What is Enterprise Architecture?

To begin my foray into my Master’s studies, I must begin by asking “What is Enterprise Architecture?” The answer to this question is simply: “how the organization is structured.” This simple answer though does not even scratch the surface of the complex nature of the operations of an enterprise size organization.

The real question that needs to be addressed is how Enterprise Architecture correlates to the Information Technology field. Microsoft breaks down this view into four perspectives: business, application, information, and technology (Platt, 2002). I am not going to go into full detail about each perspective, but I will say that an information technology specialist needs to be aware of each part. A connection also needs to be established between each view for an enterprise to run efficiently.

Software systems that deal with enterprise resource planning, or ERP, have done a great deal with increasing the communication between each perspective. This is happening in all departments of companies not just I.T. Technology, when implemented properly, can have an ever increasing positive effect on the structure of an company.


Platt, Michael (July 2002). Microsoft Architecture Overview. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/architecture/ms978007.aspx