Objectives
The SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework covers five pillars:
How does it relate to the TOGAF®, the Architecture Framework of The Open Group?
The Open Group is a global consortium that enables the achievement of business objectives through technology standards. TOGAF® is a registered trademark of The Open Group.
SAP is a member of the open group and has contributed to the creation and definition of TOGAF®.
The Open Group Architecture Framework TOGAF® is an industry-standard and foundational framework that can be applied to develop any kind of architecture and Enterprise Architecture practices in any context.
It is freely available for any organization wishing to develop an Enterprise Architecture for Internal use.
As a generic architecture framework, TOGAF® requires adaption for specific contexts. According to the TOGAF® specification v9.2, it is "in all cases expected that the architect will adapt and build on the TOGAF® framework to define a tailored method" (quote from TOGAF® specification v9.2.)
The SAP EA Methodology leverages and tailors TOGAF® to provide a -refined methodology for most use cases along the entire software lifecycle.
SAP Product Engineering, SAP Customer Advisory, SAP Service Delivery, and key SAP customers from various industries closely collaborated to:
The SAP EA Methodology is based on the Open Group Architecture Framework and is designed to reduce tailoring efforts for a broad range of architecture activities.
Additionally, the SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework also includes SAP Reference Architecture Content -provided by SAP experts- tooling, practice recommendations, and professional services:
The provisioning of SAP portfolio-agnostic Reference Business Architecture content and SAP or Partner Reference Solution Architectures supports rapid initiation of many architecture projects. The Reference Architecture content can help to overcome typical difficulties when starting architecture activities from scratch.
The SAP reference solution architecture provides valuable information on possible integration, APIs, middleware content, and master data distribution between SAP and Non-SAP solution components as partners of third-party components. System Integrators find valuable insights in combining solutions, software, or services from different providers.
While reference architecture content is only a valuable input that must be adjusted to the needs and goals of concrete architecture activities.
Tooling, practice recommendations, and service offerings provide intense help and support when establishing Enterprise Architecture practices, Enterprise Architecture capabilities, or specific architecture projects.
The SAP EA Methodology generally follows the Open Group Architecture Development Cycle.
We provide refined descriptions from our perspective most valuable and, therefore, recommended architecture work products. We explain the techniques to create and leverage these artifacts to maximize value.
Practical advice, templates, and reusable reference content provide helpful support, extended by offered professional services.
The Open Group Architecture Framework and the SAP EA Methodology and Framework explicitly support agile approaches.
Iterative sprints can be applied within phases, across phases, or across the complete architecture development cycles. These iterative cycles can, for example, combine implementation governance and architecture change management to discover early challenges with specific target or architecture aspects.
The decision to use the SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework shall be based on the anticipation and judgment of how much the architecture work benefits from the refinements and add-ons of the SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework. It is also possible to use single aspects and advantages of the SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework.
Here are some common misconceptions about SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework clarified to help you better understand the framework that’s been created.
If you want to leverage agile approaches in the development or implementation of Target or Transition Architectures, you have to choose SAP EAF over TOGAF --- WRONG.
This is not the decision criteria for going with TOGAF or SAP EAF since both frameworks support agile development.
SAP EAF only offers value if you plan to go for an SAP-only or SAP-centric target architecture --- WRONG.
The SAP EA Framework offers advantages beyond the SAP-centric Reference Solution Architectures.
The SAP EA Methodology concretizes artifacts, artifacts, and techniques.
The SAP Reference Business Architecture provides an SAP portfolio-agnostic system of business capabilities, business processes, business information, and more.
The SAP Reference Solution Architecture provides valuable information on possible integration between SAP and Non-SAP solution components, such as partner or third-party components, including APIs, middleware content, and typical master data distribution.
System Integrators find valuable insights for combining solutions, software, or services from different providers.
The SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework can only be used with SAP EA tools --- WRONG.
Reference Content can easily be consumed via the highly recommended SAP EA tools, but the usage of reference content, services, practice, or technique recommendations is not restricted to the usage with or within SAP enterprise architecture tools.
SAP EAF can only be applied with the involvement of SAP EA Service offerings --- WRONG.
SAP EA service can help, for example, establish EA practices in any organization, develop and implement new Target Architectures, or drive business transformation.
The usage of SAP EAF is not restricted to the involvement of SAP EA Services.
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