This presentation provides a high-level overview for the practice of IT Architecture in today's enterprise. It is the first in several IT Architecture presentations we will be providing.

1. Concept Overview
Stephen Lahanas
March, 2014
1Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
IT Architecture for the Enterprise
Innovating the enterprise since 2007

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There is still a lot of confusion in the IT industry
surrounding precisely what the term “Architecture”
represents. In the last 10 years, the practice of
Architecture in IT has expanded enormously, both in
scope and complexity.
This presentation is meant to provide a high-level
overview to what IT Architecture represents today as
well as what it will likely represent over the next
decade. Follow-on presentations will explore each of
the major subtopics illustrated in this briefing in
greater depth.
Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
Introduction

3. 15 years IT Architecture experience
15 years IT Architecture experience
3
Stephen Lahanas
IT Architect / Semantech CIO
Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
Your Presenter
I bring over 14 years of IT Architecture
experience to this discussion in both
Government and Commercial domains.
• Lead Architect – on multiple enterprise level initiatives
• Data Architect – for Toyota North America, FAA & USAF
• Security Architect – for USAF, USCG, US Army Netcom,
AstraZeneca
• Cloud Architect – for NTT DATA / State Farm
• Solution Architect – Kroger, Healthways
• Chief Engineer – USAF Logistics & Finance

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Just as the term “Big Data” no longer references a
single technology, “Architecture” in IT has also
diversified greatly in recent years. Rather than being
one thing, it now represents an umbrella term used to
classify a wide set of related practice. A new
definition is required…
IT Architecture: represents the full spectrum of IT
design and Architecture disciplines. In other words,
any activity in IT that requires accurate
characterization through illustration or notation during
a design lifecycle phase regardless of technology or
technique qualifies as IT architecture.
Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
IT Architecture Defined

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UnderstandingtheLandscape
IT Architecture can be represented at the highest level
through use of a Taxonomy to classify practice areas.

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A Taxonomy is merely a way to organize information
– but then again so is an Architecture or Data Model.
For this discussion, The IT Architecture Taxonomy
provides us with a quick way to accurately visualize
and classify related Architecture practice.
An important part of the Taxonomy is represented on
the left side of the mind map on the following slide.
The left side helps to illustrate that there are common
tools and techniques that support all the many
subdivisions of IT Architecture. It is also worth noting
that use of Taxonomy is itself one of the practice
areas also (Semantic Architecture).
Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
What the Taxonomy Provides

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The IT Architecture Taxonomy
Level 2 – Solution Architecture
Level 3 – Infrastructure Architecture
Level 1 – Enterprise Architecture

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Exploiting Taxonomy
Taxonomy (as part of
Semantic Architecture) is
often utilized to provide a
foundation for all other
Architectures (both for
activities and deliverables).

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UnderstandingtheLandscape
Enterprise Architecture is dedicated to the Big Picture…

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Understanding EA
Many if not most people associate IT Architecture
with Enterprise Architecture (EA). The reason for this
is two-fold:
1. Enterprise Architecture Frameworks like TOGAF
and DODAF are well defined and have been
around for more than a decade now.
2. EA has been mandated in many organizations for
many years now – especially in the Federal
sector. Many organizations are forced to use it.
The mission for EA is more expansive than most other
forms of IT Architecture. It is often exercised in
coordination with IT Planning & Governance.

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Frameworks: FEAF
FEAF or the Federal
Architecture Framework,
provides high-level
Reference Architectures
for government IT
programs and capability.

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EA Frameworks
An EA Framework is a meta-model, but it is one that
is generally designed to support automated
metadata capture and management. This means
that tools such as EA Repositories can be used to
document and manage EA design deliverables.
Many EA tools available today can support multiple
frameworks or meta-models. At its most basic level,
an EA Framework is a descriptive template to allow
for rapid characterization of IT capability. Each
organization using the Framework is expected to fill
in the detail and customize as necessary but there
still remains some standardization across industry.

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Frameworks: DODAF
DODAF or the
Department of Defense
Architecture Framework,
is much more extensive
and detailed than the
FEAF. They are often
used in conjunction with
one another.

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Frameworks: TOGAF
Just as with DODAF, TOGAF boasts
several dozen views or artifacts. There
is quite a bit of latitude as to how
these artifacts can be produced. One
of the key activities whenever
exploiting an EA framework is
mapping Framework views to the
exact formats which will be used to
express those views.

