ArchiMate technology layer - Simplify the models

Competensis®
Christine Dessus
chdessus@competensis.com
+336 31 09 73 54
www.competensis.com
COMPETENSIS® est une marque déposée. Ce document n’est pas libre de droit et ne doit pas être utilisé sans le consentement écrit de son ou ses auteurs.

ArchiMateTechnology Layer
Christine DESSUS – November 2021

Sources
• https://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/archimate3-doc/
• www.archimatetool.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-arsenne-5b2297133/
Thank you Benoit for our collaboration and the hard work we did between 2019 and 2021 to deploy ArchiMate.
COMPETENSIS - ArchiMate Technical Layer
3

Hardware
Servers,
computers, virtual
or physical
Network
components
New advanced
devices: chatbot,
IOT, robot, any
piece of
automation
Softwares
Components
software
Databases,
middleware
Data Files
Human
resources
Company leaders
Designers
Support teams
Users
Customers
Supplyers,
providers, partners
Roles &
responsabilities
Organisations
Entreprise(s)
Departments,
groups
Job description
Culture
Operating
procedures
Environment
Regulations
•RGPD in France
•Any other suitable for
your business
Any political,
social, economic
factror
Competitors
activities
Information
&
Data
Informations
received from the
outside
Informations
transformed
Informations sent
to the outside
Digital data
Documents: paper
or digital (any
representation)
Information system
Human aspects Environnement Informations &
Data
Technology aspects
5 COMPETENSIS - ArchiMate Technical Layer

Open-group standards
Togaf®
ArchiMate®

EnterpriseArchitecture
• Any collection of organizations that has a common set of goals and/or a single ‘bottom
line’.
• Define your scope of modeling with LOCATIONS, BUSINESS FUNCTIONS, BUSINESS
PROCESSES and CAPABILITIES

Define the scope
• Always define the scope of modeling:
✓ Breadth: the enterprise as a whole or a
specific set of organizations, business
processes, business functions, capabilities…
✓ Architecture domains/Layers:Technology,
Application, Data, Business
✓ Depth: level of details expected
8
https://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/togaf9-doc/arch/chap04.html

Define the scope
• A model is a simple (or simplified) representation of reality to answer a question, a
need
• A single model cannot answer all the questions, all the needs
• Before to start modeling with ArchiMate, always defined the expectations:
✓ What are the technological services used, internal, external?
✓ Are the technological services already modeled by someone else? How can I reuse it?
Duplicate the existing model (generally not a very good idea) or make a link to the
existing model?
✓ Connect-the-dots with the Application layer and Capability Maps
✓ How can I support Devops teams with technology provisioning, integration,
implementation
✓ What are the specific needs: authentication, integration, security, DRP, any others ?

Architect
Role & Responsibility

Open discussion: Clarify Roles & Responsibilities
•Architect
OR
•Designer
Sometimes
•Both
Architect:
▪ Ensure a systemic vision (all technologies) and focus on a
global, holistic vision
▪ Focus on integration with other layers: applications, business
building blocks
▪ Focus also on integration of all technical building blocks
▪ Is a generalist in charge of providing the global vision
Designer:
▪ Focus on solutions provided
▪ Focus on requirements
▪ Could be a building block « specialist » to deploy subsystems
▪ Has a project mindset, focus on realizations

•Architect
OR
•Designer
Sometimes
•Both
Architect:
building blocks
▪ Focus also on integration of the technical building blocks
▪ Generally is not a specialist, is here to provide a more global
vision
Designer:
▪ Has more a project mindset
Is able to provide ArchiMate high level
maps/viewes for all/some layers (Atlas)
Is able to provide ArchiMate solution
modeling for the technologies
promoted/proposed

•Architect
OR
•Designer
Sometimes
•Both
Architect:
building blocks
▪ Focus also on integration of the technical building blocks
▪ Generally is not a specialist, is here to provide a more global
vision
Designer:
▪ Has more a project mindset
Ensure that global maps/viewes shared by
everyone are always up-to-date
During the project phases, ensure that solutions
are modeled according to architectural decisions.
During operational maintenance phases, ensure
that maps/viewes are always up-to-date

Technical
Architect First
Role:
Ensures the
vertical systemic
vision
• The architect is a "generalist" who has a global vision of the
technical stacks on which systems and subsystems are based,
• He/She understands the challenges and risks
• He/She must be aware of all the layers on which the system is
built:
✓Low infrastructure layers, networks, integration
middleware, application servers, etc.,
✓Right down to a detailed knowledge of the functionalities
and the way they have been developed.
• He/She must understand the requirements from the business
and applications layers (WHY):
✓Upper architecture layers : business processes (and business
functions), contribution to capabilities, application layers
• He/She has a global knowledge of all projects having an
impact on the system/subsystem configuration
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-arsenne-5b2297133/

