Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems: Difference between revisions

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= [[File:Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems.gif|thumb|right|Architecture =of Interoperable Information Systems]]

The '''Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems (AIOS)''' is a reference architecture for the development of interoperable [[enterprise information systems]]. If enterprises or public administrations want to engage in automated business processes with other organizations, their IT systems must be able to work together, i.e. they need to be [[interoperability|interoperable]]. The AIOS represents a generic building plan for these organizations to develop interoperable information systems by systematically adjusting and extending their internal information systems.

The AIOS was described in a doctoral thesis and is based on the results of various research projects on interoperability.<ref>Ziemann (2010): [http://www.logos-verlag.de/cgi-bin/buch/isbn/2414 Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems - An enterprise Model-based Approach for Describing and Enacting Collaborative Business Processes.] Logos, 2010. Logos was so kind to permit the [https://eamfundamentals.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ziemann_AIOS.pdf free download of a copy here]. A summary can be found here: Ziemann (2012): Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems - Reference Architecture for Collaborations between Public Administrations. In: Krallmann, H., Zapp, A. (Eds.): Bausteine einer vernetzten Verwaltung. Berlin, Erich Schmidt Verlag, 2012, pp. 165.</ref> It is independent from specific products or vendors but describes generically the different layers, views, relationships and technical means needed to efficiently establish interoperable information systems. To this aim it combines concepts from [[service-oriented architecture]], Collaborative Business and [[Business Process Modelling]]. It can be seen as complementary to [[Architecture of Integrated Information Systems|ARIS]], a well-known architecture for internal information systems and business processes.

== Definition ==

An Architecture of interoperable information systems describes, how interoperating information systems can be efficiently designed and implemented. Since the invention of information system, concepts were created to describe how information systems can be connected to each other in an efficient manner. However, in the context of enterprise information systems, in 2010 also a concept named Architecture of interoperable information systems was published.

Similar to the automation of processes inside organizations, the automation of cross-organizational [[business process]]es is an important trend. In this endeavor, collaborating organizations rather strive for a loose coupling of their information systems instead of a tight [[system integration|integration]]: the collaborating information systems should be able to work together but retain as much independency as possible. This characteristic is also called '''[[interoperability]]''', or in the context of collaborating organizations, [[Business Interoperability Interface#Business interoperability|Business Interoperability]], i.e. the capability of autonomous organizations to execute a collaborative business process among them.

'''[[Information system]]s''' are systems that process information, i.e. they capture, transport, transform, store and offer information. Following the conception prevailing in information systems research, an information system comprises not only the hardware and software of an enterprise, but also the related human actors, business functions and processes as well as organization structures.<ref>Compare for example Becker & Schütte (2004, p. 33): Handelsinformationssysteme – Domänenorientierte Einführung in die Wirtschaftsinformatik 2nd Edition, Redline Wirtschaft, Frankfurt or Gabriel(2008): Informationssystem. Enzyklopädie der Wirtschaftsinformatik, Online Lexikon. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, Germany.</ref> This broad understanding is for example also embodied by the [[Zachman Framework]].

== Architecture of Information Systems ==

An [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/interface interface] represents the point of interconnection between two systems or subsystems. Since collaborative business always comprises interactions between organizational systems (e. g. enterprises or departments), interfaces are an essential element in the development of collaborative business processes. In the context of organizations working together, interface descriptions should describe those characteristics of a system that are relevant for adjacent systems.

While interfaces in information systems formerly concentrated on technical aspects, e.g. by describing [[Application Programming Interfaces]], recent developments like [[Service-oriented architecture|Service-oriented Architecture]] shifted the attention to conceptual interfaces aiming at a business-level description of services and organizational boundaries.

