iServer Data Exchange - Import and Export Interfaces
Organizations often use variety of tools to describe their
enterprise architecture or to hold information needed to create
their Enterprise Architecture artifacts and deliverables. It is
essential that an EA tool has ability to seamlessly transfer
information between these different data sources in order to
'fast-track' the creation of architectural information, to
synchronise (update it), or to enrich it. iServer Data
Exchange is an import and synchronization interface, enabling
import of data from either Excel or XML using the intuitive iServer
Data Exchange Import Wizard.
Common Reasons for Looking at iServer Data Exchange
Data Exchange is necessary for most customers building an
Enterprise Architecture capability. Invariably, EA data,
especially information on the current state, already exists within
the business. It makes sense to reuse or make use of any existing,
relevant and more importantly maintained data. Here is a
sample of some of the reasons customers choose Data Exchange:
- Information about the Architecture components stored in
multiple systems
- Information held in other EA or BPA tools - either a
complementary tools or where tool complexity has meant use was
unsustainable
- Enterprise Architecture team has established practice of
collecting data in Excel
- More comfortable managing data in Excel
- Asset/ inventory lists held or 'mastered' in CMDB or other
Asset Management Systems
- Architectural lists subject to constant change
Benefits of iServer Data Exchange
Reusing existing data is not only sensible, but also ensures the
architecture recognized by the business experts/owners involved,
saves time and money, and assures the credibility of the
Architecture and the Architects. A large number of organizations
have previously used other Enterprise Architecture tools (which
turn out to be difficult to use) to build models and meta-data;
with Data Exchange, migration is quick and easy, and the creation
of new artifacts and deliverables can be sped up significantly.
User resistance can also be minimized by allowing process owners
to continue to editing content in Excel with Data Exchange managing
the scheduled import back into the Process Repository.
iServer Data Exchange Capabilities
Data Exchange has a series of easy to use but comprehensive
capabilities. These include:
- Generation of Enterprise Architecture objects (building blocks)
from Data Imported from other tools (via Excel and XML)
- Synchronization EA Content with External Data Sources
(Master Data Management)
- Import of Relationship and Meta Data Information Held in or Via
Excel / XML
- Scheduled, bulk data refresh and synchronization
- Bulk re-use of imported Objects in iServer Models
- Options to manage imported objects to control post-import
changes and or updates.
Further
information on Data Exchange Capabilities