Week 8

Ch6: Architecture and Infrastructure

 Chapter 6
Architecture and Infrastructure
 IT Architecture & Infrastructure

Architecture
o A blueprint for translating business strategy into a plan for IS
o Translates strategy into infrastructure

Building Owner's Vision Architect's Plans

Builder's
Implementation

Abstract Concrete

IT Strategy Architecture Infrastructure

Infrastructure
o Everything that supports the flow and processing of information
HW, SW, data, network, etc
The Leap from Strategy to
Architecture to Infrastructure
From Strategy to Architecture

. . .
Goal 1
Business
Requirement
Strategy Goal 2
Business
Requirement
Goal 3
. . .

. . .
From Strategy to Architecture, cont.
Architectural
Requirement

Architectural
Requirement

Architectural
Requirement
Business
Requirement
Architectural
Requirement

Architectural
Requirement

Architectural
Requirement
From Strategy to Architecture, cont.

HW Spec

Functional
SW Spec
Spec
Functional Data
Architecture
Spec Protocol
Interface
...
Spec
Network
Spec
From Architecture to Infrastructure, cont.

Infrastructure refers to more than just the components

LEVELS of INFRASTRUCTURE
Global
Inter-organizational
Application
A Framework for the Translation

The framework for transforming business strategy into architecture and

then into infrastructure should consider basic components (Figure 1.8):
o Hardware physical components.
o Software programs.
o Network software and hardware.
o Data numbers and text.
Understanding the technology behind each component of the
infrastructure and the technical requirements of the architecture is a
much more complex task.

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

A Framework for Translation (Cont.)

Managers must begin with an overview that is complete and delivers a big
picture.
o Figure 6.3 entails questions that typify those asked in addressing architecture and
infrastructure issues associated with each component.
The framework asks three types of questions that must be answered for each
infrastructure component:
o What is the specific type of technology?
o Who is involved (individuals, groups, departments)?
o Where is everything located?
Figure 6.3 shows the connections between the business strategy and the
infrastructure.

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Figure 6.3 Infrastructure and architecture analysis framework with sample questions.

They will use a laptop

Yes

Our application will be chatty, we will require

gb broadband

Need to be able to track leads and

opportunities 6-11
 Figure 6.3 Infrastructure and architecture analysis framework with sample questions.

They will use a laptop 500gb solid state

Yes SAP (version)

Our application
will be chatty,
we will require
gb broadband Yes

Need to be able to
track leads and
opportunities
6-12
 Figure 6.3 Infrastructure and architecture analysis framework with sample questions.

They will use a laptop 500gb solid state

Yes SAP (version)

Our application
will be chatty,
we will require
gb broadband Yes

Need to be able to
track leads and
opportunities
6-13
 Figure 6.3 Infrastructure and architecture analysis framework with sample questions.

They will use a laptop 500gb solid state

Yes SAP (version)

Our application
will be chatty,
we will require
gb broadband Yes

Need to be able to
track leads and
opportunities
6-14
Common Architectures
Three Common IT Architecture Configurations

Centralized Architecture
Decentralized Architecture
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
Figure 6.4 Common architectures.

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Centralized Versus Decentralized Architectures
A manager must be aware of the trade-offs when considering centralized
versus decentralized architectures.

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Additional Infrastructures
Peer-to-peer
Wireless (mobile)
Web-based
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

From Strategy to Architecture to Infrastructure
Summary
The process of converting strategy to architecture to infrastructure:
o Define the strategic goals.
o Translate goals into business requirements.
o Specify architectural requirements.
o Translate specs into hardware, software, data protocols, interface
designs, and other components that will make up the infrastructure.

