The Concept of the Generic Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology

The functional components of a Generic Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology are the following:

• Generic Enterprise Reference Architecture (GERA);

  This is the definition of enterprise related concepts, with the primary focus on the life-cycle of the enterprise. Since the life-cycle can be considered as a design process the architecture will also have to identify the results and the intermediary components of this design process.

• Generic Enterprise Engineering Methodology (GEEM).

  This is the description, on a generic level, of the processes of enterprise integration. In other words the methodology is a detailed process-model, with instructions for each step of the integration project.

• Generic Enterprise Modelling Tools and Languages (GEMT&L);

  The engineering of the integrated enterprise is a highly sophisticated, multidisciplinary management, design and implementation exercise during which various forms of descriptions and models of the target enterprise need to be created. To express these models potentially more then one modelling language is needed.

Further, based on the above three components, define:

• Generic Enterprise Models (GEMs)

  Generic enterprise models capture concepts which are common to all enterprises. Therefore the enterprise engineering process can use them as tested components for building any specific enterprise model. It is possible to distinguish two levels of models

  • Ontological theories

    These theories describe the most generic aspects of enterprise-related concepts. (They can also be considered to be "meta-models" because the facts and rules in them are about facts and rules of enterprise models). Ontological theories play similar role that "data models" play in database design. Ontological theories capture the most basic properties of enterprise-related concepts (function, structure, dynamics, cost, etc).

  • Reusable Enterprise Models which are of the following types:
    • Models which capture some common part of a class of enterprises. This type of reusable enterprise model can be used as a building block of a complete set of models.

    • Paradigmatic (prototypical) models which describe a typical enterprise of a class. Prototype models can be subsequently modified to fit a particular case.

    • Generic (abstract) model of a part of a class of enterprise which captures the commonalities but leaves out specific details. This type of model is of the "fill-in-the-blank" type.

• Generic Enterprise Modules (GMs)

  Modules are products, which are standard implementations of components that are likely to be used in enterprise integration - either by the enterprise integration project or by the enterprise itself. Generic modules can be configured to form more complex modules for the use of an individual enterprise. Two typical generic modules are:

  • Enterprise Engineering Tool (EET)
  • Enterprise Integration Platform or Integration Infrastructure (IIS)