The Highlander Principle » Business Architecture

Web 2.0 Architecture

Mark Preston — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:50:43 +0000

I have just finished reading Web 2.0 Architecture: What Entrepreneurs and Architects need to know. A rather good book which pulls together content from an awful lot of places.

My thinking on the topic is that Web 2.0 is a bit of a marketing type term that does not solidly define anything; here is my take [...]

Do we really need an IT Risk Control Department?

Mark Preston — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:31:07 +0000

In my experiences the difference between companies that have an effective risk control function and those that don’t is night and day. Businesses take risks, good businesses take measured risks. The same approach applies to the IT department.

A good risk controller needs to have the confidence of the business combined with complete respect from the [...]

Windows 2008 DirectAccess and Active Directory: The Contradiction Burger

Mark Preston — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:59:04 +0000

According to my good friend Martin Williams there is a take away restaurant in the North West where you can get a Vegetarian burger topped with Bacon and Cheese. It’s called the contradiction burger.

I think the new DirectAccess feature in Windows 2008 R2 is brilliant, however, the early documentation is a little short in terms [...]

DirectAccess in Windows 2008 R2 with Windows 7

Mark Preston — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:21:31 +0000

I remember a few years ago Microsoft created linkage between product releases (to generate cumulative sales?). I believe the trio were Exchange, Vista and Office. While the cumulative features had merit I don’t think there was a strong enough business driver.

So now we have a similar linkage between Windows 2008 and Windows 7. This time [...]

How to establish a TOGAF9 Enterprise Architecture Practice – Phase A

Mark Preston — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:15:31 +0000

TOGAF has a method called the ADM (Architectural Development Method), the good news is that the same method applies to defining any Architecture (including setting up the Architecture Practice itself).

The ADM breaks down into phases that are run iteratively (not always in a set sequence). So lets get started with Phase A:

Phase A – Setting [...]

How to establish a TOGAF9 Enterprise Architecture Practice – Phase B

Mark Preston — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:15:07 +0000

TOGAF breaks down Architecture into the following pillars:

Business Architecture Application and Data Architecture Technology Architecture

Phase B on our quest to establish an EA practice focuses on Business Architecture:

Terminology: Define a set of standards so that everyone is talking consistent language (formal term here is Ontology) Process: The ADM (architectural development method) is open to be tuned to suit [...]

How to establish a TOGAF9 Enterprise Architecture Practice – Phase C

Mark Preston — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:14:48 +0000

TOGAF uses a term “Enterprise Continuum” and I wish they would think of a different phrase as it throws me each time. It’s important we know exactly what it is as it’s the key deliverable for Phase C.

It relates to three elements:

Architecture Continuum Solutions Continuum Architecture Repository

Consider the repository as a folder full of documents, the usual [...]

How to establish an TOGAF9 Enterprise Architecture Practice – Phase D to H

Mark Preston — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:47:01 +0000

The good news is that most of the legwork to get the ball rolling is done in phases A to C. Here is what is left:

Phase D: Define the technology that is used within the EA practice, ideally a TOGAF aware repository. If nothing else set standards for people to follow; for example always create [...]

How to establish a TOGAF 9 Enterprise Architecture Practice

Mark Preston — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:44:29 +0000

Let’s start by establishing what does an EA practice do for your organisation. The EA practice should identify

Where are you? Where do you want to be? How do you get there?

The reason the methodology is so important is that all three of these answers are always changing. The wind of change blows in for a huge array [...]

What is the Half Life of the IT Industry?

Mark Preston — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:19:01 +0000

For those not into Nuclear Physics; Half Life is defined as the amount of time for the atoms in a radioactive substance to decay to half the level they started with.

The IT Industry may enjoy a minor boom once the effects of the global recession diminish but ultimately I suspect we are heading for a [...]