Enterprise Architecture is a growing area of prominence in IT. It also represents an important area that integrates the business and technical sides of IT. This unit is a core unit in the Enterprise Architecture specialisation in the Masters of Information Technology.

This is the first version of this unit.

This unit is a core unit of the Enterprise Architecture specialisation in the MIT. This unit brings together several important areas of enterprise architecture. Students gain experience in enterprise architecture through the examination of case studies.

This unit is the first in the Faculty that concentrates on enterprise architecture. It builds on students knowledge in enterprise application development and enterprise systems.

The Faculty has a stated strategic objective to emphasise integrated academic programs and integrated research. This means that our academic programs and our research should integrate the business and the technical sides of IT. Enterprise architecture is a comprehensive framework used to manage and align an organization's business processes, Information Technology (IT) software and hardware, local and wide area networks, people, operations and projects with the organization's overall strategy. Enterprise architecture integrates the business and technical sides of IT at a strategic level; this unit is therefore perfectly aligned with the strategic directions of the Faculty of IT.

On completion of this module, the student should be able to:

1. Develop a statement of enterprise requirements
2. Analyse the capabilities of an existing IT system at a number of levels and identify links to enterprise requirements and gaps
3. Prioritise potential IT projects and plan the evolution of an IT system for an enterprise
4. Critically analyse different approaches to IT enterprise system evolution, including the use of Commercial off-The Shelf products and Open Source technology
5. Understand the importance of enterprise architecture to the public and private sector
6. Have knowledge of best practise in enterprise architecture
7. Be able to apply best practise in enterprise architecture to significant problems.
8. Have knowledge of trends and developments in enterprise architecture

• Understand the importance of enterprise architecture to the public and private sector
• Have knowledge of best practise in enterprise architecture
• Have knowledge of trends and developments in enterprise architecture

• Be able to develop a statement of an enterprise's requirements
• Analyse the capabilities of an existing IT system at a number of levels and identify links to enterprise requirements and gaps
• Prioritise potential IT projects and plan the evolution of an IT system for an enterprise
• Critically analyse different approaches to IT enterprise system evolution, including the use of Commercial off-The Shelf products and Open Source technology
• Be able to apply best practice in enterprise architecture to significant problems

The assignments will be group based.

0203 Information Systems

020305 Systems Analysis and Design

Enterprise architecture is a comprehensive framework used to manage and align an organization's business processes, Information Technology (IT) software and hardware, local and wide area networks, people, operations and projects with the organization's overall strategy. This unit is based on a publicly available Enterprise IT Architecture framework, TOGAF, developed by The Open Group. The unit will include all of the required elements to enable successful students to become accredited TOGAF practitioners. The unit includes the following topics:

• An introduction to Enterprise IT Architecture and its relationship to strategic business planning.
• Understanding business needs and requirements.
• Developing architectures at the following levels
  • Business architecture
  • Information systems architectures
  • Technology architectures
  • Migration planning

The unit explores the problems associated with the management and evolution of complex IT systems, and problems associated with application integration. The concept of Enterprise IT Architecture is introduced, as a framework for benchmarking the extent to which an existing IT system meets the business needs of an organisation and for planning and prioritising future investments in IT. Students gain practical experience in the application of enterprise architecture best practice to significant problems.

There is no single textbook that covers all the material for this unit.

Recommended Books:

1. Handbook on Enterprise Architecture by P. Bernus, L. Nemes and G. Schmidt
   (2003). Berlin: Springer.
2. Architecture of integrated Information Systems: Business Process
   Frameworks by A.W., Scheer, (1999).Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

Suggested Reading:

1. The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF)version 7-Technical Edition
   (2001).
2. The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) version 8.1-Enterprise
   Edition (2003).
3. A Guide to Enterprise IT Architectures, by T.Beveridge, Col Perks (2002),
   Springer Verlag.

On campus

2 hours lecture, 2 hours tutorial/ laboratory with significant practical assignments

Objectives 4, 5, 6, 8: Lecture Objectives 1, 2, 3, 7: Tutorial

Practical group assignment: 60%, Final exam: 40%

Objectives 4, 5, 6, 8: Final Exam, Objectives 1, 2, 3, 7: Assignments

2 hours tutorial, 2 hours lecture, 8 hours independent study

2 hours

2 hours

Computer laboratory for tutorial

2 hours lecture, member of staff who is active in enterprise architecture research and/ or enterprise architecture practice

Open Architecture Framework

5 copies of books listed above

Faculty of Information Technology

None

None