A day in Life of Software Architect – part 1

In Computer science world Architect is designer of Software just like
Relation between Architect and Engineer is same as  between Architect of Building and Civil Engineer of Building. While Civil engineer looks at how much cement to be used block constructed, How much steel, iron rods to be used in pillars..is mixture stron enough to used, material quality and usage etc.
Architect looks at design ,asthetics and sustainability of Building like  What should be thicknes of iron road and of pillar to sustain wind pressure?

IT world Civil Engineer is Software Developer and Architect is Software Architect.
Like civil Engineer Software developer looks How much lines of code can I achieve this task?, optimize code(material usage)?, Estimate time of completion of task assigned?, follow design specification to achieve concrete product.
While Architect Looks design of Software is integrable with existing Landscape of client(similar to building aesthetics to environment), long term sustainability/scalability of solution etc..
Different Types/Kind of Architects required in IT industry Read:

Enterprise Architecture TOGAF,ITIL,Zachman,eTom,NGOSS

Architect sits between Project Manager, Stake holders and Development team.
Responsible for overcoming technical challenges in projects, Design roadmap taking stakeholders project goal aligning with business Strategy of company.
Not only Architect generates Design Artefacts for project but also gives technical guidance in for of standards/regulatory technical constraints, and Alternative solutions to road blockers, better technical coding, bridge between testing and development team to achieve defect free as well in time delivery according to specifications. While controlling resources, initiation of project , implementation to maintenance Phase provide technical solutions to project manager.
Architect must be conversant with all latest technical trends related to Technical Domain (Network for infrastructure architect, Database design/development for Data Architect,
BI&DW for Datawarehouse architect, J2EE/design pattern for Java architect, Mobile development for Mobile Architect etc etc..) Enterprise Architect works still higher level to collate data from Each of these architect to create roadmap(What? When? Why? How?) in Artefacts

To Be Continued in Next Article:

Telecom Technology Stack

For Enterprise class large projects Architecture frameworks like TOGAF are very important:
Read
TOGAF: The Open Group Architecture Framework was adopted and adapted to E-TOM framework or Enhanced Telecom Operational Map (E-TOM) .
E-TOM has two essential layers which cover most requirement on Telcos
{Telecom companies include (TEM) Telecom Equipment manufacturer like (ZTE, Cisco Ericsson  , Telecom Services companies like ( vodaphone, O2 etc)}.
1. Lowest Level 1: OSS (Operational System Software) which include systems which interfaces with most devices like routers, base station, towers, etc Cisco routers, Base station BTE software, NOS (network operation planning software), Activation Software, 2G, 3G stack management, tower management.
2. Upper layer: BSS (Business System Software) Which includes Business Interfacing software like Oracle Sieble CRM (Customer Relationship management ), Billing software like from Amdocs,or oracle BRMS (Billing and revenue management  software)
MIS and BI Business Intelligence software like OBIEE, SAP BO, Cognos BI etc.
Mediation: Software mediating between multiple layers.
Activation:
Now lets see like BT working on E-TOM. For software implementations
British Telecom (BT) use agile methodology of keeping inventory of requirements as low as possible to keep cost down and know defects early in life cycle and then more requirements (User Stories) can be taken for development , taken to testing in SIT system integration testing and once tested OK dropped into production.
Scrum meetings are regularly held , as release happen the Burn down charts are updated telling progress status.

BT having incorporated concepts in between like
use RFT (Right First Time) 90 % of the project taken up must be completed in correct specifications in right time.
Concept to Market (C2M):Bring Concept to market faster.
Lead To Cash: (L2C) where a lead generated to Cash in hand cycles are (Opportunity, Quotation, Order, Delivery, Issue, Invoice) L2C cycles are captured in workflow and quickened.
SAP Order Management Of Lead to Cash workflow
Watch Demo of SAP Lead to Cash using SAP Business By Design.
: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXsY_cpr5f0

3. Trouble to Resolve (T2R). : where Each Trouble which needs resolution is trapped in CRM for reviewing the work.
4. Cycle time: Each Cycle must be pro-actively reduced in time frame.
You can Read this more detailed matrix Architecture Overview of Vision goals
http://www.btplc.com/innovation/journal/BTTJ/current/HTMLArticles/Volume26/08Matrix/Default.aspx

Read about TOGAF:
1. Comparison of Enterprise Architecture to Domain specific Architecture Roles :
https://sandyclassic.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/enterprise-architecture-togafitilzachmanetomngoss/
2. Enterprise Architecture and Security.
https://sandyclassic.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/498/
3. Links:
Oracle Seibel:
http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/siebel/overview/index.html
Oracle BRMS:http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/2021078
Amdocs Billing software of the year:
http://www.amdocs.com/News/Pages/Amdocs-Receives-Most-Advanced-Billing-Software-of-the-Year-Award.aspx

 

 

Comparing Enterprise Framework

Enterprises can be large and complex, the models associated with the discipline also tend to be large and complex.Enterprise Architecture framework help reduce this complexity by offering:

• Views : provide the mechanisms for communicating information about the relationships that are important in the architecture
• Methods : provide the discipline to gather and organize the data and construct the views in a way that helps ensure integrity, accuracy and completeness
• Training/Experience : support the application of method and use of tools

Enterprise Architecture

A list of ALL ENTERPRISE FRAMEWORKS…

– Business Frameworks (e.g. BMM, Six Markets, Porters 5 Forces, McKinsey 7S, etc)
– Architecture Frameworks (e.g. PEAF, MODAF, TOGAF, TEAF, IAF, Zackman etc)
– Programming Frameworks (e.g. .NET, J2EE, etc)
– Project Management Frameworks (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, etc)
– Service Management Frameworks (e.g. ITIL, etc)
– Industry Operations Frameworks (e.g. eTOM, Pragmatic Marketing, etc)
– Any other type of framework in any other domain so long as it is related to an ENTERPRISE.

