The Open Group, a vendor- and technology-neutral consortium focused on open standards and global interoperability within and between enterprises, today announced the general availability of TOGAF™ version 9.
Developed and endorsed by the members of The Open Group’s Architecture Forum, TOGAF version 9 represents an industry consensus framework and method for Enterprise Architecture that’s made available for use internally by any organization around the world, including both members and non-members of The Open Group. The latest version of TOGAF is available for free download at: http://www.opengroup.org/togaf/.
A truly evolutionary release, TOGAF 9 features significant enhancements to key capabilities of the framework introduced in previous versions. For example, TOGAF 9 includes new materials that show in detail how the Architecture Development Method (ADM) can be applied to specific situations, such as service-oriented architecture (SOA) and security architecture.
In addition, the new Architecture Content Framework includes a detailed content meta-model that formalizes the definition of an enterprise architecture (EA) and also establishes clear links between business and IT objects. In all areas, the specification adds detail and clarity above and beyond previous TOGAF versions.
“With equal parts technology expertise and business savvy, today’s enterprise architects are critical agents in helping global IT organizations create closer links to the business side,” said Allen Brown, CEO for The Open Group. “The majority of these professionals and their organizations have embraced TOGAF as their preferred standard method for EA design and implementation. Thanks to the incredibly hard work of our members over the last year and a half, the industry is now going to get even more value out of TOGAF with version 9.”
Another key enhancement in TOGAF 9 is the introduction of a seven-part structure and reorganization of the framework into modules with well defined purposes that will allow future modules to evolve at different speeds and with limited impact across the entire blueprint. The following is a summary of key enhancements to TOGAF 9:
- Detailed overview on how to apply the Architecture Development Method (ADM) to specific infrastructure situations, such as SOA and security architecture;
- Expanded content framework with a content meta-model that formalizes the definition of an enterprise architecture and establishes clear links between business and IT objects;
- Revised modular structure for simplified consideration of the specific aspects of an architecture’s core capabilities;
- Extended set of concepts and guidelines to support the creation of integrated hierarchies of architectures within organizations that have design governance models.
“The forum members’ focus with TOGAF 9 was to provide increased flexibility for enterprise architectures and to give enterprise architects extensive supporting materials that illustrate how the TOGAF Architecture Development Method – or ADM – can be applied to specific situations, such as SOA and security design implementations,” said Chris Forde, Chair of The Open Group’s Architecture Forum and VP Integrator SDN-T Strategy & Architecture, American Express. “With TOGAF 9, business leaders are able to ensure that a consistent process is used to efficiently evolve business capabilities at various levels, and ultimately bring greater alignment between the goals of a business and the solutions delivered by IT.”
Mike Turner, TOGAF Development Lead at Capgemini explained: “We consider an architecture-based approach to be essential for enterprises to manage change across business and IT, even more in a period of downturn in which tangible business outcomes come first. The open standard nature of TOGAF allows our clients to truly collaborate with their partners in the definition and management of change by using shared concepts, content, processes and tools. TOGAF 9 is a huge step forward, particularly because it standardizes and materializes the content that architects work with. We were most happy to contribute to it, leveraging much of Capgemini’s established and widely respected architecture assets.”
TOGAF is an industry standard enterprise architecture framework that is available free of cost to any organization wishing to develop an enterprise information systems architecture for use within that organization. More than 60 percent of the Fortune 50 and 80 percent of the Global Forbes 50 use TOGAF to reduce time, costs and risks associated with developing an enterprise architecture and improve overall business agility. TOGAF certification programs exist for individuals, trainers, professional services, and tool support. These programs enable organizations to standardize on an open method for IT architecture and avoid lock-in to the proprietary methods of major vendors.
“The philosophy of Real IRM, the representative of The Open Group in South Africa, is that enterprise architecture reduces risk, adds value and drives change within organizations,” noted Paul van der Merwe, consulting manager at Real IRM. “Our goal is to enable our clients to establish business-appropriate and sustainable enterprise architecture practices in their organizations. TOGAF 9 allows them to do just that by providing a comprehensive set of best practices, specifically in terms of the EA process, organization and the structuring of the EA repository.”
Worldwide there are currently more than 7,500 individuals that hold the TOGAF certification and over 30 worldwide training partners support continued market adoption by both individuals and organizations alike. To date more than 90,000 copies of the TOGAF framework have been downloaded from The Open Group’s website and more than 20,000 hard copies of the TOGAF series have been sold.
For more information on TOGAF 9, please visit http://www.opengroup.org/togaf or download the “Introduction to TOGAF 9” whitepaper at http://www.opengroup.org/bookstore/catalog/w094.htm. For more information on the migration from TOGAF version 8.1.1 to the new version 9, please download the “TOGAF 9: Migration Overview” whitepaper at http://www.opengroup.org/bookstore/catalog/w095.htm.
Hardcopies of the TOGAF series books – including version 9 – are available for purchase at http://www.opengroup.org/bookstore/catalog or www.vanharen.net.
For more information on becoming a Certified TOGAF 9 practitioner, please visit: http://www.opengroup.org/togaf/cert/
For more information on the TOGAF 9 Commercial Licensing program, please visit: http://www.opengroup.org/togaf/