'''[[Architecture]]''' is defined as the “fundamental organization of a system, embodied in its components, their relationships to each other and the environment, and the principles governing its design and evolution”.<ref>IEEE (2007): IEEE 1471 Website, IEEE Std. 1471 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Version 5.0, 19 July 2007. http://www.iso-architecture.org/ieee-1471/ieee-1471-faq.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828212832/http://www.iso-architecture.org/ieee-1471/ieee-1471-faq.html |date=2011-08-28 }}, ac-cessed: May 2009</ref> Sinz defines an information system architecture as the building plan of an information system in the sense of a specification and documentation of its components and their relationships covering all relevant viewpoints as well as the constructions rules for the creation of the building plan.<ref>Sinz (2002): Architektur von Informationssystemen. In: Rechenberg, P., Pomberger, G. (eds.): Informatik-Handbuch. 3rd Edition, Hanser, München, pp. 1055-1068</ref>

== Business Interoperability ==

In a similar vein it was argued, that previous interoperability definitions focused too much on technical aspects. In consequence, the term Business Interoperability was proposed, for example defined as "''the organizational and operational ability of an enterprise to cooperate with its business partners and to efficiently establish, conduct and develop IT-supported business relationships with the objective to create value''".<ref>Legner, Christine; Wende, Kristin (2006): [http://www.bledconference.org/proceedings.nsf/0/978ff10dff1d440bc125718000316bbe/$FILE/18_Legner.pdf Towards an Excellence Framework for Business Interoperability]. Proceedings of the 19th Bled eConference eValues. Bled, Slovenia.</ref> [[Interoperability]] is usually understood as the capability of autonomous systems to work together. Since the "working together" of autonomous organizations means that they execute a collaborative business process, Business Interoperability can be defined as follows:<br />

''Business Interoperability is the capability of autonomous organizations to execute a collaborative business process among them''.

Accordingly, an '''Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems''' can be defined as the building plan of a cross-organizational information system, which enables organizations to execute a collaborative business process among them.

== Definition of Business Interoperability Interface ==

== Background and Application ==

Based on the definitions of business interoperability and interface the term BII can be defined as follows:

Following the work on interoperable information systems conducted in European Research Projects<ref>Interop NOE (2004 to 2007, project number IST-2004-508011), ATHENA (2004 to 2007, “Advanced Technologies for Interoperability of Heterogeneous Enterprise Networks and their Application”, project number IST-2004-507849) or R4eGov (2006 to 2009, project number IST-2004-026650)</ref> in 2010 the Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems (AIOS) was published as a reference for the construction of loosely coupled, interoperating information systems and for the systematic, model-based enactment of collaborative business processes.

The AIOS aims primarily at large organizations that want to interoperate with each other. To this aim it describes how internal information system elements can be systematically connected with the information systems of collaboration partners. The main elements of the AIOS are:

''The Business Interoperability Interface of an organization comprises all information that is relevant for partner organizations in order to enact a collaborative business process with the organization. The interface comprises those elements of a collaborative business process, which are provided by the organization itself as well as the elements, the organization expects from partner organizations.''<ref>Ziemann, Joerg; Loos, Peter (2009): Transforming cross-organizational processes between European Administrations – Towards a comprehensive Business Interoperability Interface. In: Weerakkody, V.; Janssen, M.; Dwivedi, Y. (Eds.): Handbook of Research on ICT-Enabled Transformational Government: A Global Perspective.ISBN 978-1-60566-390-6, pp. 93-116</ref>

# Description of the different data types comprised in interoperable information system as well as their relationships. This is also called the '''static''' part, or the ''structure'' of the architecture. It tells organizations which information elements (e.g. descriptions of messages, exchange sequences, roles and services) they have to provide to collaboration partners and how they can optimally correlate these to internal elements.

# Description of different building paths for implementing or adjusting interoperable information systems. This is also called the '''dynamic''' part of the architecture. It tells organization, how to iteratively develop the elements mentioned above.

# Concept for the technical '''components needed to implement''' the architecture, for example design tools, internal and externally visible repositories.

One element comprised in the third category is a '''"BII-repository"''', in which each organization publishes the content of its [[Business Interoperability Interface]] (BII) to collaboration partners. Since it comprises external views on information system elements, it provides publishing and discovery functionalities as needed in [[service-oriented architecture]]: In the BII, the externally relevant processes, services, organization structures etc. are described on various levels of technical granularity, enabling other organizations to search also for business-level elements and not only for technical artifacts. Here, different from the traditional SOA approach, instead of one central service directory, various partner-specific repositories are implemented.

== Structure ==

The BII contents are not restricted to process descriptions: in order to enact a collaborative business process, the collaboration partners do not only need to know the sequence in which activities are executed but also require complementary information like organizational roles, specifics of individual activities or document types. Likewise, the description of the BII should cover different levels of technical granularity, since the systematic enactment of collaborative business processes requires models on both the business and the technical level.