Architecture Principles
and Architecture
Decisions

Architecture Principles
• A principle is a rule that has to be followed
• A code of conduct for a specific system or behaviour
• Architects and Designers should accept these rules
or principles as the fundamental elements to build
systems and make decisions
• Technology Maps/Viewes should reflect the
acceptance of these rules
• Do you have a set of explicitly defined Principles ?
• Examples in your context ?
In many companies, principles are tacit.
Valid in a team but not in another one
Use of habits, oral knowledge
Lead to variation in decisions and
integration discrepencies
Use ArchiMate to model Principles

Architecture Decisions
• A decision is a choice that you make about something
• A decision is the result of deciding:
✓After a design process that shows the various open solutions that meet the Architecture
Principles
• Decisions are always justified by a Principle
• Could be good to document decisions with a SWOT analysis (example)
• Use ArchiMate to model at least the final decision
✓Decision process can remain in PPT documents but… Do not forget to provide a URL link to
the decision process documents

• Subject Area: Driver
• (explaining the) Issue: Assessment
• Architecture Decision: Goal
• Assumption: Constraint
• Justification (Rationale): Principle
• Derived Requirements: Requirements
https://forum.archimatetool.com/index.php?topic=668.0

• Do you have an explicitly and shared Decision Process with a final validation
meeting?
✓Could be the objective of routine “Architects Review Meeting”
• Examples in your context ?

Layers Integration
• Key to perform impact analysis
✓What-if an important business process or organization
change occurs? What impact on applications and technology
layer?
✓What-if a technology obsolescence change process occurs?
What impact on business activities?
• Key to define the system and subsystems parts
Recommendation:
EachArchiMate view shows
the relationship with the
“upper” and/or “lower”
layer.

Layers Integration
• Each layer has the responsibility to link with at least one other layer
• Each ArchiMate view should show these relationships
Layer Linked to
Business Application
Capability
Application Business
ITTechnology
Capability
ITTechnology Application
Capability
Strategy/Capability Business
Application
ITTechnology

Layers Integration | Examples of most common relationships
• Business layer WITH Application layer

• Application layer WITH Technology layer

• 3 layers integration
✓Please, keep it simple
✓Do not overload diagrams with all detailed
information

Complex integration of Architecture Layers
EXEMPLE

Make or Buy:
- Brewing beer
- Purchase & logistics
Serving beer
Brewing beer equipment
Purchase application
Manufacturing & production system
EXEMPLE

EXEMPLE

RELATIONS (Reminder)
• Composition
• Aggregation
• Realization
• Assignment
• Serving
• Access
• Influence
• Triggering
• Flows
• And
• Or
• Specialization
• Association
Structural Dependency Dynamic Connectors Other
30
A connection between a source and target building blocks

ArchiMate® 3.1
Aspects
Core layers

Technology building blocks
•Used to:
✓Describe the IT technical infrastructure & software architecture
✓Describe the physical architecture
✓Understand how technology is deployed

2 layers of
technology
PhysicalTechnology
ITTechnology

Technology building blocks
•Focus is on

Recommendations for external services
•Describe connectors and usage of external services
•Describe how external services are integrated with the
internal architectures
•Do not make detailes technical descriptions of « external »
services delivered by external platforms and external.
•Never describe how external services are built and maintained
by the providers.

Recommendations
•Make simple simple simple simple simple models
• Example:
✓It is useless to describe the very low technical layers of aVM
(virtualization) or Kafka messages.
• Lower technical levels will change according to strategy or
obsolescence management or new requirements
✓Very low level layers should be only in CMDB database
✓Provide URL links with the CMDB to get the lower technical details.

Technology building
blocks
Most used building blocks

NODE
• Category: Active Structure element
• A computer resource on which Devices, Software Elements and Artifacts are
deployed
• Nodes are used to model application platforms

DEVICE
• Category: Active Structure element
• A physical IT resource upon which system software and artifacts may be stored or
deployed for execution
• Examples:
✓A virtual server or a “on-premice” server
✓File Server, Application Server, Router, Mainframe, Desktop or Laptop PC…
DEVICE is a
specialization of
NODE

