For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Case Study: Using SOA And BPM To Support Enterprise Agility

How A Florida College Used An Integrated Approach To Reach Its Goals

by Ken Vollmer, August 14, 2009

Case studies are often the best way to illustrate technology's dramatic impact on enterprises. This case study provides an excellent example of how a joint implementation of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and business process management (BPM) can . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

European Airline Aims To Delight Passengers Through RFID Bag Tracking

Event-Driven Solution Lowers Costs While Promoting Happy Travelers

by Mike Gilpin, July 15, 2009

Processing lost bags costs airlines a lot of money: more than $1,200 per thousand passengers, not to mention the inconvenience to passengers. Thus, airlines are highly motivated to apply new technology to solving this problem. Through an innovative combination . . .

For CIOs

SOA: Dead Or Alive?

by Sharyn Leaver, July 10, 2009

Some recent buzz in the industry would have you believe that SOA is dead, but that just isn't the case — in fact, its use and influence are still growing. Stories of less-than-successful results may dent its reputation, particularly in today's climate . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Balance Architecture And Agility To Sustain Value Delivery

The Role And Value Of Architecture In Agile Software Development

by Dave West, July 10, 2009

Enterprise architects often criticize Agile methods because they perceive them as lacking architectural control or governance. This lack of control and governance arguably leads to systems that have higher operational costs and become increasingly difficult . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

SOA Is Far From Dead — But It Should Be Buried

Doing SOA Right Opens The Door To A Much Bigger Architecture Vision

by Randy Heffner, May 11, 2009

Sparked by a tinderbox of economic jitters and technology backlash, a recent thread of industry discussion cries out, "SOA is dead!" Although many have had fun with the discussion, it is in fact quite misguided. No prior industry initiative for IT architecture . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Pharmaceutical Industry Trends Drive EA

The Impact Of Consolidation, Cost Pressures, And Networked Business Models On Pharma IT Means EA Practices Must Change

by Henry Peyret, April 28, 2009

The pharmaceutical industry faces enormous challenges — from changes in how pharmaceutical companies develop and source products, to pricing pressures, to increasingly stringent regulatory environments. These business changes are driving IT to both reduce . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Operational Intelligence Builds On Event Processing  (1.7 MB PPT)

by Ken Vollmer, April 21, 2009

This workbook discusses the impact of event processing capability on real-time operational intelligence. Tools are beginning to appear that provide this capability, and this can have a significant impact on the level of business agility that an enterprise . . .

For Technology Sales Enablement Professionals

Discovering Tech Opportunity In Islamic Finance

Big Segment Captures Banker And Tech Vendor Attention

by Ellen Carney, Jost Hoppermann, April 6, 2009

The move to Islamic banking will challenge conventional bank IT, which means strong opportunities for tech vendors with expertise and experience in rolling out Islamic finance systems. In the face of a deep and long-lasting recession, conventional banks . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Five Hot Technologies For Enterprise Architects

SOA Lives Up To Expectations With Hot Technologies Paving The Way

by Jost Hoppermann, March 31, 2009

Forrester surveyed 140 enterprise architects, IT planners, and IT strategists on their take on service-oriented architecture (SOA) and 19 software infrastructure technologies. The outcome? Enterprise architects see SOA accelerating, and five supporting . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

A First Look At Islamic Banking

Large And Growing Segment Captures The Attention Of Conventional Banks

by Jost Hoppermann, Ellen Carney, March 26, 2009

Islamic finance and in particular Islamic banking is a growing segment within multiple countries as well as on a global level. Conventional banks increasingly show interest in Islamic banking. Enterprise architects need to understand the key principles . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

What BP&A Pros Need To Know About Architects' Proper Contribution To Packaged Apps Selection

by R "Ray" Wang, March 12, 2009

In an era of rapid consolidation in the vendor market, a plethora of deployment options, and the progression to a next generation of applications built using techniques such as service-oriented architecture, business process management, and Web services, . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Architectural Business Value: An Architect's Proper Contribution To Packaged Apps Selection

Using Forrester's TEI Methodology To Financially Value Architectural Concerns

by Randy Heffner, March 2, 2009

If they do it right, enterprise architects can add tremendous value to their organization's selection of a packaged application solution (and other technology decisions). The key to success is to frame your contribution around the business and financial . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Global Banking Platforms, Q1 2009

