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The TOGAF Glossary is intended to define terms essential to the understanding of TOGAF. It is not intended as a general-purpose open systems glossary and does not contain terms considered to be in common use.
Access Control
Association Control Service Element
High-level computer programming language developed by the US Department of Defense (DoD). Ada is used as the standard programming language for the DoD. It is used for real-time processing, is modular in nature, and includes object-oriented features.
Architecture Development Method
American National Standards Institute
See Application Program Interface.
See Application Portability Profile.
A classification of computer programs designed to perform specific tasks, such as word processing, database management, or graphics.
The collection of hardware and software components that provide the services used by support and mission-specific software applications.
The NIST APP is the structure that integrates US federal, national, international, and other specifications to provide the functionality necessary to accommodate the broad range of US federal information technology requirements.
Software entities which have a specific business purpose.
Ada Programming Support Environment
Architecture has two meanings depending upon its contextual usage:
The existing system architecture before entering a cycle of architecture review and redesign.
A part of the Enterprise Continuum. The Architecture Continuum provides a repository of architectural elements with increasing detail and specialization. This Continuum begins with foundational definitions like reference models, core strategies, and basic building blocks. From there it spans to Industry Architectures and all the way to an organization's specific architecture.
The logical view of the data models, data standards, and data structure. It includes a definition of the physical databases for the information system, their performance requirements, and their geographical distribution.
A tool for assisting in the production of organization-specific architectures. An architecture framework consists of a Technical Reference Model, a method for architecture development, and a list of component standards, specifications, products, and their inter-relationships which can be used to build up architectures.
Depicts the configuration of the target information system.
A perspective from which an architecture may be viewed in order to ensure that a specific topic is considered in a coherent manner; e.g., security.
Abstract Syntax Notation
Active Server Pages
The probability that system functional capabilities are ready for use by a user at any time, where all time is considered, including operations, repair, administration, and logistic time. Availability is further defined by system category for both routine and priority operations.
Initial or basic functions.
A specification or product that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the basis for further development and that can be changed only through formal change control procedures or a type of procedure such as configuration management.
Processing data or the accomplishment of jobs accumulated in advance in such a manner that each accumulation thus formed is processed or accomplished in the same computer run.
Hardware, software, policy statements, procedures, and people which together implement a business function.
Consultative Committee on International Telegraph and Telephone
An application component which requests services from a server.
Common Management Information Service
Common Management Information Protocol
Control OBjectives for Information and related Technology
Acronym for Common Business-Oriented Language. COBOL is a computer programming language used extensively in mainframes and minicomputers for business applications.
Hardware and software functions which allow Application Platforms to exchange information.
A set of products, concepts, and services that enable the connection of computer systems for the purpose of transmitting data and other forms (e.g., voice and video) between the systems.
A node that is either internal to the communications network (e.g., routers, bridges, or repeaters) or located between the end device and the communications network to operate as a gateway.
A set of assets (transmission media, switching nodes, interfaces, and control devices) that will establish linkage between users and devices.
A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to:
A service area of the External Environment entity of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that provides end-to-end connectivity for communications through three transport levels (global, regional, and local). It provides general and application-specific services to platform end devices.
Common Object Request Broker Architecture
A specialized type of database containing metadata, which is managed by a data dictionary system; a repository of information describing the characteristics of data used to design, monitor, document, protect, and control data in information systems and databases; an application of data dictionary systems.
A basic unit of information having a meaning and that may have subcategories (data items) of distinct units and values.
Structured or organized collection of information, which may be accessed by the computer.
Computer application program that accesses or manipulates the database.
A service of the Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model that provides specialized support for the interchange of data between applications on the same or different platforms.
A service of the Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model that provides support for the management, storage, access, and manipulation of data in a database.
Database Management System
Distributed Computing Environment
Data Definition Language
Command which is automatically executed if none is specifically indicated.
Part of the network services of the Application Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that provides locator services that are restricted to finding the location of a service, location of data, or translation of a common name into a network-specific address. It is analogous to telephone books and supports distributed directory implementations.
US Department of Defense Information Systems Agency
Data Management Facility
European Computer Manufacturers Association
Electronic Data Interchange
External Environment Interface
Person who ultimately uses the computer application or output.
