The IT4IT™ Reference Architecture, Version 2.1

The Open Group IT4IT™ Reference Architecture, Version 2.1

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Open Group Standard

The Open Group IT4IT™ Reference Architecture, Version 2.1

Document Number: C171

Published by The Open Group, April 2017.

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Contents

1    Introduction

1.1   Objective

1.2   Overview

1.3   Conformance

1.4   Normative References

1.5   Terminology

1.6   Future Directions

2    Definitions

2.1   Service Lifecycle Data Object

2.2   IT Value Chain

2.3   Value Chain

2.4   Value Stream

2.5   Functional Component

2.6   Service Model Backbone Data Object

2.7   Relationship

2.8   System of Record

2.9   IT Service

3    Overview

3.1   What is the IT Value Chain?

3.2   IT Value Chain and IT4IT Reference Architecture

3.3   IT Value Streams

3.3.1    Strategy to Portfolio

3.3.2    Requirement to Deploy

3.3.3    Request to Fulfill

3.3.4    Detect to Correct

3.4   IT4IT Reference Architecture

3.4.1    Service Model

3.4.2    Information Model

3.4.3    Functional Model

3.4.4    Integration Model

3.5   IT Service

4    IT4IT Core

4.1   Introduction

4.2   IT4IT Abstraction Levels and Class Structure

4.2.1    IT4IT Abstractions

4.2.2    Concepts at Level 1: End-to-End Overview

4.2.3    Level 1 Reference Architecture Model

4.2.4    Concepts at Level 2: Value Stream Documentation

4.2.5    Level 2 Reference Architecture Diagram (Example)

4.2.6    Concepts at Level 3: Vendor-Independent Architecture

4.2.7    Level 3 Reference Architecture Diagram (Example)

4.2.8    Concepts at Levels 4 and 5 – Vendor Extensions

5    Strategy to Portfolio (S2P) Value Stream

5.1   Objectives

5.2   Business Value Proposition

5.3   Key Performance Indicators

5.4   Value Stream Definition

5.4.1    Enterprise Architecture Functional Component

5.4.2    Policy Functional Component

5.4.3    Proposal Functional Component

5.4.4    Portfolio Demand Functional Component

5.4.5    Service Portfolio Functional Component

5.4.6    IT Investment Portfolio – Auxiliary Functional Component

6    Requirement to Deploy (R2D) Value Stream

6.1   Objectives

6.2   Business Value Proposition

6.3   Key Performance Indicators

6.4   Value Stream Definition

6.4.1    Project Functional Component

6.4.2    Requirement Functional Component

6.4.3    Service Design Functional Component

6.4.4    Source Control Functional Component

6.4.5    Build Functional Component

6.4.6    Build Package Functional Component

6.4.7    Release Composition Functional Component

6.4.8    Test Functional Component

6.4.9    Defect Functional Component

7    Request to Fulfill (R2F) Value Stream

7.1   Objectives

7.2   Business Value Proposition

7.3   Key Performance Indicators

7.4   Value Stream Definition

7.4.1    Engagement Experience Portal (Secondary Functional Component)

7.4.2    Offer Consumption Functional Component

7.4.3    Offer Management Functional Component

7.4.4    Catalog Composition Functional Component

7.4.5    Request Rationalization Functional Component

7.4.6    Fulfillment Execution Functional Component

7.4.7    Usage Functional Component

7.4.8    Chargeback/Showback Functional Component

7.4.9    Knowledge & Collaboration Supporting Function

8    Detect to Correct (D2C) Value Stream

8.1   Objectives

8.2   Business Value Proposition

8.3   Key Performance Indicators

8.4   Value Stream Definition

8.4.1    Service Monitoring Functional Component

8.4.2    Event Functional Component

8.4.3    Incident Functional Component

8.4.4    Problem Functional Component

8.4.5    Change Control Functional Component

8.4.6    Configuration Management Functional Component

8.4.7    Diagnostics & Remediation Functional Component

8.4.8    Service Level Functional Component

8.4.9    Other IT Operations Areas

A Rationale (Informative)

