Archimate for everyday use (to describe Enterprise Architecture)

Started by alex, October 30, 2018, 10:30:01 AM

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alex

Hello!

I just started to use ArchiMate. Everything is fine but I faced with the question:

if I create several diagrams (view points, layers) like Motivation, Business Process, Application, Technological then how to gather all it together in one single point of view (Layer) with relationships between their components ? I need to create one point of view to see everything (all layers of Enterpise Architecture) from top to bottom and vise-versa.

To do it I created another one new diagram and choosed ViewPoint - Layered. But it was empty diagram.

Am I right if I say that I should drug-and-drop components from different diagrams (views) to Layered viewpoint diagram(view) ?

Or if I'm wrong please help me to find techique which can do it instead of me...

Thank you!
Alex.


Phil Beauvoir

Hi Alex,

as you found out, creating a new diagram (View) won't automatically populate it for you. You'll need to decide what elements and relations belong in that view and drag and drop them from the Models tree into the View.

Other people may have tips for making this process quicker.

Phil
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alex

Hi Phil.

Thank you for response.

I have another one question - how to attach file to diagram ? to component ? to model ? Is it possible?

Usually software specifications, tasks descriptions, presentations, BRD, FRD documents etc. are in MS Office (Word/Power Point) format.

I need to store it inside the model (inside the Archi). Is it possible ?

Second question:

I created two new models ("1" and "2") with view points ("1-1" and "2-1"). In "1-1" I created component named "Data Integration-1".

I would like to drag-n-drop component "Data Integration-1" from model "1-1" into model "2-1". But Archi can not do this.

So, my question is  - why I can not share same components between different models and viewpoints in Archi ? It's not flexible and agile -)

Alex.

Phil Beauvoir

> I have another one question - how to attach file to diagram ? to component ? to model ? Is it possible? Usually software specifications, tasks descriptions, presentations, BRD, FRD documents etc. are in MS Office (Word/Power Point) format.  I need to store it inside the model (inside the Archi). Is it possible ?


Archi saves its data as an XML file so you can't store other files (except images) "inside" the file. You can create URLS in the "Documentation" field or in a Property that link to other resources.

> why I can not share same components between different models and viewpoints in Archi ? It's not flexible and agile -)

Models are not linked. This is so that they remain discrete and portable without inter-dependencies. You can only copy diagram elements between them in Views. It is a limitation that is inherent in the "one model = one file" design.
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alex

Hi Phil.

Another one question.

I need to describe ETL process between data source and data target.

ETL process is implemented using several jobs - #1, #2, #3. Job #2 started after job #1, job #3 after job #2.

Each job has attributes like: description, server, start time, duration, data volume, table source, table target etc...

I described this ETL using Connection object which is placed between data source and data target and connected them. Then I added jobs as attributes to ETL.

But:

1. When I made report as Word file I did not see Connection object in the report. No any ETL I see. Very strange -(

2. Can I add to each jobs their own attributes ? It will be like hirerarchy - ETL has attributes like different jobs and each jobs have attributes. Is it possbile to do it in Archi ?

Or please recommend me the best practice how to decribe ETL process in Archi...

Thank you in advance,
Alex.


Phil Beauvoir

Ales, did you use an ArchiMate relationship as a connection?
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alex


Phil, my answers and clarifications on the image in the attachment -)


Phil Beauvoir

Looks like you used a non-model type connection. You need to use an ArchiMate type connection for it to show in the report.

Attributes (Properties) are only at one level, so you can't have a hierarchy.
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alex


Hi Phil.

Another one question - I would like to change Type property for Archi element on my own like "Server", "ETL job" etc... Is it possible ?

For example, Node element with Type = "Node" I would like to change to Type = "Server", element Type="Path" I would like to change to Type="ETL job".

Also in all kind of reports (i.e., Jasper-Word) there should be new Types appeared: "Server", "ETL job" instead of "Node" and "Path". Is it possible ?

Thank you in advance, Alex.

Phil Beauvoir

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alex

Phil thank you but I did it every time and you can see the result in file.

additional question - is it possible to import database structure from RDBMS into Archimate ? if yes how to do it ?

Thank you, Alex.

Phil Beauvoir

You can't change the display of the underlying core type of an element, for example a "Server" is always a "Node", or put another way a Node named "Server". It sounds like you want it to be like a Stereotype, which isn't really implemented.

For importing DB that would require an importer plugin that could parse the DB structure. Otherwise you can import from CSV files, or perhaps write an import script in jArchi.
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