Rapid technology architectural assessment

Complete, up-to-date, technology architectural assessments may have significant value.  A properly executed and evaluated assessment is invaluable in assuring the technology architecture is adequate to support the business objectives or forming strategic plans.   If they are understood and reflect the architectural landscape currently in place, they can have tremendous tactical value.  Rapid architectural assessment is a process of reviewing the architecture to understand how it will effect a tactical system deployment and, conversely, how that deployment will impact an architecture.  Often it is called "readiness assessment" but, It should be an integral part of any system deployment.

Architecture assessment

This is a process whereby the technology architecture is examined, cataloged and evaluated.  The cataloging is to ensure that the components we believe we have, are indeed, the components that are present.  This cataloging should be performed in as automated a fashion as possible.  The evaluation/assessment is the true art of the endeavor.   The assessment should ascertain how closely the technology architecture is aligned with the business goals and objectives.  Much of this assessment is judgment-based upon trends in both technology and the business segment(s) in which the organization is involved.

Data architecture assessment

An enterprise data architecture can be a tremendous tool in assisting an organization in deploying and integrating systems across an organization.  An enterprise data architecture should be an executive statement of the visionary relationship between data objects the organization wishes to implement.  It should be the framework that shapes data design decisions during the tactical systems design phases.  Ideally it provides a unified framework for any system integration activity.

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

The process side of an integrated architecture.  Normalized data messages between systems.