Enterprise Architecture

Objectives of the working group

The objective of the Enterprise Architecture group is to seek to identify and share best practice in the development and use of Enterprise Architectures in the business context of its members.

All ETIS members are in the same business and use the same technologies. They often co-operate in the provision of service to customers, or in specific business relationships. There is much to be gained by working together. The quality of Enterprise Architectures can be improved, the cost of ownership may be reduced if common items of work can be identified and defined. The ultimate performance of business can be improved and customer service enhanced.

Liaison with standards bodies and appropriate government institutions as well as suppliers can help to ensure a quality solution to the problem as well as reducing cost and making the optimum use of scarce resources of manpower. Here are the planned deliverables from the group.

Background

An architecture fulfils many purposes and has many different aspects.

• It provides us with a common means of communication
• Enterprise Architecture is part of a constant process to ensure long term business success by maintaining IT planning in step with business strategy and objectives. It must be part of an Enterprise Architecture.

Because IT is now the universal enabler, a significant investment accounting for a substantial part the budget of an enterprise, and an essential tool of management we need to have an effective means of describing and managing it and relating this to the overall enterprise.

In conclusion, no enterprise can prosper without its architectures in place. The production and maintenance of architectures is a specialist task, with specialist tools and techniques, but the most senior managers in an enterprise should ensure that they are in place, that they call upon them themselves, and that corporate processes exist to ensure their use. If you don't have an IT Architecture, then find out why, and develop your ideas quickly!

ETIS works together with other industry bodies such as CEN/ISSS, TMF, OMG, TOG, EURESCOM, ETSI in the development and harmonization of work in architectures, particularly those related to IT in telecommunications.

Deliverables / Scope of Activities
- Networked experience of other IT practitioners and subject experts, they will improve the quality of their own work. They will have access to a network of similar experts.
- Documents describing best practice, based on experience and case studies of IT Architecture in use, which can be used for reference and for educational purposes throughout their companies and with their partners.
- Unique repository of data definitions which can be used by telecommunications companies and their trading partners in e-business, at a cost and quality which they could not achieve on their own.

Benefits

• Improved quality of IT Architecture
• Enhanced
• Reduced cost of ownership
• Advanced performance in Business and Customer service

Members of the ETIS Enterprise Architecture Working Group
The following companies have committed themselves working together on the topic of IT Architecture, to exchanging experiences, identifying best practice, influencing suppliers and sharing achievements where possible:

Deutsche Telekom, Telenor, TeliaSonera, Vimpelcom, Czech Telekom, Cyprus Telecom, Lattelekom, Turkcell, Slovak Telecom.

Working group members meet regularly with other ETIS members, invited speakers, and appropriate organisations.