SAUG 2010 EA101 Session

Phil Gleadhill and Connie Iong - SAUG

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE 101

Contents

Enterprise Architecture 101:• What is it? • Why do it?• What is its value?• Frameworks & References• TOGAF & Zachman at 20,000 feet• Considerations in a SAP Centric Environment• Critical Success Factors for EA• Pitfalls for EA• Sources of Information

EA: What is it?

Enterprise Architecture (EA) …“Is a comprehensive and rigorous method for describing a current

and/or future structure and behaviour for an organisation's: – processes, – information systems, – personnel and organisational sub-units.

This practice is applied to align structure and behaviour with the organisational core goals and strategic direction.”

EA: What is it?

What does Enterprise Architecture do?• Enterprise Architecture ‘Develops, agrees and delivers an Enterprise

Architecture that supports the business goals and direction’.

This is done through:• Developing and maintaining an enterprise-wide target architecture • Communicating the target architecture within the organisation• Managing alignment to and compliance with the target architecture • Maintaining a watch on new technologies and facilitating discussion

with the business on the value of adoption • Providing leadership and clear framework in which Solution and

Domain architects can operate.

EA: Why do it?

Why have Architecture?• To provide a clear ‘roadmap’ to guide technology investment

ensuring projects fit together, leverage re-use and deploy common standards

• To promote disciplined design of fit-for-purpose solutions • To aid evaluation of potential solutions and maximise ‘future-

proofing’• To promote re-use and avoid wasteful duplication • To facilitate compliance checking of project design against the

architecture

EA: What is its value?

A successful EA program will result in:• Providing the business with a clear strategic roadmap of the required

technology investment • Quantified reduction in the total cost of ownership of the Information

Technology investment • Provision enabling technology that assists the business in realising

new products and services • Reduction in the time to market and extension of business capability

and market advantage• A clearly articulated and communicated contribution of EA to the

success of the business as a whole.

Frameworks & References

What is an EA Framework?• A methodology for doing and delivering architecture work• It provides a repeatable series of processes, steps, tools, templates

and deliverables for building, delivering and continually updating an enterprise architecture.

• There are a number of available EA Frameworks.2 Framework Examples (there are many more):• TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)

– Website for TOGAF V9:– http://www.opengroup.org/architecture/togaf9-doc/arch/

• Zachman– Website for the Zachman Framework: www.zachmaninternational.com– Alternative: http://eacoe.org/index2.shtml

The TOGAF “Method”

• A key part of the TOGAF Framework is the ADM (Architecture Development Method) cycle.

• This is the repeatable set of steps or cycle that is repeated for each architectural piece of work to be delivered.

• TOGAF certification for Architects is available at differing levels.

• SAP is “sort of aligned” to the TOGAF method.

The Zachman Framework

• Zachman is an “empty” framework.

• It only provides the dimensions (columns) and layers (rows) which need to be populated by an architecture program of work.

• In practice, it is unlikely that all columns and all rows will be completely populated to a complete level of detail

• Others have taken Zachman’s model and populated the framework with artifacts (models and templates)

Considerations in a SAP Centric Environment

Often comments are often heard such as:• “Ok, you have bought SAP – its a package, it comes with its own

architecture, doesn’t it?”• “ You don’t need an architecture do you, you are using SAP?”• “Architecture Frameworks don’t work with and don’t cater for COTS*

packages like SAP”• (These statements could equally apply to other software packages)

None of the above is particularly true. Why not?• Still need to decide what to use SAP (or any package) for, and what

not to use it for (A SAP fit-gap-analysis process is required)• Still need to architect the solution end-to-end, including inside,

across and beyond the “SAP integrated suite”

* COTS = Commercial Off The Shelf software

Define the Future State…

Partner Services

Product & Service Fulfilment

Asset & Sourcing Mgmt.

Financial Mgmt.

People Mgmt.

Corporate Support

Customer Channels

Customer Marketing & Sales Mgmt.

Customer Mgmt.

Busin ess

Perfo rman

ce

Prod uct

Addr ess

Netw ork

Event

Address & Network

Operations Mgmt. Channel Mgmt.

Business Planning &

Perform

ance Mgm

t.

Product & Service Mgmt.

Analysis &

R

eporting

Mail Services

Infrastructure Services

Transport & Logistics

Services

Business Performa

nce

Perso n/

Org. Unit

Finan ce

Suppl ier

Contr act

Ass et

Product

Custo mer

Bra nd

EventAddr ess

Netw ork

Partn er

A few key guiding

principles

Define what is used &

where

CSF: Get it agreed and endorsed at the highest level possible!

Yellow means SAP!

Critical Success Factors for EA

• High level sponsorship and endorsement– At least CIO level for IT Architecture– At least Board / CEO level for Enterprise Architecture

• Need a strong Architect, & need to build a strong Architecture Team– Engaged with the Business Leadership group(s)– Able to translate Business speak and IT speak (bi-directional)

• Define a clear future state, including:– A few clear, key principles– High level endorsement and communication – Steps to get there and time frame– Governance processes to ensure maintained direction– Value proposition

• Plan &Deliver do-able packages of work to show & communicate progress

Pitfalls for EA

The program will fail…• without high level sponsorship and/or endorsement• without a strong architect & team• if “ivory tower” architecture is practiced

– Must be business and IT engaged, must be pragmatic and real– Must have capable architects assigned and engaged early on in any

major projects or initiatives• If ongoing governance against the future state is not put in place and

practiced

Sources of Information

• TOGAF: – http://www.opengroup.org/architecture/togaf9-doc/arch/

• The ASUG Communities*– Enterprise Architecture Community:– Business Process Architecture Community– SOA Community– http://www.asug.com/Default.aspx?tabid=124&vp_url=http://jive.asug.com/comm

unity/sig_communities/enterprise_architecture_communities• SAP (Unfortunately mainly technically focussed, and under the ALM

(Application Lifecycle Management) areas:– SDN: http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/alm– SMP: http://service.sap.com/alm

• LinkedIn Groups: (These are group names – searchable)– TOGAF Certified Enterprise Architects– Australasian Architecture Network

* Highly recommended – a wealth of discussion, networking & material. ASUG login and password required.