IT Architecture at Birmingham
RUGIT March 2012
IT Services
Agenda
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Architecture at Birmingham
Architecture at Imperial
Anti-Architecture at Warwick
Group discussion
IT Services
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IT Architecture
Agenda
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Why Architecture?
What is Architecture?
Enterprise Architecture Framework
Principles
Process
Governance
Funnel
Questions
IT Services
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IT Architecture
Why Architecture?
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Enterprise Architecture – a holistic approach to IT
• Principles to drive realisation of IT Strategy
• Rational approach to prioritising technology investment
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Seeks benefits across the University as a whole
• Simplify – reduce complexity (and associated costs)
• Standardise – define and comply with standards, achieve
economies of scale
• Rationalise – eliminate duplication, maximise reuse
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Architecture Governance
• ITIL compatible – dovetails into existing IT Governance
• Validates compliance so that benefits are actually achieved
IT Services
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IT Architecture
What is Architecture?
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Policies
• Security – IAM, encryption
• Green IT – carbon counting, efficient use of resources
• Services – loosely coupled components that implement services
Standards
• SIB – a published Standards Information Base
Procedures
• Architecture Process – covers entire system life cycle, includes:
• Architecture Governance – extension of IT governance
Guidelines
• Principles – based on IT Strategy + industry best practice
• Patterns – reusable designs (benefit from experience)
• TAM – Target Architecture Model (what we are aiming for)
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IT Architecture
Birmingham Enterprise Architecture Framework
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IT Architecture
Architecture Framework
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IT Architecture
Application Architecture
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IT Architecture
Data Architecture
Data Architecture Principles
• subset of EA principles
Enterprise Information Model
• based on semantic model
• business entities
Logical Data Models
• hierarchy of models
• includes COTS
• use data dictionary
Physical Data Models
• tables, rows, columns, keys
Data Management Policy
• information life cycle
• data quality – active management
IT Services
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IT Architecture
Birmingham Enterprise Architecture Framework
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IT Architecture
Architecture Principles
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IT Architecture
Focus on System Life Cycle
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System Life Cycle Process extends over entire life cycle of a system
Architecture Process supports entire system life cycle
Support model
Retirement (or Exit if system is externally managed service)
IT Services
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IT Architecture
Process
Start-up
Actions
Artefacts
Outcomes
Initiation
PoC /
Investigation
Implementation Closedown
Iterations
Change control
Architecture
Board
Change requests
Solution Architecture
Project
Approval
Post
Project
Work-off list
Closure
Confirmation
of benefits
Solution Architecture
• summarise architecture decisions and known facts
• high-level business, application, data and technology description
• produced by architects + project team
• defines what will be delivered - changes subject to change control
• delivered with PID, or shortly thereafter
Architecture Board
• held before go-live (more if necessary)
• assures solution is fit for purpose and Solution Architecture has been delivered
• may result in work-off list, or delay go-live
IT Services
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IT Architecture
Solution Architecture Description
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A short document that summarises the proposed solution
• Not a design document (does not cross boundary between architecture
and design)
• Delivered with, or shortly after, PID
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Contents:
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Background + high-level architecture overview
Architecture Principles – how the solution will address them
Assumptions – major assumptions only
Decisions – technology choices etc.
Technology Stack – hardware, software, versions
Protocol Stack – which protocols used and where
Environments – (e.g. Development, Test, Production) with 1st cut sizing
Key Non-functional Requirements – how they will be met
Data – use/creation of enterprise data
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IT Architecture
Non-Functional Requirements
Quality
Perspective
Definition
Measurement
L = latency – response time
System response time for defined functions or J = jitter - % variation in L
Performance use-cases.
H = headroom - % available spare
capacity.
Ability of a system to handle increasing or
SF = scalability factor in the range 0..1
decreasing volumes within allocated resource SL = scalability limit (point of
Scalability
limits (headroom).
diminishing returns)
Ability of a system to function when required
% of target availability
Availability
in spite of errors and failures.
e.g. 99.98% of 24 x 7
How well a system operates within the IT
High – Medium – Low
Operability
landscape.
Usability
Security
Regulation
Flexibility
Feasibility
Ease of use, or conviviality of a system.
High – Medium – Low
Ability to prevent unauthorised access to
information.