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EA & Solution Architecture
Ultimately, the Enterprise Architecture is not
expected to capture implementation specific
details. That’s where Solution Architecture comes
in. However, the lines often blur in regards to
where EA stops and Solution Architecture begins.
One thing that is certain though is that the Solution
must map to the EA.

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MakingitReal
Building Solutions begin with Detailed Design…

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What is Solution Architecture?
While EA may be better known, the vast majority of
IT Architects work with Solution Architecture. This
only makes sense given that most design work tends
to be done at the detail level.
Where Solution Architecture often gets murky is in
determining whether one type of Solution Architect
can in fact perform other types of Solution
Architecture tasks. For example, it may not be
common for a Data Architect to work as a Security
Architect or perhaps even a Big Data Architect to
work with other data technologies, such as ETL or
Data Warehouses.

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IT Architects
An IT Architect represents the
standardization of
Architecture practice in so
much as it is expected that
they can jump from one
solution area to another – or
even to EA. IT Architects often
combine various types of
Architecture in their work
(such as process and system
level design).

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Digital Experience Architecture
Many people confuse
UI/UX design and Digital
Experience Architecture
– the latter involves all
user-facing system
elements including
Mobile and Social Media
elements.

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Functional Solutions
Solution Architectures
are often “Function-
Specific” as in this
example which is
focused on E-Learning
systems.

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Specialized Solution Architecture
Many people who work as
Architects today are in fact
only qualified to support
one specific technology –
usually some commercial
software package.
It is questionable whether
these folks are in fact IT
Architects unless they are
using standard tools and
techniques to support
design for that single
technology.

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Cyber Security Architecture
While Identity
Management is an
important part of typical
Security Architectures, it
only represents a small
portion of the overall
Cyber Security picture.

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Data Architecture
Perhaps the single most
important subdivision
within Solution
Architecture is Data
Architecture. Evidence
for this conclusion is
found in the rapidly
growing demand for
Data Architects.

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UnderstandingtheLandscape
IT Architecture is Complexity Resolution & Management

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What IT Architects Do
In top ten list format, IT Architects:
1. Solve problems, at both targeted and enterprise scale.
2. Provide the vision, provide the foundation.
3. Coordinate disparate information and capability.
4. Communicate expectations and facilitate collaboration.
5. Design the high level view.
6. Design the detailed view.
7. Create the Roadmaps, and provide the Governance
framework.
8. Support the entire solution lifecycle.
9. Identify both risks and opportunities.
10. Help to standardization the enterprise and related
enterprises across industry.

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Modeling is Architecture
Data Modeling is not
Modeling, it is a form of Data
Architecture. All IT Modeling
activities are in fact forms of IT
Architecture.

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IT Architecture & Patterns
All types of IT Architecture can
represent Patterns – when
patterns are grouped together you
create “Reference Architectures.”
Reference Architectures can exist
at both the Enterprise and Solution
level.

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Architecture & Governance
IT Architects often use
“Roadmaps” to illustrate
the relationship between
capability and projects /
programs. Architects are
uniquely qualified to
perform this and other
Governance work.

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Architecture is Problem-Solving
Any problem – ANY – can
be solved through
application of
Architecture.

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What About UML?
Many people familiar with Traditional
Architecture Patterns (for J2EE) will wonder
why there isn’t a greater focus here on Unified
Modeling Language (UML)?
The reason why is simple though – UML is a
notation language / framework. As such it can
be applied across architecture areas. EA
artifacts and Solution or Infrastructure artifacts
can be represented using various UML
diagrams (like Use Case, Class Diagrams,
Component Diagrams etc.). So UML represents
a standard tool & its use a standard technique.

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While there are various professional certifications for
specific Architecture practice areas (such as TOGAF,
FEAF, Cloud etc., J2EE), there are no “IT Architecture”
certifications. There are a handful university level
programs for IT Architecture – but for the most part – this
is a field that is still being defined.
The true test for someone wanting to work as an IT
Architect is the ability to use standard processes and
skills to solve problems across technology stacks. As the
enterprise becomes ever more complex, the need for IT
Architects will only increase. In following presentations,
we will explore IT Architecture process, tools and specific
focus areas in more detail…
Copyright 2014 – Semantech Inc.
Conclusion

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Some of Our Clients

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Thank You
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http://www.semantech-inc.com