Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice has supplied infrastructure architectural services to the Department of Corrections since 2004. In the past 18 months these services have been extended to include applications and infrastructure architecture and design governance.
Business Challenges:
- IOMS (Integrated Offender Management System) needed to be re-architected and migrated to .Net in order to keep delivering more business functionality out to 2012 as it was based on VB6 and COM which was going out of support
- A large proportion of the hardware assets were due for replacement, including some Citrix servers which were not certified for Windows Server 2003
- Storage use was growing faster than anticipated and potentially expensive point solutions to address this needed to be avoided
- Corporate record-keeping processes needed to be overhauled to meet the Department’s needs as well as compliance legislation
- A desire to introduce more formal architectural standards and a consistent approach to managing application integration and upgrades of both hardware and software with more informed budget forecasting
Business Outcomes:
- A standardised, modular server architecture has been deployed successfully including Intel and Sun platforms
- A number of draft standards have been published and reference architectures are in the process of being defined
- Storage has been successfully consolidated onto centralised SAN and NAS devices but more work is required to reach the desired levels of utilisation
- Governance model for architecture and solution designs has been implemented
Deliverables:
- A plan and “future state” architecture to address infrastructure problems including security, availability, reliability, business continuity and performance, higher utilisation and ease of re-deployment.
- Infrastructure standards to form the basis of a reference architecture in order to ensure a consistent approach to design.
- A storage strategy that would drive higher utilisation of storage assets and provide greater predictability of costs ongoing
- Architectural input to projects to ensure a consistent application of standards
Architecture Services:
- Infrastructure architecture design to support the new IOMS application architecture
- A technology roadmap covering the period FY2005-FY2008
- Production of formal Infrastructure standards
- Selection and implementation of a standardised server infrastructure
- Selection and implementation of a standardised storage infrastructure
- High-level design for infrastructure supporting the EDRMS
- High-level design for a dedicated UAT and performance testing environment
- High-level design for Oracle 10g RAC on Linux
- Ongoing architectural oversight of EDRMS
- Architectural oversight of Sun server consolidation
Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice has provided applications architecture and project solution architecture services and specialist advice to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Identity Services since March 2005.
- The business investment programme features a high proportion of ICT-related projects aimed at streamlining business operations and processes.
- Managing an increasing complex and sizeable portfolio of diverse applications.
- Meeting a complex range of standards and legistation regarding handling and security of information.
- Enterprise participation in a relatively large number of electronic data exchanges with other government agencies.
- Design and development of the IVS (see above).
Business Outcomes:
- Architectural role established in four active business projects.
- Improved degree of business engagement on design and architecture issues.
- ICT are exploring the opportunities to enable broader enterprise initiatives for architecture planning, standardisation and reference models.
- IVS design and testing completed.
Deliverables:
- Solution architecture and design documentation.
- RFP documentation.
- Consultancy and advice.
- IVS design and pilot development.
Architecture Services:
- Thought leadership for the governance group to reinstate a strategic direction for IS applications and infrastructure.
- Project solution architect and design review responsibilities for a number of current projects.
- Overall architecture and design for the whole of government identity verification service (IVS) in partnership with the GCS group that is responsible for the Government Logon Service (GLS)
- Birth Notices Online solution design involving re-use of a .Net Portal framework and a Java-based life event registration software that Involves a .Net/Java hybrid solution
- Assistance for DIA engaging with specialist security vendors, and partnering with the organisation’s financial/legal teams to ensure they are delivering to key architectural goals.
- Designed and priced for development a high-availability data access document verification gateway.
- Ongoing architecture and solution design consultancy and advice.
Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice was engaged by a large corporate in the construction industry in mid 2006 to work with the IT management team and the Group CFO on an information systems strategy and to develop an enterprise architectural approach for applications and infrastructure across the group in Australia and NZ. Resultex has also been engaged to provide direction for the architecture and design governance functions since late in 2006.
