It can help define business goals and make them consistent with the architectural goals of enterprise software development. TOGAF standard is one of the standards of the open group, which was developed by the open group. Open Group is a non-profit technology industry alliance, constantly updating TOGAF to reflect the progress of the industry and promote the development of architecture specialty. Beginners know TOGAF. It is enough to read this article.
Through the comprehensive combing of SITC training experts in Shanghai Information Training Center, this paper helps you to understand what TOGAF is, including the introduction, source, content, method, goal and pillar of TOGAF.
What is TOGAF? What is enterprise architecture?
What is TOGAF? In a word, TOGAF is an enterprise architecture framework. TOGAF is a tool to help accept, create, use and maintain the architecture. It is based on best practices and a set of reusable iterative process models supported by existing architectural assets. TOGAF helps to organize the development process through a systematic method, which aims at reducing errors, maintaining schedules, maintaining budgets, and aligning IT with business units to produce high-quality results.
What is enterprise architecture? Generally speaking, enterprise architecture is to look at the software and other technologies of a company, enterprise or unit from a systematic point of view and a holistic approach.
Generally speaking, enterprise architecture is not just the structure of organizing various internal infrastructures. On the contrary, its goal is to analyze, design, plan and implement the right technology in the right way, and provide real solutions for business needs.
Enterprise architecture also includes other business requirements, such as business process management and data analysis. Then, the goal of an organized enterprise architecture is to successfully realize an efficient, effective, agile and secure business strategy.
If all this sounds like a complicated matter-designing and implementing a clear and long-term solution for all enterprise software in a way that solves business requirements, it is because it does. This is also the reason why Enterprise Architecture Framework (EAF) began to appear informally fifty years ago.
Open Group positioned TOGAF as "the global standard of enterprise architecture". TOGAF provides a consistent guarantee for the communication between professionals of standards, methods and enterprise architecture.
The History, Origin and Facts of TOGAF
As a subset of computer architecture, enterprise architecture as a research field can be traced back to the mid-1960s. Because it has long been recognized that all parts running on the computer network are complex, IBM adopted some clear methods to build enterprise architecture earlier than other companies and universities.
In the next few decades, the development of technology has become more and more complicated: today, most companies, regardless of their size or products, use the Internet to make their business processes simpler, faster and sometimes even more transparent. Today, enterprise architecture is a necessary process to understand various hardware and software options that can be deployed on-premises and in the cloud, and ensure security when sharing data across multiple platforms.
The TOGAF standard was formulated by the international organization for standardization, Open Group, and its framework (TOGAF) was published in 1995. However, today, with the continuous expansion of TOGAF connotation and extension, the open group no longer regards TOGAF as the abbreviation of the framework of the open group.
TOGAF originated from TAFIM (Information Management Technology Architecture Framework), which is an IT management framework developed by the US Department of Defense in1990s. As a reference model of enterprise architecture, it provides a deep understanding of the technical infrastructure of the Ministry of National Defense, including its structure, maintenance and configuration to meet specific requirements. Interestingly, however, since 1999, the Ministry of National Defense has not used TAFIM, and it has been deleted from all process documents and started from scratch. However, after more than 20 years, the realization and success of TOGAF continues on a global scale.
TOGAF continues to develop, and each new version and updated version will introduce new tools to improve the whole process.
The open group developed TOGAF in 1995. As early as 20 16, 80% of the world's top 50 enterprises and 60% of the world's top 500 enterprises used TOGAF. TOGAF can be used for free within the organization. If it is used for commercial purposes, you need to sign a commercial authorization and pay the usage fee.
TOGAF 7 was released in the form of "technical version" in February 2006, followed by the enterprise version of TOGAF 8 in February 2002, and then updated to TOGAF 8. 1 in February 2003. The Open Group officially took over Togo in 2005 and released Togo 8. 1 1 in June 2006. TOGAF 9 was launched in 2009, bringing new details of the overall framework, including increasing guidelines and technologies. TOGAF 9. 1 released on 20 1 1, TOGAF 9.2 released on 20 18.