There is endless list of model basically modeled around either Zackman or TOGAF.
Like this one for security. Building Security In Maturity Model. The BSIMM is a study of real-world software security initiatives organized so that you can determine where you stand with your software security initiative and how to evolve your efforts over time.
http://bsimm.com/online/
then like sharewood which like modeled on zackman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherwood_Applied_Business_Security_Architecture

Enterprise Architecture TOGAF,ITIL,Zachman,eTom,NGOSS

A list of ALL ENTERPRISE FRAMEWORKS…

– Business Frameworks (e.g. BMM, Six Markets, Porters 5 Forces, McKinsey 7S, etc)
– Architecture Frameworks (e.g. PEAF, MODAF, TOGAF, TEAF, IAF, etc)
– Programming Frameworks (e.g. .NET, J2EE, etc)
– Project Management Frameworks (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, etc)
– Service Management Frameworks (e.g. ITIL, etc)
– Industry Operations Frameworks (e.g. eTOM, Pragmatic Marketing, etc)
– Any other type of framework in any other domain so long as it is related to an ENTERPRISE.

There are various field of Architecture floating around in IT industry.Specially in indian IT industry where things are still taking shape.HR department is india in most forgotten department it still need to learn more about Labour laws and nothing more..Top institution in india for HR which was essentially focus on labour laws and nothing more.Other subjects are taught not with great emphassis..Problem that is  okay for manufacturing industry where management is dealing with unskilled uneducated manpower..but same is not true for Industry.Institutes still need to inculcate basic principle of psychological analysis , service industry and basic computer knowledge so people can visualize trends in skills needed to shape future of employee in company.

So For Industry still under trap of HR to define there own terminology for different job skills.In country outside india for which indian IT companies are executing project Position are well defined.Take a case Architect in software industry.

Architects can be classied into two category:

1)Enterprise Architects.

Architect working at enterprise level with various certification level like ITIL( process based for Service Management),TOGAF for Thne

Zackman for domain model, there are customised framework like NGOSS and e-TOM for Telecom industry

2) Domain specific Architects.

Domain Architect can be classied into four major types:

1. Application or Language Architect (Java Architect,.NET Architect,PHP Architect, open source Architect, Integration Architect, Platform As Service Architect)  . These architects are primarily concerned with design patterns and application integration and language specific issues, options available like in integration web service is course grain integration but there are other option like CORBA,JNI web services is last option. So Java architect is SME for Java related design issues. same way .NET Architect, PHP Architect.Integration Architect are looking at how integrated different layer(ESB,Web services, COM,CORBA etc..).
2. Database/Data Architect (Data Architect, ETL Architect, BI Architect, Performance Architect)

•  Data Architect: concerned with logical data modelling (LDM) and Physical database  modelling (PDM), design of OLTP system and design normalized scehmas and table structure.
• ETL Architect : Takes care of Data Integration layer (Extract Transform Load data from SQL server to Oracle from SAP populated tables into target datawarehouse. Designing or Star schema or extended star schema for Data warehouse.
• BI Architect: Looks to create semantic Layer which helps user to convert dynamically dragged objects to there respective SQL equivalent.and reporting layouts ,data structure which support them,layout to of report on web on mobile or on portal.reports from tactical to strategic reporting to Exception reporting and business events.
• Performance Architects are concerned performance to Web servers , data bases performance ,query response time, latency etc.

3. Network Architect (Storage Architect, Network Architect, System Architect,Virtualisation or Infrastructure As Service IAAS.

• Storage Architect: Concerned with SAN storage and design of storage network its interface with network components. whether to go for SAN or NAS or DAS ,RAID levels, SCSI or Fiber channel , servers, vendors to go with (EMC Clarion,netapp,hitachi)  etc.analysts predict that enterprise storage will account for 75% of all computer hardware expenditures so storage is critical.
• Network Architect: Network architecture have exploded in recent decade.Network architect needs to look into network Design, specification,Network security. Like Cisco defines 5 fields (1. Voice like VOIP, 2. Security, 3. Design, 4.Routing and Switching, 5.Wireless).Each one can have its own architects.person may not be specific to Cisco but can cut across to like juniper network junos firewall, or sonic firewall is in network security.
• System Architect: concerned Types of servers used and Os Admin related activities.e,g Red hat admin subject matter expert with server datacenter know how, blade vs RACK, virtualisation layers,hypervisor (vmware ESXi, Microsoft hyperV, IBM AIX LPAR) etc.

4. Architect not defined above,

ERP Architects:

• SAP Architect(since SAP has its own solution framework  like SAP Solution Manager  which help in maintaining and upkeep of solution and framework at solution or practice level, Also like SAP BI is domain specific architect who know out for 16 reporting tool flavor from WebI,Xcelsius,DesKI, live office, Quaas which one to use when).
• Peoplesoft Architect: Looks into PS specific techno-functional issues customization , enhancement, or performance issue, installation and data migration, its integration with different web server app server.
• , Oracle Apps Architect.: Oracle Application domain specific solution to use of Oracle BPEL, ESB, SOA suite, fusion middle ware vs old form report customization Vs used of OAF or ADF.