Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Enterprise Systems Integration Architecture

Enterprise Architecture

Business and IT Strategy are the “Yin” and “Yang” of today’s business survival and success. A key driver for enabling Business-IT alignment is a well defined IT Strategy and an associated governance process.

Enterprise Architecture provides the tight cohesion and loose coupling between the Business and IT strategies. It is the “glue” that allows both Business and IT Strategy to enable and drive each other.

Enterprise Architecture is the holistic view of the enterprise processes, information and information technology assets, as a vehicle for aligning business and IT in a structured, more efficient and sustainable manner.

1. Enterprise Architecture is a critical determining factor for business survival and success

An effective, enterprise architecture is one of the key means to achieving competitive advantage through Information Technology. Today’s CEOs know that the effective management and exploitation of information through IT is the key to business success.

2. Enterprise Architecture enables managed innovation within the Enterprise

Innovation is critical, especially in today’s rapidly changing technology and business landscape. Having a technology architecture that supports the IT Strategy and provides the flexibility to achieve the right balance between IT efficiency and business innovation is a keystone to business adaptability and growth.

3. Enterprise Architecture provides a plan for managing your IT Investments

Enterprise Architecture defines the components or building blocks that make up the overall information system. It provides a roadmap from which products can be procured, and systems developed that will work together to support the business processes. It thus enables one to manage IT investment in a way that meets the needs of the business.

Therefore, Enterprise Architecture is the key to agility. But, for Enterprise Architecture to deliver real, tangible results there needs to be an effective governance mechanism to provide direction & control.

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