In 2022, Open Group announced the latest update of the framework and released the TOGAF standard version 10. This update of TOGAF hopes to make it easier for enterprises to adopt TOGAF and implement best practices in their organizations. According to the Open Group, TOGAF 10 will help enterprises operate more effectively and provide more guidance and simpler navigation for applying TOGAF framework.
Even after more than 20 years of development, the core framework of open group has not changed, which helps professionals to use it effectively.
Open organizations further certify tools and courses that meet TOGAF standards. At present, there are 8 certification tools and 70 authorized training institutions in the world.
Overview of TOGAF framework
Like other IT management frameworks, TOGAF helps enterprises to keep their IT objectives consistent with the overall business objectives, while helping to organize cross-departmental IT work. TOGAF helps enterprises to define and organize requirements before the project starts, and keep the process going quickly and error-free.
The elements of TOGAF cover the whole life cycle from EA setup to monitoring, that is, enterprise architecture. The following are the six components of TOGAF 9:
Architecture Capability: This element provides the necessary model for building enterprise architecture. It also defines the corresponding rules and responsibilities of each user.
Architecture development method: It is considered as the core element of TOGAF and provides a step-by-step method to create enterprise architecture.
Technology and Guide: This element helps to customize the enterprise architecture according to the nature of the business.
Reference model: Two reference models for setting enterprise architecture are provided, namely TRM and III-RM.
Enterprise Tools: It provides the necessary tools and classifications to find the total activity output of enterprise architecture.
Architecture Content Framework: It is an important part of enterprise architecture and summarizes the content framework of TOGAF.
TOGAF 10 brings more attention to organizations that use agile methods, making it easier to apply the framework to the specific needs of organizations. The latest version adopts modular structure, which is easier to follow and implement, making the framework easier to implement in any industry.
TOGAF framework is divided into two categories, including the basic content and extended guide of TOGAF. The basic content includes all the key points and best practices for creating a framework foundation for TOGAF. The extended guide section of TOGAF includes guides on specific topics, such as agile methods, business architecture, data and information architecture and security architecture. With the establishment of more best practices, the extended guide part of TOGAF is expected to develop over time, and the basic content provides a solid starting point for anyone who wants to apply the framework.
TOGAF business advantage: a necessary condition for digital transformation
TOGAF helps organizations realize technology in a structured and organized way, focusing on governance and achieving business goals. Software development depends on the cooperation of many departments and business units inside and outside IT, and TOGAF helps to solve any problem about getting key stakeholders to know each other.
TOGAF aims to help create a set of systematic methods to simplify enterprise architecture and development process, so as to achieve replication and promotion, and minimize mistakes or problems when changing hands at various stages of development. By creating a common language to bridge the gap between IT and business, it helps to make all relevant personnel clearer.
TOGAF is comprehensive and the complete works are thick, but you don't have to use every part of TOGAF. It is best for enterprises to evaluate their own needs to determine which parts of the framework to focus on. With the modular update of TOGAF standard version 10, it may be easier than ever to create a customized TOGAF framework. Organizations can start with the core foundation, and then choose the parts to adopt from the extended guidance part of the document.
TOGAF target
Open Group positioned TOGAF as "the global standard of enterprise architecture". The framework aims to help enterprises organize and solve all key business requirements through four objectives:
Make sure everyone speaks the same language: Make sure all users from key stakeholders to team members use the same language. This helps everyone understand the framework, content and objectives in the same way, and allows the whole enterprise to break down any communication barriers on the same page.
Avoid locking proprietary solutions by standardizing the open method of enterprise architecture: avoid being "locked" in proprietary solutions of enterprise architecture. As long as the company uses TOGAF internally and not for commercial purposes, the framework is free.
Save time and money and use resources more effectively.
Get a considerable return on investment (ROI).
Provide an overall view of the organizational environment.
Act as a modular and extensible framework to accelerate organizational transformation.
Let organizations from all walks of life and all sizes work according to the same enterprise architecture standards, which means that they can learn from each other across industries.
