The Auldenfire e-Atelier

Successful IT Architecture bears many similarities to the more commonly understood architecture of designing buildings. In both fields, the work and skill development takes place in the context of a design studio. In traditional architecture and art, the design studio is a place where masters convey their skills and techniques to their journeymen and apprentices. By definition, such a design studio is called an atelier. An atelier is much more though. It is also a place of design collaboration. The Internet has taken design collaboration to a new level by enabling the virtual design studio where collaboration can now take place between geophysically dispersed teams. The emergence of the e-Atelier enables collaboration on both single-task and multi-task assignments where architectural concepts and design patterns can be effectively and efficiently applied to building global enterprise solutions.

IT Architecture
ESAL Mission
The Professional Architect's Autonomy
The Auldenfire Software Atelier
Auldenfire Legion

IT Architecture

In the IT field, the terms "architect" and "architecture" are used so often and in so many different contexts that many people do not understand what actually constitutes and architecture and, more importantly, what an IT architect actually is. For the practicing IT architect, especially at the enterprise level, this is a worrisome point - because it presents one of the most significant reasons that many projects fail.

Enterprise architecture is quickly emerging as a disciplined profession. Unfortunately, the current state of software and enterprise architecture as a professional discipline often lacks a defined structure and widely available education and training. Organizations such as the Worldwide Institute of Software Architects are developing a framework for the professional software and enterprise architect, but these initiatives are still in their infancy. Fortunately, these initiatives have already formed a core of leading experts from which a growing body of literature and organized architectural practices are emerging.

IT architecture encompasses a wide domain of knowledge and experience. Auldenfire Sweden focuses on what is becoming known as Enterprise Core Architecture (or Core Architecture) where the IT architecture is driven by the core business requirements based on economic costs and benefits. Core Architecture is a coordinated, disciplined approach that combines management sciences and metrics with computer science and engineering - it is also the driving force behind an enterprise's IT strategy. Many of the principles and practices advocated by Core Architecture practitioners trace their originations to early initiatives undertaken within the United States Defense-Industrial sector to control large, complex development programs. Core Architecture is a direct result of the realization that professional managers, experienced with the design and hands-on implementation of global IT programs are critical for success. Enterprise Core Architectural practices have contributed to nearly a doubling in the success rate for these large projects. Organizations in both the government and civilian sectors are beginning to realize the positive impact to the bottom line that Enterprise Core Architecture delivers.

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ESAL Mission

Auldenfire Sweden was formed to meet the requirements for providing an environment where software and enterprise architectural practices could be developed and matured. Auldenfire Sweden's Enterprise Systems Architecture Laboratory (ESAL) carries out this mission. The maturation process over the past several years has lead to an industry emergence of a defined Information Technology Enterprise Architecture discipline; ESAL is an essential part of our continuing strategy to contribute to this development and evolution. This commitment extends beyond our service offerings to our clients - ESAL is active in contributing our knowledge to the IT community through active participation in international standards organizations, participation in educational curriculum development, participation in developing certification exams, and in supporting nonprofit efforts aimed at promoting IT education. Auldenfire Group companies donate facilities, IT infrastructure, money, and time to promoting IT architectural development and education.

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The Professional Architect's Autonomy

As an architectural consultancy, Auldenfire Sweden is first, and foremost, a client advocate. An architectural consultancy should be financially independent of the suppliers and other parties who may influence objectivity.

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The Auldenfire Software Atelier

The Auldenfire Software Atelier is an Enterprise Application Integration methodology based on the Object Management Group's (OMG®) Model Driven Architecture (MDA™). An atelier is a French word meaning a small studio or workshop for an artist or designer and is frequently used to describe an architect's office. The Enterprise Systems Architecture Laboratory (ESAL) architects chose this word because a software atelier more accurately describes an effective software development process than does the term software factory. Empirical evidence supports the concept of small, specialized software development teams working in a collaborative, requirements driven environment. The Auldenfire Software Atelier also conforms to Continuous Processing Architecture (CPA) principals through the implementation of the Auldenfire Software Atelier Information Bus (ASAIB). ASAIB is designed to support a distributed software development environment. Work is organized into functional cells. Workflows and information are maintained in a distributed repository that is managed by the Auldenfire Software Atelier Information Management System (ASAIMS). The information bus provides a scalable and robust development platform that provides two critical benefits:

• Information is stored in a distributed repository and synchronized by the information bus providing a continuos processing architecture. This system is significantly more robust than either traditional disaster recovery or the emerging use of replicated data and processing. Core functionality is maintained within each cell. Each cell maintains synchronization with the repository via the information bus. In the event of a communications failure, the information management system is able to provide synchronization between all repositories and cells impacted by the failure once communications are restored.
  
  
• Organizations are provided flexibility in how software development is tasked and assigned. Development activities can be tasked to organic, outsourced or mixed teams that are either geographically concentrated at one location or dispersed around the globe in multiple locations. Organizations that rely on both internal and outsource development can allow the outsourced developers to work at their own facilities, reducing the cost of providing resources, housing, and travel. Additionally, security profiles and firewalls can be utilized to segregate development activities.

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Auldenfire Legion

The Auldenfire Software Atelier relies on Auldenfire Legion to provide the core repository services. The Software Atelier is designed to be platform independent. The Auldenfire Legion repository services are also platform independent. It is important to note that the Auldenfire Software Atelier is not a product per se, but is actually an architecture and methodology designed to facilitate software development; however, Auldenfire Legion is a product. The Enterprise Systems Architecture Laboratory is currently developing a web-based development platform based on the Auldenfire Software Atelier - an in-house version has been in production since the second quarter of 2001. A conceptual architectural diagram is provided below:

Both Auldenfire Legion and the Auldenfire Software Atelier are designed to promote software development best practices based on industry proven techniques. Auldenfire Sweden AB offers workshops and consulting services to assist organizations in the implementation of our repository services based Software Atelier.

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