In my 2+ decades of experience in the Information Technology industry, I have properly groomed myself as an Enterprise Architect covering practical experience and gaining necessary theoretical knowledge.
20 + years of experience was divided among the 4 main sub domains of an Enterprise Architecture function as below:
Data/Information Architecture – covering DB Modelling, ER Diagrams, Data Management, Data Governance, Data Storage and Retrieval, CAP Theorem etc., Cloud Native Deployments, SQL/NO-SQL/Other data bases and other related aspects.
· Application Architecture – covering Architecture Styles, EAI Patterns, GoF Design Patterns, 12 Factor Framework, SOLID principles, IDE, Git, Cloud Native Development Practices, VM/Containerization, and other related aspects.
Infrastructure Architecture – covering On-prem, Hybrid and Cloud Native deployments. SOC/NOC, AWS, Azure , Cloud Integrations, Cloud data operations, Fail over, Fail Safe, Zero-Trust Architectures and related aspects.
Business Architecture – Interpreting BRD, Writing FSD, Writing CRs, Devising Change Management Workflows, Gaining Domain expertise (in GRC, AWS primarily), Stakeholder management, Training and on-boarding, TTT, Demos/Conference Room Pilots, Product Training, Completing RFP documents, Pre-sales, Process Re-Engineering, Process Design, Role design, Workflow Design, Planning with Budget/Time Constraints, Maturity Model Assessments, As-Is and To-Be States, Roadmap/Journey/Landscape planning and related aspects.
A good part of my work experience has been under the title of a Solution Architect though. So what does a Solution Architect do and how he is different from say an Application/Integration Architect or similar other Architect roles?
A very generic job definition of a Solution Architect may contain some of the aspects mentioned below:
· Strategic Thinking
· Application System Design
· Infra Architecting, Agile/Scrum/DevOps practices
· Work with SMEs, Engineers, and Delivery Teams with use of Tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana etc.,
· Solution Design coming from Change Management
· Cloud Migration/Migration Planning/ Integration Planning
· Produce HLD/LLD
· Feasibility Check
· Etc.,
While I had been working on a lot of the above expectations, in my opinion those requirements may not define what a Solution Architect does in his role.
In my opinion, to qualify as a Solution Architect (SA), the following needs to be in the context of the job responsibilities.
SA is expected to have extensive experience in the domain he is operating in – the domain can be either technical domain like cloud or a functional domain like GRC or can be other tech platforms like ServiceNow/Salesforce with some niche focus areas.
SA has a wide choice of available design elements in a palette to pick and choose from in the domain he is operating in.
SA then considers the other constraints of the client (cost, time, quality, maturity, excellence/rigour in pursuing a solution to the needed depth and adoption) and arranges an acceptable solution architecture from the design/service elements of the palette.
SA may become innovative and provide some out-of-the box thinking to complete the solution architecture that is expected to provide a “WoW” experience to the client.
I have played the Solution Architect role in the below domains:
1. Web/Java Apps Domain
- Choosing the language/layers of implementation, choosing from OSS, Choosing the standards, protocols, guidelines, frameworks etc., Considering the Choices of Web/App/Middleware, Cache, DB-SQL/No-SQL servers, Considering the Choices of middleware COTS software or writing/adopting custom integration layers, considering choices of security – authentication/access control of resources, Deployment options covering SLAs/Service Management expectations, Service Design etc.,
Since the canvas and the "technology palette" is wide/big in "Web" domain, the use of a more suitable word 'Application Architect' or even more fitting title - ' Java Application Architect' is apt.
2. GRC Domain
- From the choices provided by a Enterprise class GRC platform and modules, I created custom solution architectures as per the client’s GRC journey including but not limited to:
· Integrated Risk Management
· Internal Audit
· 3rd Party Risk Management
· Cybersecurity
· Compliance, Regulatory Engagements, Policy Management
· ESG
· Common data model, Organizational structure and workflows
· Common security model
· Common integration expectations
· Training, Roll-out and Adoption practices
· Etc.,
3. AWS Cloud Domain
AWS - using Computing Artefacts, Network Artefacts, Storage Artefacts as per the client needs and budget while producing a cloud native solution architecture. For example, there may be about 400+ cloud services available in AWS and as a Solution Architect – you are expected to know at least the core products/services and should have the inclination to interact with AWS Client Support Solution Architects to arrive at the right solution design for the client in their cloud first strategy.
Thus, you can see that the Solution Architect role is a specialization role and it can greatly benefit from the body of knowledge of Enterprise Architecture. (Please refer to the link – https://www.mayoan.com/technology/1.-role-of-an-enterprise-architect)