Frameworks and tools for building enterprise information architectures

Large enterprises are complex entities operating in a fast-moving environment facing ever-increasing demands for higher values. Changing regulatory environments also pose huge challenges for such organisations. To ensure that a firm's IT structure and knowledge base is effectively developed and managed, it has already been recognised that organisations need to develop and maintain appropriate Enterprise Information Architectures. With this in mind, this paper discusses some basic relevant concepts and provides a review of a number of Enterprise Information Architectures and other initiatives, including Zachman Framework, RM-ODP, TOGAF, C41SR/DoDAF, ARIS, FEAF and TEA F Their merits are discussed and relevant comparisons are made. Various tools for building Information Architectures are also discussed The objective is to produce a report with enough appropriate background information so that it serves as a useful guidance for the large enterprises who wish to embark on the process of developing and implementing enterprise-wide IT and information architectures.