Business Challenges:
- To build trust and confidence between the IS and the wider business
- IS investment was not keeping pace with investment in business growth
- IS governance and investment processes are immature - leading to undirected investment
- IS want to better identify and measure key performance and services levels – well before the problems become chronic
- The IS platform lacks robustness and flexibility to meet business needs in a timely manner
- There were difficulties across the group providing the right information to the right people at the right time
Business Outcomes:
- “Current state” review completed and themes of concern published and accepted by the business.
- Reference architectures and preferences documented for applications software and infrastructure.
- “Future state” architecture published and implementation plans produced.
- Board presentation for implementation plan prepared and delivered. Acceptance in principle reached and detailed planning commenced.
Deliverables:
- A comprehensive analysis of their IS “current state” of applications and infrastructure outlining themes of concern
- Infrastructure and applications reference architectures, preferences and standards
- A “future state” architecture for applications and infrastructure that incorporates: the group’s business strategy, approaches to address all themes of concern (from current state analysis), addresses all documented non-functional expectations and follows an agreed reference architecture
- A detailed 3 year plan to implement the key aspects of the “future state” architecture
- Solution designs for specific components of the architecture
Architecture Services:
- Current state analysis through formal COBIT reviews of infrastructure and applications
- Alignment of IS strategy with the business strategy to ensure future IS investment is tightly linked with the directions and evolution of the business
- Establishment of architecture and design governance processes including establishment of a reference architecture, an overall architecture authority and design review boards
- Development and formal publication of both application and infrastructure “future state” reference architectures
- Development and publication of essential IS policies and standards
- Specification of the “future state” applications and infrastructure architecture and the development of plans for implementation that span the next three years
- Ongoing design reviews for applications and for infrastructure
- Ongoing Enterprise Architecture and solution approach assistance
Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice was initially engaged by NZ Post Retail to review the architecture approach, solution architecture, solution designs and governance model for the Breakthrough Programme of work after it had been running for approximately 18 months. Subsequent to the initial review the Practice was retained as the Architecture Authority and architecture governance functions for the duration of this Programme and beyond (still active) for the NZ Post Retail group. The budget for this programme was significant.
Business Challenges:
- Establish architectural and design governance principles standards and processes for the Breakthrough Programme of work
- Increase business confidence that the target outcomes of the Breakthrough Programme would be achieved
- Ensure the Breakthrough Programme was delivered on time and under budget
- Deliver an architecture for NZ Post Retail that would provide long term sustained value
Business Outcomes:
- Programme delivered to business expectations well under the agreed budget
- Governance model for architecture and solution designs has lived on past the original
- Programme for all NZ Post Retail IS projects Architecture has proven to be flexible, scalable, robust and cost effective
Deliverables:
- Solution Scope statement for the Programme
- Solution Architecture for the Programme
- Solution designs for specific components of the architecture
- Standards and reference architecture artefacts as mandated by the project
Architecture Services:
- Initial review of architecture approach roles, methods, tools and artefacts evidenced within the Breakthrough Programme projects after 18 months of progress in six project streams
- Establishment of comprehensive architecture and design governance processes for the Breakthrough Programme including establishment of a reference architecture, an overall architecture authority and design review boards
- Integration of multiple vendors, multiple project streams and software and hardware solution architecture and design processes into a single integrated management process
- Production of the key high level architectural artefacts either by Resultex team members or by directing other Solution Architects from NZ Post and the vendors to produce them (NZ Post support RUP so we primarily used the RUP templates for these artefacts). NB. The programme had already been running 18 months so this was initially catch-up work
- Chairmanship of the Architecture Authority and direct participation in the design review boards (called Design Authorities).
- Produced or directed the production of specific designs for critical aspects of the Solution Architecture
- Oversaw a radical change in overall architectural direction to better align with the problem being solved, the experience of the business and to meet time and cost expectations
- Reviewed the SDLC and management practices of the vendors who were performing the software development and implementation of the solutions. Recommended significant changes to these processes
- Reviewed the operations and deployment environments for the deployed solutions and similarly recommended significant changes to these environments and the technology stacks
- Ongoing design reviews primarily for applications but also for infrastructure
- Ongoing architecture and solution approach advice
Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice was engaged by TEC when the organisation was first establishing its business and operations IS structures in 2004 and continued with this organisation until early in 2007.
