Course: ISEB IT Architecture

The nature and methods by which a company runs its business change on a regular basis. Architectures or frameworks are needed to enable ongoing management at all levels, from the strategic down to the tactical.

Integration with other systems; adoption of new technologies; pinning down of requirements; managing workflow; planning for the future; the use of best practices - these are just a few of the issues that must be successfully addressed. Failure to do so can seriously compromise system efficiency, performance and growth capability.

Who will the course benefit?

IT Architects and experienced IT staff keen to get a broad insight into the latest developments in this area. Those who wish to gain the ISEB Certificate in IT Architecture qualification can sit the exam on this course.

Course Objectives

This course reviews the key frameworks, architecting techniques, inputs and deliverables, standards and tools. It provides a framework of topics designed to give architects clear guidance on what they need to do, and suggestions on how to do it.

The content has been aligned with the ISEB Certificate in IT Architecture and can be used as preparation for this qualification.

Skills Gained

This course will enable delegates to:

    * Get a balanced overview of the many issues that form this subject.
    * Be aware of latest developments.
    * Understand the many “Standards” that can be used.
    * Design enterprise systems with reference to a wide range of considerations.
    * Align and identify all processes and methods required to co-ordinate the evolution of any business’s enterprise architecture.

Pre-Requisites

Although there are no formal prerequisites, it is likely that those who will find most value in the course will be experienced developers, project managers or architects.

Course Content

Introduction to Architecture

TOGAF.
Zachman.
FEAF.
Overview of other frameworks and standards.

Architecture Types and Key Processes

Enterprise.
Business.
Technical, including Data, Applications.
Gathering requirements.
Defining architecture.
Monitoring and maintaining systems.
Reviewing and refining.

Enterprise Architecture Inputs

Vision.
Strategy.
Establishing principles.
Architecture evolution and governance.
Awareness of Infrastructure, technologies, security and processes.
Auditing and metrics..

Enterprise Architecture Deliverables

Goals and principles.
Business Scenarios.
Risks and Timescales.
Roadmaps.

Business Architecture Inputs

Requirements and Business Cases.
Sponsors.
User types.
Risks and deadlines.

Business Architecture Deliverables

Requirements Catalogue.
Gap Analysis.
Diagrams – Use Cases, Building Blocks.
Overseeing Systems Development.

Applications Architecture Inputs

Application Integration.
Interfaces between systems.
Patterns and workflow.
Standards.
Focus on Web Services and BPEL.
Service Oriented Architecture.

Applications Architecture Deliverables

Architecture Specification.
Functions and services.
Gap Analysis.
Legal considerations.

Data Architecture

Key definitions.
Meta Data and Data Dictionaries.
Data integration.
Warehousing options.

Stakeholder Management

Types of stakeholder.
Stakeholder Analysis Matrix.
Workshops.

Systems Management

ITIL.
Service Level Agreements.
Testing.

Technical Management

Resilience and continuity.
Availability and backups.
Concurrency.
Standards.

Network Architecture

LANs and WANs.
The Wireless revolution.
Standards, protocols and security.

Design Techniques

Object Orientation, and its main principles.
UML Notation.
Patterns.
Model Driven Architectures.

Methodologies and Tools

Waterfall vs Rapid.
Different varieties of RAD.
CASE tools.
Compliancy issues.

Security

Security policies.
Main risks and mitigation options.
Standards.

Skills and Roles

Preparation for exam

Examinations

This course will cover the syllabus to prepare you for the ISEB Certificate in IT Architecture. The exam itself will be held on the fifth day.