TOGAF 9 Foundation and Certified Level 1 and 2

IntroductionThis Learning Path will help you master the concepts, procedures, and processes required to lead and participate in enterprise architecture projects. Specifically designed to help you prepare for the Level 1 and 2 TOGAF Certification exams, completing this learning path will provide you with a solid foundation to lead and collaborate in business transformation projects.  What is TOGAF?TOGAF is an architecture framework. TOGAF provides the methods and tools for assisting in the acceptance, production, use, and maintenance of an enterprise architecture. TOGAF is based on an iterative process model supported by best practices and a re-usable set of existing architecture assets. Who Should Look to Apply the TOGAF Framework? Any organization undertaking, or planning to undertake, the development and implementation of an enterprise architecture for the support of business transformation will benefit from use of TOGAF.   Organizations seeking Boundaryless Information Flow can use TOGAF to define and implement the structures and processes to enable access to integrated information within and between enterprises. Organizations that design and implement enterprise architectures using TOGAF are assured of a design and a procurement specification that can facilitate an open systems implementation, thus enabling the benefits of open systems with reduced risk. Why Do We Need an Enterprise Architecture? The purpose of enterprise architecture is to optimize across the enterprise the often fragmented legacy of processes (both manual and automated) into an integrated environment that is responsive to change and supportive of the delivery of the business strategy. Today’s CEOs know that the effective management and exploitation of information through IT is a key factor to business success, and an indispensable means to achieving competitive advantage. An enterprise architecture addresses this need, by providing a strategic context for the evolution of the IT system in response to the constantly changing needs of the business environment. Furthermore, a good enterprise architecture enables you to achieve the right balance between IT efficiency and business innovation. It allows individual business units to innovate safely in their pursuit of competitive advantage. At the same time, it ensures the needs of the organization for an integrated IT strategy are met, permitting the closest possible synergy across the extended enterprise. What Are the Advantages of Completing this Learning Path?The advantages that result from a good enterprise architecture bring important business benefits, which are clearly visible in the net profit or loss of a company or organization: ■ A more efficient business operation: — Lower business operation costs — More agile organization — Business capabilities shared across the organization — Lower change management costs — More flexible workforce — Improved business productivity ■ A more efficient IT operation: — Lower software development, support, and maintenance costs — Increased portability of applications — Improved interoperability and easier system and network management — Improved ability to address critical enterprise-wide issues like security — Easier upgrade and exchange of system components ■ Better return on existing investment, reduced risk for future investment: — Reduced complexity in the business and IT — Maximum return on investment in existing business and IT infrastructure — The flexibility to make, buy, or out-source business and IT solutions — Reduced risk overall in new investments and their cost of ownership ■ Faster, simpler, and cheaper procurement: — Buying decisions are simpler, because the information governing procurement is readily available in a coherent plan — The procurement process is faster — maximizing procurement speed and flexibility without sacrificing architectural coherence — The ability to procure heterogeneous, multi-vendor open systems — The ability to secure more economic capabilities What specifically would prompt us to develop an enterprise architecture? Typically, preparation for business transformation needs or for radical infrastructure changes initiates an enterprise architecture review or development. Often key people identify areas of change required in order for new business goals to be met. Such people are commonly referred to as the ‘‘stakeholders’’ in the change. The role of the architect is to address their concerns by: ■ Identifying and refining the requirements that the stakeholders have ■ Developing views of the architecture that show how the concerns and requirements are going to be addressed ■ Showing the trade-offs that are going to be made in reconciling the potentially conflicting concerns of different stakeholders Without the enterprise architecture, it is highly unlikely that all the concerns and requirements will be considered and met. What is an architecture framework?An architecture framework is a foundational structure, or set of structures, which can be used for developing a broad range of different architectures. It should describe a method for designing a target state of the enterprise in terms of a set of building blocks, and for showing how the building blocks fit together. It should contain a set of tools and provide a common vocabulary. It should also include a list of recommended standards and compliant products that can be used to implement the building blocks. Why do we need TOGAF as a framework for enterprise architecture?TOGAF has been developed through the collaborative efforts of over 300 Architecture Forum member companies from some of the world’s leading companies and organizations. Using TOGAF results in enterprise architecture that is consistent, reflects the needs of stakeholders, employs best practice, and gives due consideration both to current requirements and the perceived future needs of the business. Developing and sustaining an enterprise architecture is a technically complex process which involves many stakeholders and decision processes in the organization. TOGAF plays an important role in standardizing and de-risks the architecture development process. TOGAF provides a best practice framework for adding value, and enables the organization to build workable and economic solutions which address their business issues and needs.