The Benefit of Using Architecture Tools

A wide variety of tools are expected to be able to create NAF-compliant architecture views, ranging from simple office automation products to sophisticated diagramming and design tools.

Ideally tools should support the NAF Meta-Model and be able to exchange models via an RDF (W3C’s Resource Description Framework) file format derived from MODEM.

The success of architecting from a resource and modelling perspective will depend on what types of modelling tools will be available to support NAF compliant architectures. However, in order to gain maximum benefit from architecture modelling, the following questions should be considered when choosing a tool:

• Does the tool allow all of the necessary elements and relationships to be included within a view?

• Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring compliance with the NAF Meta-model?

• Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring coherence between the different views within an architecture?

• Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring coherence between different architectures?

• Does the tool provide (or interface to) a repository capability that enables architectures to be collated and inter-linked?

• Does the tool provide a capability to explore the relationships between architectures in order to answer questions about the enterprise?