A Compact Group Of Banking Platforms Offers Agile Banking Support

by Jost Hoppermann, January 30, 2009

Forrester evaluated world-leading banking platform products across 108 criteria and found that Infosys Technologies with Finacle, TCS Financial Solutions (TCSFS) with TCS BaNCS, and Temenos with T24 are in the Leader category. Infosys with Finacle scores . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Future Shape Of Banking Architecture In 2023

Industrialized Banking And The New CRM Will Support High-Touch

by Jost Hoppermann, November 14, 2008

Forrester's research on banking IT in 2023 identified a series of requirements and the architectural layers of the future banking platform. The key layers show: (1) a focus on personalized customer services and real-time information analysis; (2) a separation . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Optimizing Your Store Architecture

How To Determine When To Distribute Or Centralized Data And Processes

by George Lawrie, October 31, 2008

Retail process and applications professionals face bewildering choices about how best to distribute or centralize data and functionality, given the changing relative costs and complexity of infrastructure and network components. While many high-volume . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

EA Pros: Must-Read Research In An Economic Downturn

by Gene Leganza, Randy Heffner, October 28, 2008

Economists are debating the length and depth of the economic impact of the credit crunch and the October market meltdown. What can enterprise architects do to survive or — dare we think it — excel during an economic downturn? Enterprise architects must . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

An Interoperable And Federated SOA Platform Strategy Matters To App Dev Pros, Too

by Mike Gilpin, October 10, 2008

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) silos are a thorn in the side of application development professionals, but new SOA strategies can alleviate some of that pain. Through federated SOA, a solution is around the corner, but it will require app dev pros . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Building Interoperability And Federation Into Your SOA Platform Strategy

by Mike Gilpin, October 9, 2008

As large and heterogeneous enterprises reach greater service-oriented architecture (SOA) maturity, enterprise architects often find that different business areas or domains need different things from an enterprise-level SOA platform. Accommodating these . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Integration-Centric Business Process Management Suites, Q4 2008

Software AG, IBM, And TIBCO Software Lead

by Ken Vollmer, October 6, 2008

Forrester evaluated leading integration-centric business process management suite (IC-BPMS) vendors across 109 criteria and found that Software AG, IBM, TIBCO Software, Vitria Technology, Oracle , SAP, and Cordys Software achieved leadership status based . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Intelligent Devices Will Drive Ubiquitous Banking

Smart Devices Will Shape High-Touch Banking

by Jost Hoppermann, September 23, 2008

An increasing number of banks are working on their long-term business and IT visions of the future, continually realigning their IT strategies. To help enterprise architects better understand the business and IT environment of the future, Forrester surveyed . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Bank Branches Are Here To Stay — But With Key Differences

High-Tech Will Drive High-Touch Banking

by Jost Hoppermann, September 19, 2008

An increasing number of banks are working on their long-term business and IT visions of the future, continually realigning their IT strategies. To help enterprise architects better understand the business and IT environment of the future, Forrester surveyed . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

User Interviews Reveal Broad Adoption Of IC-BPMS Components

Customers Use BPM And SOA Features The Most; B2B The Least

by Katie Smillie, Ken Vollmer, September 19, 2008

In just the past three years, we've seen the features available in integration-centric business process management suites (IC-BPMSes) rapidly evolve well beyond their enterprise application integration (EAI) roots. This raises the question of whether . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Building A Strong SOA Policy Life Cycle

Integrate Policy Into Your SOA Governance And Service Life-Cycle Processes

by Randy Heffner, September 9, 2008

Policy management builds added flexibility and business value to your strategy for service-oriented architecture (SOA). Achieving these benefits requires you to enhance your SOA processes and add new features to your SOA infrastructure. From service portfolio . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

How To Get Started On SOA Policy Management

Increase Your SOA Strategy's Business And Technical Flexibility

by Randy Heffner, August 26, 2008

Policy-based processing increases flexibility by allowing key business and technical decisions to be easily visible and changeable rather than being hard-coded into applications. With service-oriented architecture (SOA), policy is emerging as a generalized . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

A Practical Definition Of "SOA Policy"

Reconciling Divergent Industry Perspectives On "Policy"

by Randy Heffner, August 26, 2008

As service-oriented architecture (SOA) matures in the marketplace, SOA policy management will become an increasingly important aspect of SOA-based business and technical flexibility. However, the term "SOA policy" is, at best, ambiguous. At least three . . .