprise typically spans multiple organizations.
Enterprise Continuum
Mechanism for classifying architecture and solution artifacts internal and external as they evolve from generic to specific.
Foundation Architecture
Generic building blocks, their inter relationship with other BBN combined with principles and guidelines that provide a foundation on which more specific architectures can be built.
Gap
Statement of difference between two states. Used In the context of gap analysis for difference between baseline and target architectures are identified.
Governance
Discipline of monitoring, managing and steering a business to deliver the business outcome required.
Information
Any communication or representation of facts, data or opinions in any medium or form including textual, numerical, graphical, narrative or audio visual.
IT Information Technology
Lifecycle management of information and related technology used by an organization.
Umbrella term that includes all or some of the subject areas relating to the computer industry.
Logical (Architecture)
Implementation independent definition of the architecture.
Metadata
Data about data of any sort in any media that describes the characteristics of an entity.
Metamodel
Model that describes how and with what the architecture will be described in a structured way.
Method
Defined repeatable approach to address a particular type of problem
Methodology
Defined repeatable series of steps to address a particular type of problem, which typically centers on a defined process, but may also include definition of content.
Model
Representation of a subject of interest. Provides a smaller scale, simplified or abstract representation of the subject matter.
Modeling
A technique through construction of models which enables a subject to be represented in a form that enables reasoning, insight and clarity concerning the essence of the subject matter.
Objective
Time bounded milestone for an organization used to demonstrate progress towards a goal. E.g. increase capacity utilization by 30% by the end of 2019 to support the increase in market share.
Physical
Description of a real world entity.
Reference Model
Abstract, framework for understanding signification relationships among the entities of an environment and for the development of consistent standards or specifications supporting that environment. Based on a small number of unifying concepts and may be used as a basis for education and explaining standards to a non-specialist.
Repository
System that manages all of the data of an enterprise including data and process models and other enterprise information. Much more extensive than in a data dictionary which only defines the data making up a data base.
Requirement
Statement of need that must be met by a particular architecture or work package.
Segment Architecture
Detailed, formal description of areas within an enterprise, used at the program or portfolio level to organize and align change activity
Solution Architecture
Description of a discrete and focused business operation or activity and how IT supports that operation.
Solution Building Block (SBB)
Candidate solution which conforms to an architecture building block
Solution Continuum
Part of the enterprise continuum. A repository of reusable solutions for future implementation efforts. Contains implementations of the corresponding definitions in the architecture continuum.
Stakeholder
Individual, team or organization with interest in or concerns relative to the outcome of the architecture. Different stakeholders in different roles have different concerns.
Strategic architecture
Summary formal description of the enterprise, providing an organizing framework for operational and change activity and an executive level long term view for direction setting.
Target architecture
Description of a future state of the architecture being developed for an organization. May be several future states developed as a roadmap to show the evolution of the architecture to target state
Technical Reference Model (TRM)
Structure which allows the components of an information system to be described in a consistent manner
Technology Architecture
Description of the structure and interaction of the platform services, logical and physical technology components.
Transition Architecture
Formal description of one state of the architecture at an architecturally signification point in time.
View
Representation of a related set of concerns. View is what is seen from a viewpoint. An architecture view may be represented by a model to demonstrate to stakeholders their areas of interest in the architecture. Does not have to be visual or graphical in nature.
Viewpoint
Definition of the perspective from which a view is taken. Specification of the conventions for constructing and using a view. A view is what you see. A viewpoint is where you are looking from.
