EA Article - From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance

242 Pages·2006·3.87 MB·English

From Enterprise
Architecture
to IT Governance

Elements of Effective IT Management

V

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005

Preface
This book is addressed to IT decision makers who face the task
of securing and exploiting the overall potential presented by
their information systems despite budget constraints. It concerns
itself with the task of establishing IT governance processes that
ensure comprehensive control as one moves from strategic plan-
ning to operative implementation. This task demands orientation
and transparency, i.e. a management information system for the
CIO.
Such a system is available in the form of enterprise architecture
(EA). EA delivers clear answers, it reveals deficiencies, illustrates
the complex interaction of business processes, applications and
infrastructure, and provides a foundation for the kinds of analy-
ses that give us the right information and enable genuine IT gov-
ernance.
The term IT governance is more than a mere buzzword. As an IT
executive, one may sense that ones information systems are out
of kilter and that it will be necessary to take action to avoid be-
ing treated as if one were a magic orange that continues to yield
juice no matter how often it is squeezed.1 While governance (or
control) sounds like the right response, it is not clear where we
should begin. Do we know exactly where the gears need lubri-
cation? Do we know where the rust has taken hold?
The reports from the IT jungle are full of examples of techno-
logical frivolity, heterogeneous infrastructure environments, serv-
ers running below capacity, redundant hardware, and superflu-
ous development tools. My response: first optimize, then syn-
chronize. The slow and rusty IT machine cannot keep pace
with business developments. Their clock speeds are too dispa-
rate. Attempts to establish alignment and synchronization are
doomed to fail.
Enterprise architecture can illuminate the darkness and create
transparency. If we wish to extricate ourselves from the vicious
circle of the magic orange, achieve business alignment, demon-

1 Stephen Norman, CIO of Merrill Lynch, used this metaphor at the MIT
CIO Summit on May 22, 2003 to characterize the situation of many IT
divisions that are confronted with ever new cost cutting initiatives.
V

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005
strate the value of IT for our business objectives and increase as-
set value, then we will need to obtain the instruments of analysis
that convey light and transparency. It is, after all, difficult to
navigate in the dark!
This book includes a message for all of those who are faced by
these challenges. This message is probably best expressed by an
African saying that is quoted by Thomas L. Friedman in his best-
seller The World Is Flat (FRI2005):
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.
If optimizing and managing IT is your task, then this book will
help you to find the best possible starting point for the race. It
will help you to establish an information and management sys-
tem for your IT that creates transparency and supports you when
it comes to facing the latest requirements your information sys-
tems are expected to meet.
This book was conceived to serve as a basis for orientation and
decision making, as a helpful management guide to establish-
ing enterprise architecture and architecture management
in your organization. To this end, I offer a brief sketch of the EA
essentials. What is it? What does it look like? What does it offer?
What does it cost? The discussion here assumes that IT architec-
ture is both useful and stable. Useful means doing the right
things right. Stability means security.
Would you rather let yourself be controlled (like a magic orange)
or do the controlling yourself? If you prefer to take the helm,
then this book will give you an overview of the available naviga-
tional instruments. But there is also something for those who
prefer to risk the fate of the orange that is perceived to be a
magic orange, for EA will help you to get the last drop of juice –
to consolidate, to homogenize, to increase efficiency and to ana-
lyze cost drivers.
Many individuals have made a contribution to the creation of this
book. I would like to thank the participants of our architecture
VI

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005
management circle2 here in Germany and my colleagues around
the world in the OpenGroup’s Architecture Forum for their many
insights and thought-provoking suggestions. This book would
never have come into being without the patience and loving
support of my family.

Braunschweig, September 2005
Klaus D. Niemann

2 More on this series of events is available on the website for this book:
www.unternehmensarchitektur.de
VII

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005

Table of Contents
1
Introduction: When Things Just Work.......................................................................1
1.1 Overview: The Essence in a Nutshell........................................................................2
1.2 Orientation: Notes for the Reader.............................................................................11
2
Foundations: Finding the Starting Point..................................................................13
2.1 Enterprise Architecture (EA).......................................................................................13
2.2 IT Architecture................................................................................................................21
2.3 Architecture Management............................................................................................22
2.4 The IT Architect..............................................................................................................24
2.5 Corporate Governance.................................................................................................26
2.6 IT Governance................................................................................................................27
2.7 Enterprise Architecture as a Basis for IT Governance........................................29
2.8 Establishing and Using Enterprise Architecture....................................................36
2.9 Enterprise Architecture in an IT Management Framework...............................38
3
Goals: Doing the Right Things Right .......................................................................43
3.1 The Potential Benefits of Enterprise Architecture................................................44
3.2 Optimizing IT Efficiency..............................................................................................49
3.3 Optimizing IT Effectivity..............................................................................................57
3.4 Optimizing IT Security..................................................................................................66
3.5 The Goal: Illuminate the Dark...................................................................................72
IX

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005
1 Introduction: When Things Just Work
4
Documentation: Structuring Enterprise Architecture...........................................75
4.1 Anatomy of an Enterprise Architecture Model......................................................76
4.2 Business Architecture....................................................................................................87
4.3 Software Architecture....................................................................................................94
4.4 Systems Architecture...................................................................................................107
4.5 Applications Environment.........................................................................................116
5
Analysis: Evaluating Enterprise Architecture........................................................123
5.1 Overview of Analysis Procedures...........................................................................123
5.2 Analysis of Dependencies.........................................................................................129
5.3 Coverage Analysis........................................................................................................130
5.4 Analysis of the Interfaces...........................................................................................131
5.5 Analysis of Heterogeneity..........................................................................................133
5.6 Analysis of Complexity...............................................................................................138
5.7 Analysis of Conformity...............................................................................................139
5.8 Analysis of the Costs...................................................................................................142
5.9 Analysis of the Benefits..............................................................................................144
6
Planning: Creating Enterprise Architecture ..........................................................153
6.1 IT Development Planning .........................................................................................153
6.2 Administering Enterprise Architecture...................................................................157
6.3 Developing Planning Scenarios...............................................................................159
6.4 Evaluating Planning Scenarios.................................................................................162
6.5 Planning Development Measures............................................................................166
X

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005
1.1 Overview: The Essence in a Nutshell
7
Implementation: Developing Enterprise Architecture.......................................167
7.1 Translating Strategy into Operative Reality..........................................................167
7.2 Establishing Strategic Architecture Management................................................170
7.3 Establishing Operative Architecture Management .............................................172
7.4 Establishing an Organization....................................................................................177
7.5 The Costs of an Enterprise Architecture ...............................................................184
7.6 The Benefits of Enterprise Architecture ................................................................186
7.7 Resources: Frameworks and Tools.........................................................................189
8
Safeguarding: Controlling Enterprise Architecture Development..................195
8.1 Processes........................................................................................................................197
8.2 Boards.............................................................................................................................203
8.3 Measurement Procedures..........................................................................................205
9
Conclusion: Finding the Right Course...................................................................211
10
References.............................................................................................................219
11
Figures....................................................................................................................225
12
Index.......................................................................................................................229

XI

Klaus D. Niemann, From Enterprise Architecture to IT Governance, ISBN 3-528-05856-0
All Rights reserved. Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag / GWV Fachverlage GmbH, 2005