Business Challenges:
- At the time Resultex was initially engaged by TEC the organisation was just being formed incorporating a previous organisation. The initial challenges were to provide a stable infrastructure and commence integration of the diverse systems particularly from a management information perspective. To develop a strategic IS vision for TEC’s funding applications. To provide a consistent management information and reporting platform (BI and data warehouse)
Business Outcomes:
- Comprehensive enterprise architecture developed and common service elements developed. New funding approval mechanisms implemented
- Data warehouse and BI environment established
- Education Sector Data Model (ESDM) completed as a sub-project within the Education Sector Architectural Framework (ESAF)
Deliverables:
- An enterprise architecture that encompassed all the core information processing and management functions of the TEC funding systems
- A data warehouse and business management decision support and reporting environment
- An information (data) model for all funding services
- An education sector data model (TEC representative) for the management of information that is of sector-wide interest and significance and to provide the foundation for sharing information between sector entities
Architecture Services:
- Developed and documented the TEC enterprise architecture for applications and infrastructure
- Developed a strategy for communicating the enterprise architecture to the wider organisation and defined processes to ensure the architecture continued to accurately reflect changes to the business
- Managed the TEC architecture function to ensure that it achieved the following outcomes:
- Maximised reuse of existing enterprise models
- Established a common language to describe the purpose, resources and process of the business
- Provided a vehicle to facilitate communication and collaboration throughout the organisation
- Encouraged integration and co-ordination across the organisation Enhanced the organisation’s ability to assess the impact of business changes, including legislation and sector initiated change
- Ensured greater alignment with business strategies and objectives
- Provided TEC with all the inputs to an ISSP (Information Systems Strategic Plan) that resulted in “living” models that effectively eliminated the need for a future ISSP, if they so desired
- Acted on the Education Sector Architectural Framework (ESAF) as TEC representative architects for shared services, authentication and authorisation, data and infrastructure projects
- Designed and developed the TEC data warehouse
Background:
The Resultex Architecture Practice has been the appointed Enterprise Architecture function and has directed architectural and solution design governance processes for Toyota NZ since early in 2006 and we retain these responsibilities on an ongoing basis. Our work initially focused on reviewing the current state of their infrastructure but has subsequently included WAN and LAN redevelopment, data centre design and a complete overhaul of their applications reference architecture and EAI strategy.
Business Challenges:
- The “current state” of Toyota NZ’s enterprise architecture (applications and infrastructure) was known to have a number of challennges that needed to be prioritised and then planned for resolution
- Software and infrastructure standards needed to be formalised to ensure effective investment and return on capital
- IS initiatives needed to be delivered in a timely and cost effective manner
Business Outcomes:
- Infrastructure upgrade is nearing completion with all major challenges addressed
- Applications and infrastructure reference architectures have been published and are incorporated in all IS projects
- Governance model for architecture and solution designs is operating effectively at Toyota NZ
Deliverables:
- A plan and “future state” architecture to address infrastructure requirements including security, availability, reliability, business continuity and performance
- Applications and infrastructure, preferences and reference architectures
- Solution designs for specific components of the architecture
Architecture Services:
- Current state analysis of infrastructure.
- Developed applications and infrastructure reference architectures
- Developed a “future state” applications architecture
- Developed wireless policy and design for mobile workforce within Toyota’s warehouse
- Led the storage virtualisation strategy and implementation projects
- Developed the server virtualisation strategy and provided oversight of implementation
- Led the boundary and LAN design and delivery projects
- Provided architectural leadership and design governance for all aspects of Toyota NZ’s software and infrastructure development
- Advised and assisted with the development of the Toyota BI and data warehouse strategies
- Directed the efforts of solution architects and designers from multiple vendor/partners on behalf of Toyota NZ
- Assisted Toyota management with the overall development of an Information Systems Strategic Plan and IT investment model (ongoing)
- Ongoing design reviews for applications and for infrastructure
- Ongoing Enterprise Architecture and solution approach assistance