DON Enterprise Architecture: Supporting Effectiveness and Efficiencies
By Victor Ecarma - Published, May 3, 2011
The Department of the Navy Enterprise Architecture (EA), with its initial release in July 2009 and version 2.0.000 release in July 2010, continues to support departmental efforts toward effectiveness and efficiency by providing standardized processes, detailed guidance and a central location for DON EA information. By using the DON EA, program managers can avoid duplication of effort and more quickly produce enterprise architecture solutions for their program.
The DON EA authoritative process will support the initial DON IT/cyberspace efficiency focus areas, cited in the DON CIO memo, "Department of the Navy Information Technology (IT)/Cyberspace Efficiency Initiatives and Realignment Tasking," of Dec. 20, 2010. These efficiency focus areas support the DoD IT consolidation efforts for IM/IT/cyberspace and Information Resources Management. Future DON EA releases will incorporate key attributes of the efficiency focus areas (e.g., standardized processes and requirements) to support the DON's effectiveness and efficiency implementation efforts.
The DON EA provides an authoritative process for decision makers to assess all Information Technology/National Security Systems (IT/NSS) investments for Global Information Grid mission areas against DON strategic goals and objectives. (The GIG mission areas consist of the Business Mission Area, Enterprise Information Environment Mission Area, Warfighting Mission Area and Defense Intelligence Mission Area.) DON EA links compliance assessments to key DON IT/NSS investment management and review processes, including the DON IM/IT Investment and Annual Review and Title 40/Clinger-Cohen Act (Title 40/CCA) confirmation. As future releases occur, the DON EA will support the system engineering technical review and FORCEnet consolidated compliance checklist processes.
The DON EA contains artifacts ranging from traditional Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) viewpoints, such as the Integrated Dictionary, to nontraditional or "fit-for-purpose" artifacts, such as commercial off-the-shelf fielding (COTSF), within the DON artifacts. Traditional DoDAF products and architecture common element lists in the DON EA assist department program managers in the development of solution architectures mandated by the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System and Defense Acquisition System processes.
These traditional artifacts help minimize the need for solution architects to recreate portions of the enterprise architecture that are not specific to individual programs. Existing laws, regulations, policies and guidance form the basis of other nontraditional DON artifacts, such as the COTSF artifact described above. These "actionable" artifacts, extracted from existing DON policies or strategy, guide the department's IT/NSS investment toward achieving departmental goals and objectives.
The DON EA compliance and waiver processes provide a transparent mechanism for DON programs to ensure the execution and implementation of existing DON EA policy and strategic goals. In addition, the metrics produced, resulting from the DON EA compliance and waiver process, provide the DON with new insights into the quality, practicality and successful implementation of existing policy and guidance.
The next scheduled DON EA release is planned for July 2011. Official DON EA releases and updates will be disseminated via Navy messages. DON CIO will make informal announcements about DON EA updates and changes via the Intelink eChirp microblogging tool.
Victor Ecarma supports the DON CIO enterprise architecture and emerging technologies team.