Information Management and Semantics form the next big area in which middleware will take over functions traditionally performed by applications software. This will lead to big cost savings for enterprises – if they have the right architectures.
What will semantic products do? How should an enterprise take advantage of them? These are hot topics for enterprise architects and for product designers.
The aim of this workshop was to develop an initial idea of how to produce enterprise architectures that make effective use of the semantic technologies that are now emerging.
The workshop was hosted by The Open Group Semantic Interoperability Working Group, and was facilitated by Chris Harding, The Open Group Forum Director for semantic interoperability. It used input that participants had supplied in advance. In particular, it incorporated slides input by SI WG vice-chair Arnold Van Overeem of Capgemini on Syntax v Semantics, by UDEF project chair Ron Schuldt of Lockheed Martin on the draft GEIA reference model, and by Nikhil Kumar on ApTSI's reference model.
The workshop discussions explored the incorporation of semantics into Enterprise Architecture in general, and TOGAF in particular. They looked at the different viewpoints involved, at some basic reference models, and at the use of ontologies and controlled vocabularies. They identified requirements for an information architecture framework and reference model, and there was consensus on the basic elements of such a model.