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

 Figure 6.5 Framework application to TennisUp.
Component What Who Where
Architecture Infrastructure Architecture Infrastructure Architecture Infrastructure
Hardware What kind of Will TennisUps NA Who is Where does Which hardware
supplemental current dual CPU responsible for responsibility for components will
server capacity will NT servers handle setting up owning and need to be replaced
the new EDI the capacity, or will necessary maintaining EDI or modified to
transactions the company have hardware at the hardware fall connect to the new
require? to add additional partner site? within TennisUp? EDI hardware?
CPUs and/or disks?
Software What parts of Will TennisUps Who knows the Who will do any NA Where will software
TennisUps current Access current software new SQL coding patches be required
software database interface architecture well required to to achieve
architecture will adequately with the enough to manage accommodate compatibility with
the new new EDI software? the EDI the new changes resulting
architecture enhancements? software? from new software
affect? components?
Network What is the High volume may Who is responsible NA Where will Where will
anticipated volume require leased lines for additional security concerns TennisUp house

c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

of transactions to carry transaction networking expense arise in new networking
between TennisUp data; dial-up incurred by TennisUps hardware required
and its connections may partners due to current network for EDI?
manufacturing suffice for low increased demands architecture?
partners? volume. of EDI architecture?
Data Will data formats Which formats must Who will be Who will be Where does the Does the new
supporting the TennisUp translate? responsible for responsible for current architecture require
new architecture using sales data to backing up architecture TennisUp to switch
be compatible with project future additional data contain potential from its current
TennisUps existing volumes to report resulting from bottlenecks given 10Base-T Ethernet
formats? to the new the changes to 100Base-T?
manufacturing architecture? anticipated in 6-21
partner? data flows?
 Figure 6.6 TennisUPs infrastructure components.

Hardware Software Network Data

3 servers: ERP system with modules Cable modem to ISP Database:

Sales for: Sales
Manufacturing Manufacturing Dial-up lines for Manufacturing
Accounting Sales backup Accounting
Accounting
Storage systems Inventory Routers
Hubs
Enterprise Application Switches
Integration (EAI) software Firewalls

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(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, 6-22

Architectural Principles
Architectural Principles

Principles are general rules and guidelines, intended to be enduring

and seldom amended, that inform and support the way in which an
organization sets about fulfilling its mission. [1]

[1] http://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/togaf8-doc/arch/chap29.html

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Enterprise Architecture
Enterprise Architecture
Four key elements:
1. Core business processes
2. Shared data
3. Linking and automation technologies
4. Customer groups

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Enterprise Architecture, cont.

EA is more about how the company operates than how technology

is designed
Should be a joint exercise between business and IT leaders
Aligning business processes with IT is outdated
Business processes should be designed concurrently with IT
systems
Virtualization and Cloud
Computing
Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Virtualization infrastructure
o computing capabilities, storage, and networking provided by a third
party or group of vendors, usually over the Internet

Cloud computing - virtual infrastructure provided over the

Internet.
o SaaS, PaaS, IaaS
o Capacity on Demand
o Utility Computing

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Virtualization and Cloud Computing
Managerial Considerations
Managers must also understand the risks of a third-party supplier.
o Retooling existing applications for the clouds infrastructure.
o No established standards for virtual infrastructure.
o Applications not porting easily from one vendors infrastructure to
anothers.
As coordination costs drop and platforms in the cloud open up,
cloud computing utilization will increase.

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

Understanding Existing
Architecture
Understanding Existing Architecture
- Managerial Considerations
Relevant questions for managers at the start of a project:
o What IT architecture is already in place?
o Is the company developing the IT architecture from scratch?
o Is the company replacing an existing architecture?
o Does the company need to work within the confines of an existing
architecture?
o Is the company expanding an existing architecture?

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

 Existing Architectural Assessment
Strategic time frames
o Determining INFRASTRUCTURE and ARCHITECTURAL LONGEVITY
Adaptability
o Is the architecture resilient to change?
Scalability
o Can the infrastructure components handle increased (or decreased) demands?
Standardization
o Are the architecture and infrastructure components designed to a reusable
standard?

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,

 Existing Architectural Assessment, cont.
Maintainability
o How easy is the current design to maintain over time?
Security
o How well are key data and process elements protected?

(c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons,