The IT Architecture

To manage valuable resources like information effectively and strategically, the IT provides tools to the organisation which assist in :

@ Capturing @ Processing @ Communicating

data throughout the organization and between organization and its external environment.

“IT not only helps business run more effectively, but it can actually change the way the business is done.”

- Seger and Stoddard, HBS, 1993.

The IT Architecture

IT architecture for a company defines the company’s IT infrastructure and includes policies and guidelines that govern arrangements of IT resources.

IT architecture also provides a framework to facilitate decisions regarding technology investments and use.

The logical and coherent IT plan ensure more strategic technology decisions. Thinking about architecture is thinking about building an IT infrastructure.

CREATING AN IT ARCHITECTURE

The business executives start with a vision of doing business and articulate their related IT requirements to their information managers (IT Architects).

IT architects assemble various parts which meet the needs of business strategies.

IT business architect may make suggestions of new technology capabilities which are available and could be used.

Lack of top management involvement and guidance might hinder harnessing of IT potential.

To use IT effectively and to build effective IT architecture, an understanding of effective integration of IT into the vision of organization’s competitive strategies is a must.

WHY AN IT ARCHITECTURE

As a blue print for providing a conceptual framework in:oBuildingoUsingoCommunicatingoMaintenance

COMPONENTS OF IT ARCHITECTURE

IT architecture can be defined into 3 distinctive layers:oInventory of IT “Building Block”oFunctional use of IToThe strategic plan for use of IT

IT ARCHITECTURE

Hardware Inventory

SoftwareInventory

DataInventory

Commn. Inventory

BaselineApplications

Blueprint

BaselineData

Blueprint

BaselineCommns.Blueprint

PlannedApplications

Blueprint

PlannedData

Blueprint

PlannedCommns.Blueprint

COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE STRATEGIC PLAN

COMPANY BUSINESS STRATEGY

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IT INVENTORY

The basic building blocks of IT architecture are :

Computer hardware Computer software Data Communication links

This layer presents the hard technology with which the general managers are generally not involved

The basic familiarity with computer system, however, critical if the general managers to be involved in the development of IT architecture

FUNCTIONAL USE OF IT

IT inventory tells What technology components and capabilities exist where as functional use of IT tells How these capabilities are employed with in the organization. This layer is a blueprint for building IT architecture.- A baseline blueprint is an assessment of IT component and

function.- A planned blueprint is a prescription of future IT

investments and design.

At this conceptual level of IT function, the IT architects and IT users come together. They both discuss : The application that will be available The data that will be accessible Data communication that will be possible

FUNCTIONAL USE OF IT

Whereas the IT users articulate the desired function of the system, IT Architects prescribe an appropriate technology.

They build functional IT architecture. The functional use of IT will have 3 components:

-- Applications-- Data-- Communication

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR IT

Today the user managers can no longer afford to depend upon the - So called computer gurus for creating a vision for IT use.

Because IT represents significant expenditure and offers unprecedented opportunity for gaining competitive advantages.

The best way to blend the two is “meet-in-the-middle-approach” to IT architecture planning.

Where as the business vision flows in the top-down direction, technical expertise might flow in the bottom-up direction.

Participating from both the ends of organization is crucial to build and manage an effective IT Architecture.

DEVELOPING AN ARCHITECTURE

- It is an ongoing activity - Hard choices

oCompany-wide vs. local applicationsoStandardsoVendorsoRules

STEPS

o Articulate business strategies and implications for IT architecture

Shared vision of the company’s overall business strategy and its functional IT requirements

o Baseline blueprint of the company architectureA complete description of the current IT structure

o Determine the key architecture questionsWhat we have, what we need, what is available and should we invest

o Design a planned architecture blueprintWhat the architecture would be

o Initiate the architecture plan- Incremental/quantum (investments)- Evolutionary/revolutionary (replace or surround the old with new)

BusinessVision IT

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General Management

ITManagement

ITTechnologists

Technology ConceptsStandardsProtocolsPerformanceCompatibilityGuidelines

Key IssuesOperating Systems Data BasesApplicationsCommunicationsProcessorsTechnologySelectionHardwareSoftware

IT Architecture and Strategic Business Vision