An architecture domain in 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...

 is a broad view of an enterprise

Company

A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...

 or system. It is a partial representation of a whole system that addresses several concerns of several stakeholders. It is a description that hides other views or facets of the system described.

Overview

In the context of 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...

, according to Bernus (2005), it is common to distinguish up to three or four types of architecture, each corresponding to its particular architecture or architectural domain.

The most regular examples of these domains are Business architecture, Information systems architecture often subdivided into Data and Application architecture, and Technology architecture. These architectural domains can be considered to be "structuring criterion for a collection of architecture products". According to Bernus (2005), they should not be confused with "the application domain of the framework as such".

Typical architecture domains

Typical architecture domains are summarised below, along the lines described in several sources:

• Business architecture
  Business architecture
  A business architecture is a part of an enterprise architecture related to corporate business, and the documents and diagrams that describe that architectural structure of business...
  
  : The structure and behaviour of a business system (not necessarily related to computers). Covers business goals, business functions or capabilities, business processes and roles etc. Business functions and business processes are often mapped to the applications and data they need.

• Data architecture
  Data architecture
  Data Architecture in enterprise architecture is the design of data for use in defining the target state and the subsequent planning needed to achieve the target state...
  
  : The data structures used by a business and/or its applications. Descriptions of data in storage and data in motion. Descriptions of data stores, data groups and data items. Mappings of those data artifacts to data qualities, applications, locations etc.

• Applications architecture
  Applications architecture
  An applications architecture describes the structure and behaviour of applications used in a business, focused on how they interact with each other and with users. It is focused on the data consumed and produced by applications rather than their internal structure...
  
  : The structure and behaviour of applications used in a business, focused on how they interact with each other and with users. Focused on the data consumed and produced by applications rather than their internal structure. In application portfolio management, the applications are usually mapped to business functions and to application platform technologies.

Application (or Component) architecture: The internal structure, the modularisation of software, within an application. This is software architecture at the lowest level of granularity, as in reference 3. It is usually below the level of modularisation that solution architects define. However, there is no rigid dividing line.

• Technical architecture
  Technical architecture
  Technical architecture is one of several architecture domains that form the pillars of an enterprise architecture or solution architecture. It describes the structure and behaviour of the technology infrastructure of an enterprise, solution or system...
  
   or infrastructure architecture: The structure and behaviour of the technology infrastructure. Covers the client and server nodes of the hardware configuration, the infrastructure applications that run on them, the infrastructure services they offer to applications, the protocols and networks that connect applications and nodes.

See also

• Enterprise Architecture framework
• Federal Enterprise Architecture
  Federal Enterprise Architecture
  A federal enterprise architecture is the enterprise architecture of a federal government. It provides a common methodology for information technology acquisition, use, and disposal in the Federal government....
  
  
• Solution architecture
  Solution architecture
  Solution architecture in enterprise architecture is a kind of architecture domain, that aims to address specific problems and requirements, usually through the design of specific information systems or applications.Solution architecture is either:...
  
  
• TOGAF
  TOGAF
  The Open Group Architecture Framework is a framework for enterprise architecture which provides a comprehensive approach for designing, planning, implementation, and governance of an enterprise information architecture...
  
  
• Architecture Patterns ( EA Reference Architecture)