IT Architecture and Infrastructure Quiz

Course Information

• Course Title: Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach
• Subject: Information System Strategy Management and Acquisition
• Instructor: BE Calabrera
• Academic Year: 2024-2025
• Semester: 1st

Topic: 6: Architecture and Infrastructure

• Architecture translates strategy into infrastructure
• The architect creates a blueprint for the company's systems
• This blueprint is used to translate business strategy into an IS plan

Topic: Content

• From Vision to Implementation
• The Leap from Strategy to Architecture to Infrastructure
• Architectural Principles
• Enterprise Architecture
• Other Managerial Considerations
• From Strategy to Architecture to Infrastructure: An Example
• Food for Thought: Business Continuity Planning

Topic: Learning Objectives

• Understand how strategy drives architecture and subsequently infrastructure
• Identify and define three IT architecture configurations
• Define how business goals translate into IT architecture and infrastructure
• Know different architectural and infrastructural frameworks
• Understand the importance of knowing existing architecture and infrastructure details

Topic: Real World Examples

• In 1998, People's Bank recognized its existing IT architecture as limiting
• The bank needed seamless connections with external partners for real-time data transfer
• People's Bank developed a new 4-tier architecture by October 2000
• Benefits included quicker service introduction, lower costs, and a 30% improvement in customer response time, saving over $100,000 in desktop administration

Topic: Architecture/Infrastructure of People's Bank

• The 1st tier is composed of web browsers used by clients/employees
• The 2nd tier consists of IBM WebSphere Application Servers
• The 3rd tier uses IBM WebSphere Application Servers for processing transactions, integrated with external sources
• Legacy systems communicate with the broker hub. Unisys mainframe manages banking systems and IBM S/390 manages financials

Topic: Terminologies

• Strategy: A long-term goal implementation plan
• Architecture: The framework determining a system's structure, components, and relationships
• Infrastructure: Physical and organizational structures supporting operations
• Strategic Planning: Defining comprehensive objectives for vision achievement
• Architectural Design: Converting the strategy into detailed designs, models, and specifications
• Infrastructure Development: Implementing architectural designs into operational physical structures

Topic: From Vision to Implementation

• Architecture translates strategy to infrastructure
• Architect creates plans based on a customer vision (blueprint of company systems)
• Blueprint translates business strategy into an IS plan
• IT infrastructure includes hardware, software, data and networks needed to support information flow and processing

Topic: From Abstract to Concrete (Figure 1)

• The Figure displays a progression moving from abstract (owner's view-strategy) to concrete (builder's implementation-infrastructure) in the IT process

Topic: The Manager's Role

• The manager must understand IT architecture and infrastructure expectations to successfully communicate the vision
• Modifications to plans might be necessary if IT cannot support them realistically; a manager should be involved in decision-making
• Managers need to know the current IT architecture to assess how it matches the organization's evolving business strategy

Topic: From Strategy to Architecture

• Managers must begin with a defined business strategy
• This strategy is then used to develop more specific goals (Figure 2)
• Business requirements should be fleshed out for the goals given to the architect for proper systems implementation
• A detailed process for achieving the desired architectural implementation is depicted in Figure 3

Topic: Figure 2 – From Strategy to Business Requirements

(displays a hierarchical relationship between strategy and supporting business goals and their corresponding requirements)

Topic: Figure 3 – From Business Requirements to Architecture

(shows how business requirements flow through architectural components to shape the final architecture)

Topic: From Architecture to Infrastructure

• The architectural plan is further detailed into specific hardware, software, data, and networking components (Figure 4)
• Components must be coherently combined (enterprise level, communication with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders)

Topic: Figure 4 – From Architecture to Infrastructure

(shows the steps in translating design architecture components into physical infrastructure specifications)

Topic: A Framework for the Translation (Translation of Business Strategy into IT Architecture and Infrastructure)

• Considerations when developing a framework for translation include the physical components (hardware), software, network, and data (quantity and format)
• A framework (Figure 5) details components for analysis: What, Who, where in each business component

Topic: Figure 5. Information Systems Analysis Framework

(shows a table with questions about each infrastructure component (hardware, software, network, data))

Topic: Analysis of Components

• Managers must oversee a complete and thorough analysis of each infrastructure component focusing on what, who, and where.
• Table 6 shows the connections between strategy and systems

Topic: Figure 6. Infrastructure and Architecture Analysis Framework

(displays a table, containing questions for determining each component of the data infrastructure.)