Conformity with laws and regulations.
High – Medium – Low
Ease of change of a given system.
Ability of the organisation to deliver the
system subject to constraints of available
expertise, technology, time and resources.
High – Medium – Low
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IT Architecture
High – Medium – Low
High – Medium – Low
Architecture Board
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Technical meeting chaired by IT Architect
Reviews solution architecture for:
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Overall fitness for purpose
Adherence to Architecture Principles, Standards
Security – conformity with security policy, addresses specific risks
Information – access to / impact on the university’s enterprise data
Architecture Concerns – technical risks, issues etc.
Approves solution
• May request / impose remedial action as necessary
• Delay project close-down if outstanding major issues
• Delay go-live if major risks to the university
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IT Architecture
Changes
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Architecture Compliance Form
• Summary of system architecture
• Check list – Principles, Requirements, Standards, Technology,
Environments
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Operational Testing – new focus
• To show compliance with non-functional requirements
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Architecture Compliance Review
• Held before go-live
• Based on Compliance Form
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Architecture Authority process
• Oversees architecture governance
IT Services
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IT Architecture
6 monthly status review
University capital
planning
SPRC
UEB
ICG
MIRG
BSSG
ITIG
IMSG
BIRMS
ISSG
RCMG
Strategic Planning and Resources Committee
University Executive Board
Infrastructure Coordination Group
(IT) Major Investments Review Group
Business Systems Strategy Group
IT Infrastructure Group
Information Management Steering Group
Banner Information Reporting & Mgmt System
Information Security Steering Group
Research Computing Management Group
business case
scrutiny
holistic IT strategy
& overview planning
aligning innovation with strategy
investment
proposals
architecture
Reporting
BIRMS
UoB Student
for each of BSSG / ITIG:
strategic direction and tactics, and service management
RCMG
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
iVLE 2.0
Visioning
(planned live 2013)
Student Hub software
£?? from ??
Not started
Project Mgt software
£?? from ??
Not started
HR workflow
£?? from Incent. & Penalt.?
Not started
Research Assets re-use & booking
£?? from ??
FEASIBILITY
DRES
£k (2yrs)
Planned live Q1 2012
RMS/REF
£?
July 2012; rollout dates t.b.c.
ITSMP
£
Live in phases 2012 -2014
LMS (Library)
£
Live in phases 2012 -2013
BIRMS – Phase 2
£
Completed July 2012
Alta HR - my.teams
Fully live Q4 2012; partial release
April 2012
REAMS
£
Live April 2012
Research Grant System
£
Development complete July 2012.
Alta HR - Real Time Initiative
£
Live April 2012
Alta HR Self service
£
Off-campus access t.b.c.
Single Source Curric
£k JISC funding
Live ??
Output metadata
£
Planned live Q4 2011
e-Ticketing
£ from HAS
Planned live June 2012
EPOS
£ from HAS
Live summer 2012
Enterprise Search
£
Phase 1 Live Q1 2012
E- Marketplace
£
Live rollout starts Q4 2011
Asset Mgt - (Planon)
£
Live Oct/Nov 2011
AltaHR
Proactis
BOXI
CampusM
Occam
Talis
CODA
Contensis
Hobsons
Raisers Edge
SSM
Tokopen
Luminis
Research Accounting
WebCT
Planon
Tableau
WCN
Oracle renewal (Q2 2014)
£
Not started
HR Systems Review
£
Not started
Banner renewal (2014)
£
Initial discussions
Staff e-recruitment replacement?
£??
Not started
BAU REVIEW
BOXI renewal (Q4 2012)
£
Initial discussion
BAU
BAU
PG Admissions
£
Live Nov 11
BAU REVIEW
Module Evaluation
£k
Planned live Q3 2012
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
CAL Workload Allocation Model
£?
FEASIBILITY
Student Accommodation
£k from HAS
Planned live Q2 2012
IDEA
IDEA
CORE SYSTEMS
How we got started
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Engaged experienced contractor
• Established approach, framework, principles, process
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Switched to permanent ‘Chief IT Architect’
• JD also includes: IT Security Officer and IT Innovation
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Switched to new processes for all IT projects
Additional resources
• Information Architect
• Data Architect
IT Services
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IT Architecture