Application Vendors

[antpopple]

Hi all,

Does anyone capture the vendor of an application?  If so, are you doing it via a custom field, or is there an out of the box solution?

Currently, I can only see Application -> Technology -> Vendor.  We don't always want to go that path.

Thanks!

Ant

[BenAvdicevic]

@antpopple I hear you.  We're in the same boat to some extent.   Such is a life of an EA. 😉

[antpopple]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your input.  I like your suggestion, and it aligns with my preferred approach.  I find too often that people get hung up on software titles and not the business purpose of the software.

My challenge now is to pitch this in an environment that has 800+ pieces of software that are classified as business applications!

Cheers, Ant

[brahimhaddar]

@BenAvdicevic 

The response is clever. I find it interesting how it brings a solution to the SaaS VS Technology VS Vendor while still being consistent with TOGAF. Thanks a lot!

[BenAvdicevic · Accepted solution]

@brahimhaddar 

Question is great.

We use a lot of SaaS in our organization.    The "Technology" for "SaaS" services is the the "SaaS Service" itself.  We don't care what other technologies vendor uses to deliver the SaaS service.  

For a fictional example that is easy to follow.

You can have an:

• Application object called "IT Asset Management"   and link a Software Technology object called "Servicenow SaaS"
  
  
• Application called "Client Relations Manager" and linked to Software Technology Object called "Salesforce CRM"

What HOPEX is doing is actually consistent with TOGAF, Archimate and other EA metamodels.

In HOPEX,  the Application object is the "Application Component" in Archimate  - which is completely vendor agnostic concept.    Hence, there is no "Vendor" field for it out of box.

To get to vendor you either have to:

1) Link Application to Software Technology object

2) Extend HOPEX Application object to add the "Vendor" attribute.

If you choose option 2), be cautions not to confuse your Business Applications with technology products you buy from vendors.   There is a reason why the Application layer is different from the Technology layer in EA frameworks.

Hope that helps a bit.

[brahimhaddar]

Hello,

In my opinion, the question is worth asking.

I do have the same question. Here is my context and I would love to hear how to deal with it using Hopex.

I do have applications that are SaaS based. They are directly provided by vendors. I have no clue which technologies are used behind the scenes nor want to know (after all this is why we use SaaS).

How do I link such application to the vendor as the technology link is missing?

Regards,

[fredhalas · Accepted solution]

Hello Anthony,

The Hopex standard (Out Of The Box) articulation is :

- "Application" uses "Software Technology"

- "Vendor" provides "Software Technology"

Application (implementation specific to the organisation) and Software Technology (product on the market) have different life cycles.

There is no OOTB Application - Vendor link. This simplification of the model would require a custom link.