Architecture - the "A" in MDA, SOA and EA

Architecture has become the kind of buzzword additive that engineering used to be in software (and business process) circles. Among many others, there are such popular phrases as Model-Driven Architecture (MDA), Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Enterprise Architecture (EA). Unfortunately, it is not at all clear that the same thing is really meant by “architecture” across these (and other) cases. Nevertheless, as usual, within the hype generated by each of these buzzwords there is a nugget of real worth. Indeed, when you put them all together you get something which sounds unwieldy, but, perhaps, may truly aspire to a defensible use of the term “architecture”.

It is “Model Driven”, because models are used as primary artifacts to persist common understanding and drive any new development. It is “Service Oriented” because it is focused on the creation of solutions that identifiably deliver valuable services to end users.

	It is “Enterprise” because it takes into consideration the entire organization delivering those services, not just information systems or applications. And it is “Architecture” because it straddles the business and the technical, looking for creative solutions that are effective for the business client and achievable for the technical developers.

Model Driven Solutions - Bringing MDA, SOA and EA to Reality

At Model Driven Solutions, we have made Model-Driven, Service-Oriented, Enterprise Architecture a practical reality, not just a string of buzzwords.

Our architects are not only experts on the latest technical platforms, but, more importantly, they are experienced with quickly understanding the crucial business problems you want this technology to solve. We use workshops, modeling and simulation as a means for promoting communication—of business needs from you to us and proposed solutions from us to you. Whether you are just looking to apply new technology more effectively within your current business environment, migrating off old legacy systems to a new enterprise system solution, or embarking on a complete business process and information system re-engineering effort, our team can help guide you to success.

Model Driven Solutions Approach and Methods

The following are some of the key methods that provide the industry-best effectiveness of our approach:

• We use a consistent approach to modeling for your business and technical architectures, not just as a means of technical documentation, but to promote a common understanding of business needs and solutions. We use a variety of industry standard modeling languages as appropriate, including the Unified Modeling Language (UML), Enterprise Distributed Object Computing/Component Collaboration Architecture (EDOC/CCA) and Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN).

• We use service as a unifying concept across business and system models, not just as a unit of software implementation. From business service, to logical architectural service, to implemented software service, we can provide you with an enterprise system solution with a clear line of sight to how you deliver your business services.

• We can execute our models in order to simulate your business processes or to prototype system solutions. Static models provide a basis for presentation and are, of course, always important in the early stages of any analysis or for informal discussions. But dynamic models provide a basis for understanding and validation in a way that is not possible otherwise.

• We can generate many parts of prototype and production systems from our models, particularly using such industry standard targets as the various Web Services interface standards and the Business Process Execution Language (BPEL). Further, our unified service-oriented, enterprise architecture approach allows you to move incrementally from executable architecture model to deployed enterprise system, with the model acting as the test bed for system deployment.

Key Capabilities

- Use of latest technologies and methodologies to support business goals
- Rapid development of rugged, scalable applications
- Integration of diverse applications
- Integration of multiple standard and custom infrastructures
- Automated construction and assembly of high-level enterprise components
- Direct link between business-centered design and implementation
- Integration of legacy applications
- Reuse of enterprise components
- Automation support for the development life-cycle
- Application integration through business-centered specifications

Learn More

To learn more, check out our white papers, or contact us directly. You will see how we can truly architect solutions that meet the needs of your enterprise—scaleably,  agiley, and cost-effectively.