ArchiMate
Encyclopedia
ArchiMate [Ahr-ki-meyt] is an open and independent enterprise architecture
modelling language to support the description, analysis and visualization of architecture within and across business
domains in an unambiguous way.
ArchiMate is a technical standard from the Open Group and is based on the concepts of the IEEE 1471
standard. It is supported by various tool vendors and consulting firms. ArchiMate is also a registered trademark of The Open Group.
ArchiMate distinguishes itself from other languages such as Unified Modeling Language
(UML) and Business Process Modeling Notation
(BPMN) by its well defined metamodel, and wider enterprise modelling
scope.
s, IT systems, and technical infrastructure. This insight helps the different stakeholders to design, assess, and communicate the consequences of decisions and changes within and between these business domains.
An architecture framework
is used to structure the concepts and relationships of the ArchiMate language. It divides the enterprise architecture
in to a business, application and technology layer. In each layer, three aspects are considered: active elements that exhibit behavior
(e.g. Process and Function), an internal structure
and elements that define use or communicate information
.
One of the objectives of the ArchiMate language is to define the relationships between concepts in different architecture domains. The concepts of this language therefore hold the middle between the detailed concepts, that are used for modeling individual domains, for example, the UML
for modeling software products., and BPMN which is used for business process modeling.
standard. It was developed in the Netherlands by a project team from the Telematica Instituut in cooperation with several Dutch
partners from government, industry and academia. Among the partners were Ordina, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, the Leiden Institute for Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) and the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI). Later, tests were performed in organizations such as ABN AMRO
, the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration and the ABP
.
The development process lasted from July 2002 to December 2004, and took about 35 man years and approximately 4 million euros. The development was funded by the Dutch government (Dutch Tax and Customs Administration), and business partners, including ABN AMRO
and the ABP Pension Fund.
In 2008 the ownership and stewardship of ArchiMate was transferred to the Open Group. It is now managed by the
ArchiMate Forum within The Open Group.
In February 2009 The Open Group published the ArchiMate® 1.0 standard as a formal technical standard.
:
Each layer "aims to provide a natural way to look at service-oriented models. Each layer is self contained despite being a component of the integrated model, and caters to one or more architecture domains".
Enterprise architecture
An enterprise architecture is a rigorous description of the structure of an enterprise, which comprises enterprise components , the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them...
modelling language to support the description, analysis and visualization of architecture within and across business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
domains in an unambiguous way.
ArchiMate is a technical standard from the Open Group and is based on the concepts of the IEEE 1471
IEEE 1471
IEEE 1471 is an IEEE Standard for describing the architecture of a software-intensive system, also known as software architecture.- Overview :...
standard. It is supported by various tool vendors and consulting firms. ArchiMate is also a registered trademark of The Open Group.
ArchiMate distinguishes itself from other languages such as Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
(UML) and Business Process Modeling Notation
Business Process Modeling Notation
Business Process Model and Notation is a graphical representation for specifying business processes in a business process model. It was previously known as Business Process Modeling Notation....
(BPMN) by its well defined metamodel, and wider enterprise modelling
Enterprise modelling
Enterprise modelling is the abstract representation, description and definition of the structure, processes, information and resources of an identifiable business, government body, or other large organization....
scope.
Overview
Just like an architectural drawing in classical building architecture describes the various aspects of the construction and use of a building, ArchiMate offers a common language for describing the construction and operation of business processes, organizational structures, information flowInformation flow
In discourse-based grammatical theory, information flow is any tracking of referential information by speakers. Information may be new, just introduced into the conversation; given, already active in the speakers' consciousness; or old, no longer active...
s, IT systems, and technical infrastructure. This insight helps the different stakeholders to design, assess, and communicate the consequences of decisions and changes within and between these business domains.
