Archimate defines three layer of architecture – Business, Information (appl and data) and technology or infrastructure. Enterprise architecture has basically three layers
The Business layer offers products and services to external customers, which are realised in the organization by business processes (performed by business actors or roles).
The Application layer supports the business layer with application services which are realised by (software) application components.
The Technology layer offers infrastructural services (e.g., processing, storage and communication services) needed to run applications, realised by computer and communication devices and system software .
Above layers are shown in following diagram
Relationship between layers can be seen from two perspectives. While upper layer uses the service of lower layer. On the other hand, the lower layer also realised the functionality of upper layer. For example a business object which belongs to business layer , may be realised by a data object belonging to data layer.
Each of the above layers has active structure element, behaviour element and passive structure element. Like business layers, application and technology layers has components which play roles and perform behaviour and manipulate passive elements like data objects. An architecture done on this line will have traceability across business, application and technology layer. Such traceability is the key to reducing complexity, managing change (Agility) and ensuring that IT services are aligned to real business need. Complexity, alignment and agility are three main reasons why EA is done.
It should be noted that is Archimate a business role is typically assigned to a business actor. Business actors may be individual persons (e.g. customers or employees), but also groups of people and resources that have a permanent (or at least long-term) status within the organizations. Business processes, which may be triggered by events and manipulate business objects, describe the business behavior of a role or many roles. The externally visible behavior of a business process is modeled by the concept of business service, which represents a unit of functionality that is meaningful from the point of view Of the environment. A business process will have a business interface using which a business role will interact with the business process. The example of architecture diagram made by using Archimate is given below
If you want to try Archimate, you can get Archimate stencil from http://www.archimate.org/en/start_using_archimate/ and start using Archimate for your architecture work. Please do let me know your experience with this Archimate.
3 comments:
The ArchiMate 1.0 Specification is publised online at http://www.opengroup.org/archimate/doc/ts_archimate/
It's also available as a book.
The previous version of ArchiMate is still available online at
http://www.archimate.org/ART/
I also recommend the ArchiMate book ' Enterprise Architecture at Work'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Enterprise-Architecture-Work-Modelling-Communication/dp/3540243712
Those interested in ArchiMate should join the LinkedIn ArchiMate group at
http://www.opengroup.org/archimate/
In addition to using the Viso stencils, there are now several EA tools that already support ArchiMate, with more on the way:
- BiZZdesign Architect http://www.bizzdesign.nl/joomla/products/architect.html
- Sparxsystems Enterprise Architect
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/
- Avolution Abacus
http://www.avolution.com.au/
- ARIS ArchiMate Modeler
http://www.ids-scheer.com/en/ARIS/ARIS_Software/ARIS_ArchiMate_Modeler/21980.html
best regards,
Adrian Campbell
ArchiMate expert
blog: http://ingenia.wordpress.com/
web: http://iea.wikidot.com/
Hi! Adrian
I am new to archimate. I found it quite good. With your experience, which tool you will suggest for Archimate. Have you any experience with Sparx System. I am thinking of evaluating Sparx 7.5 . Let me know your views.
I have used Sparxsystems Enterprise Architect v7.5 but not exhaustively for Archimate models so far. This UML tool supports a variety of EA frameworks such as TOGAF, ZAchman, FEA, MODAF, CBDI-SAE and ArchiMate via UML profiles. It also supports BPML and other modelling approaches, making it a good general purpose tool for all tool users not just enterprise architects or solution architects. It is cheap enough so that you can buy a personal copy even if your employer won't!
I mostly use BiZZdesign Architect myself.
I'm also currently evaluating a tool called Mood which is currently implementing support for ArchiMate which looks promising.
Adrian
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