The static part of the architecture builds on three orthogonal axes: Enterprise Dimensions, Levels of technical Granularity and Collaborative Views.

=== Collaborative views ===

== Business Interoperability Interface Implementations ==

Similar to private, public and global views as known from business process and workflow modeling, in the AIOS, corresponding private, public and global views on information system elements are provided.

An EU-research project, aiming at improving interoperability between European public administrations, delivered a proposal for designing and implementing a Business Interoperability Interface, which was later refined in scientific publications.<ref>R4eGov IOP Architecture and IOP Lifecycle (Version 1). Deliverable WP4-D7, 2008. R4eGov - Towards e-Administration in the large, project number IST-2004-026650.</ref>

# The '''private view''' comprises the only internally visible information system elements.

# The '''public view''' acts as an interface to the internal, private system elements; it protects internal systems and enables interoperability without the need for a significant change to the internal systems. This public view describes the information system boundaries of an organization to its collaboration partners and connects internal and external information systems, thereby also providing the content of the [[Business Interoperability Interface]] of an organization.

# The '''global view''' can be used to correlate and connect the public views of different systems.

=== Enterprise dimensions ===

The illustration summarizes the idea of this BII-implementation: Organization A and B each has an internal/private view on its information system. From this internal model, they derive a view for their collaboration partner. For example, in the public process of Organization A, only those activities of the private process from Organization A are comprised which are relevant for the collaboration partner (i.e. Organization B). All these public elements are then bundled in the BII where a collaboration partner can read them. If the elements of adjacent BII-elements fit together and all collaboration partners agreed on how to interpret them, they are also called global elements.

[[File:AIOS Enterprise Dimensions.JPG|thumb|Illustration of the Architecture of Interoperable Information Systems / Enterprise Dimensions]]

To describe business processes comprehensively this axis provides distinct views on processes, functions, data, and organizational elements.

# In the '''organizational dimension''', roles, units and other organization elements relevant for the collaboration are described and related to internal elements. This ensures for example, that the collaboration partners have a common understanding of the interacting roles.

# In the '''data dimension''', document types used in the collaboration are defined and related to internally used document types.

# In the '''function dimension''', business functions and services offered in the collaboration are described.

# In the '''process dimension''', the processes that each organization offers are described as well as how these public processes are related to adjacent processes of partner organizations.

Thus, in combination with the axis "collaborative views", '''private, public and global views on processes, functions, data, and organizational roles''' are provided.

=== Levels of technical granularity ===

[[File:Business Interoperability Interface.jpg|thumb|right|Concept for a Business Interoperability Interface]]

[[File:AIOS Levels of technical detail.JPG|thumb|AIOS Levels of technical detail]]

The description of system elements on different levels of technical granularity supports a systematic development of collaborative information systems, starting with the business requirements definition and going all the way down to the code level. Apart from the construction aspect, thereby also a multi-dimensional interoperability description is provided, facilitating the synchronization of collaborating systems on each level. Similar to for example [[Architecture of Integrated Information Systems|ARIS]] and OMG's [[Model-driven architecture|MDA]] three levels are used:

The BII described there tackles four enterprise dimensions: In the organization dimension, roles, units and other organization elements relevant for the collaboration are described and related to internal elements. This ensures for example, that the collaboration partners have a common understanding of the interacting roles. In the data dimension, document types used in the collaboration are defined and related to internally used document types. In the function dimension, business functions and services offered in the collaboration are described. In the process dimension, the processes that each organization offers are described as well as how these public processes are related to adjacent processes of partner organizations.

# '''Business Level''': Here the processes to be automated are described from a technique independent level. In MDA this level is referred to as CIM level.

# '''Technical Level''': Here the IT concept is described. Therefore, the models from the first level are technically enriched, for example, instead of business functions now components are described, but still on a coarse-grained, conceptual level. Since the models on the second level represent the basis for an automated generation of executable code, they might have to be further adapted to fit implementation level constraints.

# '''Execution Level''': Here the models are machine interpretable and can be used during runtime in the execution of processes.

== References ==

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{{Reflist}}

== Business [[Category:Interoperability ==]]

[[Category:Service-oriented (business computing)]]

[[Category:Business software]]

[[Category:Operations research]]

[[Category:Business]]

[[Category:Collaborative software]]

[[Category:Software architecture]]