A.1  Introduction

A.2  Definitions

A.3  Overview

A.3.1   Business Drivers for an Improved IT Operating Model

A.3.2   The IT Value Chain

A.4  IT4IT Core

A.4.1   Value Streams

A.4.2   Functional Components

A.5  Strategy to Portfolio Value Stream

A.5.1 Related Standards, Frameworks, and Guidance

A.6  Requirement to Deploy Value Stream

A.6.1   Related Standards, Frameworks, and Guidance

A.7  Request to Fulfill Value Stream

A.7.1   Related Standards, Frameworks, and Guidance

A.8  Detect to Correct Value Stream

A.8.1   Related Standards, Frameworks, and Guidance

List of Figures

Figure 1: Documentation Structure of the IT4IT Reference Architecture

Figure 2: IT Value Chain

Figure 3: IT Value Streams and Service Models

Figure 4: Value Stream Overview

Figure 5: Strategy to Portfolio Activities

Figure 6: Requirement to Deploy Activities

Figure 7: Request to Fulfill Activities

Figure 8: Detect to Correct Activities

Figure 9: IT4IT Service Model

Figure 10: Data Objects and Relationships

Figure 11: Engagement Experience Portal Functional Component

Figure 12: Data Flows in the IT4IT Reference Architecture

Figure 13: Engagement and Insight Information Flow

Figure 14: IT Service

Figure 15: IT4IT Reference Architecture Levels

Figure 16: Level 1 Class Model

Figure 17: Functional Component Notation

Figure 18: Functional Component to Data Object Notation

Figure 19: Functional Components and Data Objects

Figure 20: Service Lifecycle Data Object Notation

Figure 21: System of Record Fabric

Figure 22: Relationships Notation

Figure 23: IT4IT Level 1 Reference Architecture Model

Figure 24: Level 2 Class Model

Figure 25: Data Flow Notation

Figure 26: Data Object State Model Dependency Illustration

Figure 27: System of Engagement Integration Illustration

Figure 28: System of Record and Engagement Integration Notation

Figure 29: Capability Discipline Informal Notation

Figure 30: Capability Discipline Formal Notation

Figure 31: Example Level 2 Diagram (R2F Value Stream)

Figure 32: Level 3 Class Model

Figure 33: Scenario Process Flow Example

Figure 34: Essential Service Diagram Example

Figure 35: Essential Attributes Example

Figure 36: Essential Attributes Notation

Figure 37: Example of Functional Components, Data Objects, and Essential Services

Figure 38: Level 3 Notation Guide

Figure 39: Strategy to Portfolio Level 2 Value Stream Diagram

Figure 40: Enterprise Architecture Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 41: Policy Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 42: Proposal Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 43: Portfolio Demand Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 44: Service Portfolio Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 45: IT Investment Portfolio – Auxiliary Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 46: Requirement to Deploy Level 2 Value Stream Diagram

Figure 47: Project Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 48: Requirement Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 49: Service Design Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 50: Source Control Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 51: Build Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 52: Build Package Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 53: Release Composition Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 54: Test Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 55: Defect Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 56: Request to Fulfill Level 2 Value Stream Diagram

Figure 57: Engagement Experience Portal Level 2 Model

Figure 58: Offer Consumption Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 59: Offer Management Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 60: Catalog Composition Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 61: Request Rationalization Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 62: Fulfillment Execution Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 63: Usage Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 64: Chargeback/Showback Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 65: Knowledge & Collaboration Supporting Function Level 2 Model

Figure 66: Detect to Correct Level 2 Value Stream Diagram

Figure 67: Service Monitoring Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 68: Event Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 69: Incident Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 70: Problem Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 71: Change Control Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 72: Configuration Management Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 73: Diagnostics & Remediation Functional Component Level 2 Model

Figure 74: Service Level Functional Component Level 2 Model

Preface

The Open Group

The Open Group is a global consortium that enables the achievement of business objectives through IT standards. With more than 500 member organizations, The Open Group has a diverse membership that spans all sectors of the IT community – customers, systems and solutions suppliers, tool vendors, integrators, and consultants, as well as academics and researchers – to:

•   Capture, understand, and address current and emerging requirements, and establish policies and share best practices

•   Facilitate interoperability, develop consensus, and evolve and integrate specifications and open source technologies

•   Offer a comprehensive set of services to enhance the operational efficiency of consortia

•   Operate the industry’s premier certification service

Further information on The Open Group is available at www.opengroup.org.

The Open Group publishes a wide range of technical documentation, most of which is focused on development of Open Group Standards and Guides, but which also includes white papers, technical studies, certification and testing documentation, and business titles. Full details and a catalog are available at www.opengroup.org/bookstore.

Readers should note that updates – in the form of Corrigenda – may apply to any publication. This information is published at www.opengroup.org/corrigenda.

The IT4IT™ Forum

The IT4IT Forum, a Forum of The Open Group, enables industry thought leaders to collaborate in the development of the IT4IT Value Chain and Reference Architecture standard for business benefit.