An architecture framework
Architecture framework
An enterprise architecture framework is a framework for an enterprise architecture which defines how to organize the structure and views associated with an enterprise architecture.- Overview :...
is used to structure the concepts and relationships of the ArchiMate language. It divides the enterprise architecture
Enterprise architecture
An enterprise architecture is a rigorous description of the structure of an enterprise, which comprises enterprise components , the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them...
in to a business, application and technology layer. In each layer, three aspects are considered: active elements that exhibit behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
(e.g. Process and Function), an internal structure
Structure
Structure is a fundamental, tangible or intangible notion referring to the recognition, observation, nature, and permanence of patterns and relationships of entities. This notion may itself be an object, such as a built structure, or an attribute, such as the structure of society...
and elements that define use or communicate information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
.
One of the objectives of the ArchiMate language is to define the relationships between concepts in different architecture domains. The concepts of this language therefore hold the middle between the detailed concepts, that are used for modeling individual domains, for example, the UML
Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
for modeling software products., and BPMN which is used for business process modeling.
History
ArchiMate is partly based on the IEEE 1471IEEE 1471
IEEE 1471 is an IEEE Standard for describing the architecture of a software-intensive system, also known as software architecture.- Overview :...
standard. It was developed in the Netherlands by a project team from the Telematica Instituut in cooperation with several Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
partners from government, industry and academia. Among the partners were Ordina, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, the Leiden Institute for Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) and the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI). Later, tests were performed in organizations such as ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
, the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration and the ABP
Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP
Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP , frequently referred to as ABP, is the pension fund for government and education employees in the Netherlands...
.
The development process lasted from July 2002 to December 2004, and took about 35 man years and approximately 4 million euros. The development was funded by the Dutch government (Dutch Tax and Customs Administration), and business partners, including ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
and the ABP Pension Fund.
In 2008 the ownership and stewardship of ArchiMate was transferred to the Open Group. It is now managed by the
ArchiMate Forum within The Open Group.
In February 2009 The Open Group published the ArchiMate® 1.0 standard as a formal technical standard.
ArchiMate topics
Layers
ArchiMate offers a three layered viewView model
A view model or viewpoints framework in systems engineering, software engineering, and enterprise engineering is a framework which defines a coherent set of views to be used in the construction of a system architecture, software architecture, or enterprise architecture. A view is a representation...
:
- The Business layer about business processes, services, functions and events of business units. This layer "offers products and services to external customers, which are realized in the organization by business processes performed by business actors and roles".
- The Application layer about software applications that "support the components in the business with application services".
- The Technology layer deals "with the hardwareHardwareHardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
and communicationCommunicationCommunication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
infrastructure to support the Application Layer. This layer offers infrastructural services needed to run applications, realized by computer and communication hardware and system software".
Each layer "aims to provide a natural way to look at service-oriented models. Each layer is self contained despite being a component of the integrated model, and caters to one or more architecture domains".
Further reading
- The Open Group (2009), ArchiMate 1.0 Specification. ISBN 9789087535025.
- The Open Group (2009), ArchiMate 1.0 Specification - online.
- Marc Lankhorst et al. (2005). Enterprise Architecture at Work - Modelling, Communication and Analysis. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
- Marc Lankhorst and Hans van Drunen (2007). Enterprise Architecture: Development and Modelling Combining TOGAF and ArchiMate. Paper www.via-nova-architectura.org
- Marc Lankhorst (ed.) and the ArchiMate team (2004) ArchiMate Language Primer. Enschede: NovayNovayNovay, formally known as the Telematica Instituut is a Dutch Research institute in the field of Information Technology, founded in 1997, known for its development of ArchiMate....
.
External links
- ArchiMate homepage.
- ArchiMate Forum of The Open Group, hosting the ArchiMate standard
- Archi - Free, open source, cross-platform ArchiMate Modelling Tool
- EVA Netmodeler - Enterprise Architecture Tool supporting Archimate notation
- www.modelworld.nl - a free online collaborative modeling tool for ArchiMate and other methodologies that runs instantly in your browser