Enterprise Architecture Knowledge Digest

ISO 15704:2000, Requirements for enterprise-reference architectures and methodologies, places the concepts used in methodologies and references architectures such as ARIS, CIMOSA, GRAI/GIM, IEM, PERA, and ENV 40 003 within an encompassing conceptual framework that allows the coverage and completeness of any such approach to be assessed. The IS draws heavily on the work of the IFAC/IFIP Task Force on Enterprise Integration and on previous work from Purdue University. The conceptual framework is textual and relatively informal. It does not provide a basis for actual implementations and requires understanding of the field to apply. An informative annex to this standard details the Generalized Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology (GERAM) prepared by the IFAC/IFIP Task Force. Amendment 1 that adds informative annexes for an Economic View and a Decision View as alternative views of an enterprise model is in preparation for ballot. A systematic review of ISO 15704 will begin in 2005. Intended audience: Enterprise-modeling specialists assessing the suitability of a methodology for their needs.

Starting from the evaluation of existing enterprise integration architectures (CIMOSA, GRAI/GIM and PERA), the IFAC/IFIP Task Force on Architectures for Enterprise Integration has developed an overall definition of a generalised architecture. The proposed framework was entitled ‘GERAM’ (Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology). GERAM is about those methods, models and tools which are needed to build and maintain the integrated enterprise, be it a part of an enterprise, a single enterprise or a network of enterprises (virtual enterprise or extended enterprise). GERAM defines a tool-kit of concepts for designing and maintaining enterprises for their entire life-history. GERAM is not yet-another-proposal for an enterprise reference architecture, but is meant to organise existing enterprise integration knowledge. The framework has the potential for application to all types of enterprise. Previously published reference architectures can keep their own identity, while identifying through GERAM their overlaps and complementing benefits compared to others.

This recommended practice addresses the activities of the creation, analysis, and sustainment of architectures of software-intensive systems, and the recording of such architectures in terms of architectural descriptions. A conceptual framework for architectural description is established. The content of an architectural description is defined. Annexes provide the rationale for key concepts and terminology, the relationships to other standards, and examples of usage.

The Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) specification provides a graphical notation for expressing business processes in a Business Process Diagram (BPD). The objective of BPMN is to support business process management by both technical users and business users by providing a notation that is intuitive to business users yet able to represent complex process semantics. The BPMN specification also provides a mapping between the graphics of the notation to the underlying constructs of execution languages, particularly BPEL4WS.