Architecture Development Method (ADM)
- What It Is: ADM is a step-by-step process or method.
- Purpose: It guides you on how to create and manage enterprise architecture.
- Focus: It’s about the process of building and maintaining architecture.
- Example: Think of ADM as the step-by-step guide you follow to construct a building—from planning to construction to finishing touches.
Enterprise Continuum
- What It Is: The Enterprise Continuum is a way to organize and classify architectural resources.
- Purpose: It helps you organize, categorize, and understand different types of architectural assets, from general to specific.
- Focus: It’s about the content and organization of architecture assets.
- Example: The Enterprise Continuum is like the library or catalog where you store and access all the designs, templates, and materials you need to build various types of buildings.
Key Difference
- ADM is about how to create architecture (the process).
- Enterprise Continuum is about what resources you have and how they’re organized (the content and its classification).
How They Work Together?
- While working through the ADM process, you refer to the Enterprise Continuum to find and use relevant architecture resources that are already available, ensuring efficiency and consistency.
In simple terms
- ADM = The method you follow to build.
- Enterprise Continuum = The library of tools and resources you use to build.
Summary
- ADM is the process you follow to design and implement the IT infrastructure.
- Enterprise Continuum is the library where you find everything you need—generic models, industry standards, and company-specific designs—to help you build it efficiently and correctly. You start by looking at this library to get a broad understanding of what your architecture might need at a very high level. For Instance:
- Reusable components like templates for a standard enterprise network, a typical database setup, or a universal authentication system.
- Pre-built architectures specific to your industry, such as a healthcare data management system or a financial transaction processing system.
- Technology Architecture, you leverage organization-specific architectures from past projects to ensure consistency in your network and security setups.
For Your Further Reading:
