TDWI Technology Architecture for BI:

Planning and Design of the Technical Infrastructure

Module One
Technology Architecture Concepts
• Architecture Defined
o Definition and Key Concepts
o Dimensions of BI Architecture
o Value of Architecture
o Gartner’s Five Levels of Architectural Maturity
o Architecture and Methodology – Compatibility and Dependency
• Technology Architecture Defined
o Definition and Key Concepts
o How Architecture Relates to the User
o Architecture Relationships
• Architectural Alignment
o Technology, Business, Data and Process Alignment
o Using the BI Framework
• The BI Technology Framework
o The Scope of BI Technology

Module Two
Technology Requirements
• Functional Requirements
o Overview
o Kinds of Functional Requirements
o Functional Requirements in Two Categories
o Data Integration Requirements
o Query and Reporting Requirements
o Data Analysis
o Data Mining
o Business Analytics
• Data Management Requirements
o Data Volume
o Data Latency and Freshness
o Data Retention
o External Data
o Unstructured Data
• Operational Requirements
o Performance – Front and Back
o Performance – Kinds of Requirements
o Performance – Controllable Requirements
o Size and Capacity
o Security
o Availability
o Reliability / Recoverability
o Portability
o Scalability
o Metadata Management
o Scheduling and Execution
o Monitoring and Measurement
o A Checklist for High-Quality Requirements
• Environmental Requirements
o Hardware Platforms
o Operating Systems

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TDWI Technology Architecture for BI Course Outline

o Networking Systems
o Database Management Systems
o Desktop Systems
o Systems Development Tools
o Software Configuration Management (SCM)
o Maintenance Requirements
• Structural Requirements
o Process-Oriented
o Object-Oriented
o Component-Based
o Service-Oriented
• Business Requirements
o Issues

Module Three
Choosing Technology
• Technology Types and Roles
o Technology with Purpose
• Technology Architecture and Standards
o Architecture as Guidelines
o Why technology standards?
o Kinds of Technology Standards?
o Balancing Standards with Versatility
• Technology Research and Exploration
o Keeping Up with Changing Technology
o Resources for Technology Exploration
o Tips and Techniques for Technology Exploration
o Risk Mitigation and Proof-of-Concept
• Technology Selection Factors
o Functional Requirements
o Non-Functional Requirements
o Best-of-Breed versus Single Vendor
o Causes of BI Tool Proliferation

Module Four
Implementing Technology Architecture
• Documenting the Architecture
o Architectural Diagrams
o Architectural Descriptions
o Documented Standards
o Connecting Architecture with BI Strategy
• Publishing the Architecture
o Intranet Publishing
o Print Publishing
o Connecting Architecture Documents with Metadata
o Examples – Text vs. Diagrams
• Using the Architecture
o Big Bangs vs. Phased Implementations
o Keeping Pace with Vendor Releases
o Meeting BI Project Needs for Technology
o Version and Release Management
o Change Control
o Configuration Management
• Evolving Architecture
o The BI Maturity Model
o Requirements Change Management

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TDWI Technology Architecture for BI Course Outline

o Service Level Goals (SLGs)

o Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Module Five
Summary and Conclusion
• Key Points
o A Quick Summary
• Best Practices
o When Architecture Succeeds
• References and Resources
o For More Information

Appendix A
Bibliography and References

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