TOGAF content framework:
Three pillars of TOGAF:
To achieve TOGAF goals, there are three pillars, that is, the methods to achieve the goals. These pillars help to create a systematic process to organize and use software technology in a structured way consistent with governance and business objectives. Because software development depends on collaboration between different business departments inside and outside IT, TOGAF's goal of using the same language encourages and assists all stakeholders to enter the same page, which may not happen in a business environment.
TOGAF is divided into three pillars:
0000 1. Architecture Content Framework (ACF). These divide the architecture into four key domains (which can be abbreviated as "BDAT domain" or "4A domain"), that is, modeling is usually carried out at four levels: business, application, data and technology:
Business architecture, which defines business strategy and organization, key business processes and governance and standards, including information about business strategy, governance, organization and how to adapt to any existing processes within the organization.
Application architecture provides a blueprint for the deployment of various systems, including the interaction between application systems and the relationship with basic business processes.
Data schema, recording the structure of logical and physical data assets and any related data management resources.
Technical architecture (also known as technical architecture) describes the hardware, software and network infrastructure needed to support the deployment of mission-critical applications.
0000 1. Architecture Development Model (ADM). This iteration uses performance engineering to develop the actual enterprise architecture. Importantly, it can be customized according to the needs of enterprises, so it is not omnipotent. Once the architecture is developed, the enterprise can extend it to all teams or departments to repeat the cycle, thus ensuring the smallest mistakes and further helping the company to keep close contact.
00002. Enterprise continuous series. This classification system tracks architectural solutions within the scope, starting with common industry standard options, including customized enterprise-specific solutions.
TOGAF ADM architecture development method
ADM architecture development method is the core of TOGAF-this pillar makes TOGAF very effective and stands out in the architecture framework. ADM can help enterprises to establish processes around the life cycle of enterprise architecture. The architecture development method provides eight steps as a guide to determine the current position of the enterprise and determine the position that the enterprise needs in each of the four enterprise architecture fields. ADM can be adjusted and customized according to specific organizational needs, thus helping to inform the information architecture method of the business. ADM helps enterprises develop processes involving multiple checkpoints and firmly establish requirements so that the process can be repeated with minimal errors.
Clipping TOGAF frame
Based on the business strategy and direction, you can consider how to apply TOGAF in your organization and what results you hope to achieve through it. TOGAF is a very broad and universal framework, and it is important to specify which elements of TOGAF are useful and which elements are irrelevant to your organizational environment. TOGAF itself recognizes this: the first step of TOGAF architecture development method (ADM) is the initial stage.
This stage is about defining "where, what, why, who and how to do architecture" in related enterprises. In other words: you will adjust the TOGAF framework and customize it according to the needs of your own organization. In order to get valuable results from this stage, we apply the principles of lean management to the architecture process: check whether all activities and results add value and eliminate any waste, avoid unnecessary signing that leads to delay, and constantly improve your working style. According to experience, it is important to focus on three aspects:
Use a limited set of e a deliverables. TOGAF put forward many deliverables that can be produced. "Less is more": Only a few key deliverables are enough to start EA plan and get results.
In order to select and configure these key deliverables, the most important criterion is their potential commercial value. Who will use them, for what activities and expected benefits, especially in the early stage of EA plan, it is very important to show the added value of EA deliverables to different stakeholders (including business stakeholders).
Learn by doing. It is impossible to define a complete e a framework before it is started and implemented in waterfall mode. It's best to start small and use iterative methods to learn and improve the way you work on the road.
TOGAF features?
During the update process, TOGAF introduced some special functions, including:
Content metamodel: * * This life cycle process guides the creation and management of enterprise architecture in ADM guide. It can help enterprises to implement proprietary architecture into another architecture tool, using output lists, simplified methods and richer and more detailed standards to describe the architecture.
Architecture division: TOGAF 9 introduces suggestions and guidelines for dividing a specific architecture in an enterprise.