Topic: Architecture Examples

• Three common IT architecture configurations include client/server, mainframe, peer-to-peer, and wireless.
• Managers should consider trade-offs between these architectures

Topic: Other Frameworks

• Some approaches, such as Zachman and TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), delve deeper into the "how, when, and why" of architecture
• These methodologies can offer standardized frameworks for successfully implementing comprehensive Enterprise Architecture within organizations

Topic: Other Managerial Considerations

• Acknowledging existing architecture allows the assessment of current IT and its alignment with emerging business strategy
• Future architecture designs can be compared with existing infrastructure to determine what can be re-purposed

Topic: Relevant Questions for Managers

• Managers may need to ask the following relevant questions: Existing architecture in place? Existing architecture being developed/replaced. Existing systems that the company must work within or expand?

Topic: Strategic IT Planning and Legacy Systems

• Managers often deal with adapting existing infrastructure, which presents both opportunities to build on current components and challenges in addressing past design limitations (or issues).

Topic: Working with Legacy Architectures

• Three steps for making good use of legacy systems

1. Analyze the architectural designs of the current system
2. Analyze the design decisions behind existing systems and their alignment with the company's strategy
3. Analyze the potential and limitations of legacy systems to apply current strategic goals

Topic: Distinguishing Current vs. Future Requirements

• Strategic Time Frame: Understanding the system's lifecycle
• Technological Advances: Assessing how advancements influence architecture and infrastructure
• Growth Requirements: Projecting if systems and their infrastructure are scalable to accommodate future needs

Topic: Assessing Financial Issues

• Costs
• System components' expected lifecycles
• Quantifiable benefits
• Risk levels
• Costs and benefits in the long term

Topic: Assessing Technical Issues: Standardization

• Assess for scalability, maintainability, and staff skill sets
• Evaluate the difference between architecture and infrastructure
• Figure 7 displays evaluations based on established criteria

Topic: Differentiating Between Architecture and Infrastructure

• A tabular comparison of criteria related to architecture and infrastructure

Topic: From Strategy to Architecture: An Example (Blunt Co.)

• Blunt Co is a fictitious case example
• Four step process
  • Step 1 - Defining Strategic Goals
  • Step 2 - Related Architectural Goals
  • Step 3 - Applying a Strategy to Infrastructure Framework
  • Step 4 - Evaluating Additional Issues

Topic: Figure 8. Blunt Co's Infrastructure Components

• Tables (Hardware, software, network, data) for Blunt Co illustrating the various components

Topic: Step 1: Defining the Strategic Goals

• Blunt Co's strategy focuses on responding to demand fluctuations by outsourcing manufacturing
• Specific objectives are to reduce manufacturing costs, lower distribution costs, and improve market flexibility

Topic: Step 2: Define Related Architectural Goals

• Architecture must enable outsourced manufacturing by supporting required interfaces between BluCo and its manufacturing partners, including data exchange and coordination

Topic: Step 3: Apply Strategy to Infrastructure Framework

• Focus on network application - What's the volume of transactions between BluntCo and partners?
• Consideration of leased lines vs. lower-volume dial-up connections

Topic: Step 4: Evaluate Additional Issues

• Compare managerial considerations with step 2 architectural goals
• HR compatibility (displacement of staff, training needed for new systems and technologies)
• Infrastructure and new staff costs

Topic: Food for Thought: Business Continuity Planning

• Business Continuity Planning (BCP) describes an approved set of actions/procedures in handling potential disasters
• Steps include planning/establishing business recovery strategies, Emergency Response Procedures (injuries, equipment damage, disruption of vital functions) and employee awareness/training

Topic: Summary

• Strategy drives architecture; logical frameworks for translating business goals into infrastructure is necessary
• The state of an existing architecture/infrastructure is evaluated to understand how to adapt and modify to suit strategic business implementations
• Business continuity is essential, and should be included in systems designs

Topic: Reference

• Keri Pearlson & Carol Saunders, Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach

Topic: Quiz

• A quiz is mentioned, this is likely for exam purposes

Test your knowledge on the key concepts of IT architecture and infrastructure. This quiz will cover fundamental steps, criteria, and financial analysis pertinent to the field. Ideal for students and professionals looking to refresh their understanding of IT systems.