SYSTEM SOFTWARE
• Category:Active Structure element
• A software program or software environment, that contributes to the execution of processes, which
may use stored data (artifacts).
• A specialization of a Node that is used to model the software environment in whichArtifacts run.
• Usually, System Software is combined with a Device representing the hardware environment to
form a general Node.
• Examples:Operating System, MiddleWare,Antivirus software, any purchased software, DBMS
software, ORACLE System Software, Message Queuing, J2EE Application Server
SYSTEM
SOFTWARE is a
specialization of
NODE

ARTIFACT
• Category: Passive Structure
• A piece of data that is used or produced by deployment and operation of an IT
software.
• A tangible element in the IT world.
• Used to model source files, executables, scripts, database tables, messages,
documents, specifications, and model files.
42

ARTIFACT
• Pattern usage
43

ARTIFACT
• Integration with other layers
44

COMMUNICATION NETWORK
• Category:Active Structure element
• A set of structural elements or behaviour that
connects computer systems or electronic
components for the transmission, routing,
reception of data, voice or video.
• Network detailed infrastructure is rarely
represented, except in specific cases where you
need to show that technical building blocks are
hosted in a specific network area
✓Use the communication network to indicate this
specific network area: front end subnet, back
end, private DMZ ...
Prefered modeling rule

TECHNOLOGY SERVICE
• Category: Behavior
• A service is an explicitly exposed behavior.
• A very abstracted building block
• Disregard its internal functioning
• This is a functionality exposed to the
environment.
• Generally, internal services are provided by an
active structure element
✓3 possible relationsAssigned, Realize or Serve
• Examples: MQ, load-balancing, firewalling,
authentication, mailing, file transfer,
enterprise service bus, extract-transform-
load, scheduling…

Serve relations
between
Technology
Services and an
Application
Component
47

“Serve” relations
between
Technology
Services and
System Softwares
41
48

ARTIFACT
• Category: Passive Structure
• An element of data used or produced by an Active Element (system software, device or node).
• An Artifact represents a tangible element.
• Used to model source files, executables, scripts, database tables, messages, documents,
specifications, kafka topics, jar file, widget, plug-in….Any file, any document
• Most used relationship are “Accessed by” or “Assigned to”

LOCATION
• Category: Composite
• A conceptual or physical place or position where building
blocks are located (e.g., structure elements) or
performed (e.g., behaviour elements).
• Very often used to describe hosting places

GROUPING
• Category: Composite
• The Grouping element aggregates or composes
building blocks that belong together based on some
common characteristic.
• An Aggregation or Composition relationship is used
to link the Grouping element to the grouped
building blocks.
• Example: Aggregate two Processes and a Business
Object that together realize a rervice, define a
subsystem composition.

Insight CMDB Correspondence
Insight CMDB ArchiMate
Business Service ?Technology Service
?? Source code, executable No representation in EA tool
?Artifact
Application (Package) System Software
Application (bundle of business
functionalities)
Application Component
Database Artifact
Host Node or Device (according to granularity)
See examples provided
Operating software System Software (OS)
Network Interface ? Network
Device (network card, switch) No representation in EA tool

Technology building
blocks
Building blocks used in specific
circumstances

Building Blocks used in specific circonstances
• Path / Active Structure
✓link between two or more Nodes, through which these nodes can exchange
data, energy or material
• Technology Interface / Active Structure
✓A point of access where technology services offered by a Node can be
accessed.
✓Sspecifies how the technology services of a Node can be accessed by other
Nodes. ATechnology Interface exposes aTechnology Service to the
environment
• Technology Function / Behaviour
✓A collection of technology behaviour that can be performed by a Node.
✓Describes the internal behaviour of a Node; for the user of a Node that
performs aTechnology Function, this function is invisible.
✓If its behaviour is exposed externally, this is done through one or more
Technology Services.
✓ATechnology Function abstracts from the way it is implemented.

• Technology process / Behavior
✓A sequence of technology behaviours that achieves a specific result.
✓Describes internal behaviour of a Node. If its behaviour is exposed
externally, this is done through one or moreTechnology Services. A
Technology Process abstracts from the way it is implemented.
• Technology Event / Behavior
✓A technology state change.
✓Technology Functions and other technology behaviour may be triggered or
interrupted by aTechnology Event.
✓Technology Functions may raise events that trigger other infrastructure
behaviour.
✓An event is instantaneous: it does not have duration.
✓Events may originate from the environment of the organization, but also
internal events may occur generated by, for example, other devices within
the organization.

• Technology Collaboration/Active Structure
✓An aggregate of two or more technology internal active structure
elements that work together to perform collective technology
behavior
• Technology Interaction/ Behaviour
✓Forget it
✓Prefer the use of Technology Service or Technology Function

ArchiMate technology layer - Simplify the models

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