Architecture repository: * * This is a document that contains all the details related to the enterprise architecture and any related projects, including ideas, designs, frameworks, strategies, processes, etc.
Business Continuity Series: * * Solve more abstract concepts in the framework by determining how everything defined in the architecture repository fits into the process, and how each asset relates to each other and to the TOGAF framework. This is also how enterprises can help IT and other business departments communicate with each other in a common language, so as to improve communication and reduce confusion.
ADM standards and technologies: This expands the information in ADM, including how to apply it in the organization, when to apply it, the relationship with TOGAF and security considerations.
What else is new in TOGAF?
The biggest change of TOGAF 10 is its new modular format. The TOGAF basic content branch of this framework contains all the basic knowledge of TOGAF. This is where most enterprises begin to realize TOGAF and learn the basic knowledge and best practices of TOGAF. This is also the most unlikely part of TOGAF to change significantly with the passage of time, and the extended guidance part is expected to be expanded and developed.
The basic concept module includes the following documents:
Introduction and core concepts.
Architecture development method.
ADM technology.
Apply ADM
Schema content.
Enterprise architecture capability and governance.
The extended guide includes the following topics:
Establish an enterprise architecture team.
Security architecture.
Business architecture.
Data and information architecture.
Agile methods.
Reference model and method.
The latest version of TOGAF pays more attention to the agile environment and promises to be more easily applied to enterprises that use agile methods.
Open Group also simplified the document, deleted any redundant or outdated content, and implemented updates as needed.
TOGAF tool
Open Group regularly updates the list of TOGAF certification tools, including:
Alfabet AG:planningIT 7. 1 and higher.
Disclaimer: Abacus 4.0 or higher.
BiZZdesign:BiZZdesign Enterprise Studio.
Bank of China Group: ADOIT.
Orbus software: iserver business and it transformation suite 2015 or higher.
Floor plan: Troux.
Software company: ARIS 9.0 or higher.
Sparx Systems: enterprise architect v 12.
TOGAF certification and training
The TOGAF 9.2 exam consists of two levels: 1 level and level 2 exam. Through the two-level examination, you can obtain the international certification of TOGAF 9.2 certification. TOGAF 9.2 certification is provided through an open group and does not need to be updated. SITC Shanghai Information Training Center is the first officially authorized training institution in China.
TOGAF certification is particularly useful for enterprise architects because it is a common method and framework used in this field. TOGAF is a globally recognized vendor-neutral certification. Obtaining TOGAF certification will prove your ability to implement technology and manage enterprise architecture using TOGAF framework. It will verify your ability to use TOGAF, especially its application to data, technology, applications and business objectives.
According to PayScale, TOGAF certification can greatly increase the salary of the following positions:
In the upsurge of digital transformation, business relies more and more on technology, and more and more organizations hope to use enterprise architecture to adjust their IT resources to achieve their goals. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for enterprise architects who are proficient in TOGAF. TOGAF is becoming more and more popular and used all over the world. If you are a TOGAF certified professional, you are suitable for all kinds of roles in digital organizations, which will help your career to grow.
Professionals can choose to attend the TOGAF certification course in Shanghai Information Training Center wisely to prove their ability and deepen their understanding of the whole concept system of TOGAF and its realization. The same certification is regarded as a visible sign of trust, which will give you the advantage of the job you need in the recruitment process.
Become a TOGAF certified enterprise architect to help enterprises transform digitally!
TOGAF is the ability and certificate that enterprise architects and IT personnel must master, so that your strength and salary level can be improved again!
TOGAF is an extremely comprehensive enterprise architecture standard system, covering all important fields of enterprise architecture.
Through the unified architecture development method, help enterprises solve complex business needs efficiently.
TOGAF provides an eight-step standardization process by using ADM (Architecture Development Model).
Help enterprises review the current situation, plan the target structure and design specific implementation plans.
The framework does not force any proprietary solutions, giving enterprises enough freedom.
If you want to make rapid progress in the field of enterprise architecture, TOGAF is the best choice.
Master TOGAF helps you achieve a professional breakthrough!