The mission of this Forum is to create and drive the adoption of the IT4IT Reference Architecture standard to manage the business of IT, enable business insight across the IT value chain, increase focus on business outcomes, and improve agility.

Participation in the IT4IT Forum enables IT practitioners, consultants, technology and training vendors, service providers, business managers, and academics to come together in a technology-agnostic, industry-agnostic, and vendor-neutral environment to solve shared IT Management challenges. Participants in IT4IT Forum work groups benefit as they:

•   Increase their depth of knowledge of the standard and how to use it to benefit their organization

•   Gain early access to the latest thinking, before it gets published broadly to the world

•   Learn from collaborating with others and networking with industry thought leaders and competitors

•   Build personal relationships and contacts that will be of benefit long into the future

•   Take advantage of opportunities to build a personal brand and develop professionally

For further information, visit www.opengroup.org/IT4IT.

This Document

The Open Group IT4IT™ Reference Architecture refers to the capability or capabilities required to manage the business of IT, covering IT end-to-end from plan, through build and operate. It assumes the principle that the business of running IT is industry-agnostic and that IT leaders share the same problems and opportunities in managing the service lifecycle effectively. At the core, these problems are rooted in IT structure, competencies, and capabilities and the missing link has been the lack of a business model for IT. The IT4IT Reference Architecture proposes that it is possible to establish an IT standard mapped to the existing IT landscape yet flexible enough to support the volatility inherent in the IT industry and accommodate changing IT paradigms (composite apps, agile development, mobile technology, multi-sourcing, etc.).

The IT Value Chain and IT4IT Reference Architecture represent the IT service lifecycle in a new and powerful way, providing the missing link between industry standard best practice guides and the technology you need to select and execute those processes. The IT Value Chain and IT4IT Reference Architecture are a new foundation on which to base your IT4IT operating model and provide a welcome blueprint for the CIO to accelerate IT’s transition to becoming a service broker to the business.

This document is The Open Group IT4IT Reference Architecture, Version 2.1, an Open Group Standard. It has been developed and approved by The Open Group.

This document is structured as follows:

•   Chapter 1 (Introduction) introduces this document and the purpose of the IT4IT work.

•   Chapter 2 (Definitions) lists important definitions needed in order to read the document.

•   Chapter 3 (Overview) is an introduction for executives and others introducing the IT Value Chain and IT4IT Reference Architecture concepts.

•   Chapter 4 (IT4IT Core) defines the structure of the IT4IT standard as well as the process and document structure used by the IT4IT standard.

•   Chapter 5 (Strategy to Portfolio (S2P) Value Stream) explains the S2P Value Stream in detail.

•   Chapter 6 (Requirement to Deploy (R2D) Value Stream) explains the R2D Value Stream in detail.

•   Chapter 7 (Request to Fulfill (R2F) Value Stream) explains the R2F Value Stream in detail.

•   Chapter 8 (Detect to Correct (D2C) Value Stream) explains the D2C Value Stream in detail.

•   Appendix A (Rationale (Informative)) contains background information on the standard.

How to Use this Standard

It is recommended that the reader start by familiarizing themselves with Chapter 3 (Overview) which introduces the concepts of the IT Value Chain. This should then be followed by the IT4IT Core (Chapter 4), and the four IT Value Streams. These are:

•   Strategy to Portfolio (S2P) Value Stream (Chapter 5)

•   Requirement to Deploy (R2D) Value Stream (Chapter 6)

•   Request to Fulfill (R2F) Value Stream (Chapter 7)

•   Detect to Correct (D2C) Value Stream (Chapter 8)

Documentation Structure of the IT4IT Reference Architecture

Figure 1 is a graphical representation of the data objects associated with the IT4IT Reference Architecture. The architecture is comprised of a set of normative documents1 and a formal model described using the ArchiMate® modeling language and UML. These define what the architecture is. The normative documentation includes:

•   IT4IT Reference Architecture Overview

•   IT4IT Value Stream Overview

•   IT4IT Reference Architecture diagrams

•   IT4IT meta-model diagram

•   Glossary

The Reference Architecture diagrams will be available in other formats as part of the licensed downloads from The Open Group website.

A set of guidance documents has been developed to accompany the architecture, intended to describe how to apply the architecture in practice. Guidance documents include:

•   Definition of IT Service White Paper

•   Service Model Management White Paper

•   Service-Level Management White Paper

•   Multi-Supplier Management White Paper

•   IT Financial Management Scenario

•   Agile Scenario

Figure 1: Documentation Structure of the IT4IT Reference Architecture

Documents/artifacts that fall into these two categories