The highest level in an organization; includes all missions and functions.
Comprises two complementary concepts: the Architecture Continuum and the Solutions Continuum. Together these are a range of definitions with increasing specificity, from foundational definitions and agreed enterprise strategies all the way to architectures and implementations in specific organizations. Such coexistence of abstraction and concreteness in an enterprise can be a real source of confusion. The Enterprise Continuum also doubles as a powerful tool to turn confusion and resulting conflicts into progress.
A high-level model of an organization's mission, function, and information architecture. The model consists of a function model and a data model.
Enterprise Resource Planning
End System
Ability to resize objects to produce better organization of on-screen material, usually a graphic or a window.
The interface that supports information transfer between the Application Platform and the External Environment.
Any specifically identified collection of information stored in the computer.
Federal Information Processing Standard
Acronym for FORmula TRANslator, which is a high-level computer language used extensively in scientific and engineering applications.
File Transfer, Access, and Management
A useful capability provided by one or more components of a system.
Government Network Management Profile
Government Open System Interconnection Profile
General Security Service
Graphical User Interface
Human Computer Interface hardware and software allowing information exchange between the user and the computer.
The International Electrotechnical Commission, the international standards body which is responsible for electrical standards.
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Integrated Information Infrastructure
Integrated Information Infrastructure Reference Model
Any communication or representation of knowledge such as facts, data, or opinions, in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audio-visual forms.
A set of commonly and unambiguously labeled information objects with a common security policy that defines the protections to be afforded the objects by authorized users and information management systems.
The computer-based portion of a business system.
The technology included in hardware and software used for information, regardless of the technology involved, whether computers, communications, micro graphics, or others.
Interconnection and inter-relationships between two devices, two applications, or the user and an application or device.
Information System
Information Systems Architecture
International Standards Organization
Information Technology
Information Technology Infrastructure Library
A Joint Technical Committee established by ISO and IEC to take responsibility for their shared interests in IT standardization.
Local Area Network
The period of time that begins when a system is conceived and ends when the system is no longer available for use.
Metropolitan Area Network
A specification of the conventions for constructing and using a view. A metaview acts as a pattern or template of the view, from which to develop individual views. A metaview establishes the purposes and audience for a view, the ways in which the view is documented (e.g., for visual modeling), and the ways in which it is used (e.g., for analysis).
Management Information Systems
Multi-Level Security
Message Transfer Agent
A service of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that provides the capability to manipulate and manage information products consisting of text, graphics, images, video, and audio.
US National Institute of Standards and Technology
Network Layer Security Protocol
Office Document Architecture
Office Document Interchange Format
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
OSI Implementors' Workshop
Object-Oriented Database Management System
Public specifications that are maintained by an open, public consensus process to accommodate new technologies over time and that are consistent with international standards.
A system that implements sufficient open specifications for interfaces, services, and supporting formats to enable properly engineered Application Software:
The comprehensive set of interfaces, services, and supporting formats, plus user aspects for interoperability or for portability of applications, data, or people, as specified by IT standards and profiles.
A core service of the Application Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that is needed to operate and administer the Application Platform and provide an interface between the Application Software and the Platform (e.g., file management, input/output, print spoolers).
Object Request Broker
Operating System
Open System Environment
Open Systems Interconnection
PHIGS Extension to X Windows
Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System
See Application Platform.
Portable Operating System Interface (for Computer Environments)
A set of one or more base standards and, where applicable, the identification of those classes, subsets, options, and parameters of those base standards, necessary for accomplishing a particular function.
Selecting standards for a particular application.
Remote Access Services
Remote Database Access
Relational Database Management System
A system that manages all of the data of an enterprise, including data and process models and other enterprise information. Hence, the data in a repository is much more extensive than that in a data dictionary, which generally defines only the data making up a database.
Reference Model
Remote Procedure Call
The ability to use the same Application Software on many different classes of hardware/software platforms from PCs to super-computers (extends the portability concept). The capability to grow to accommodate increased work loads.
Services which protect data, ensuring its confidentiality, availability, and integrity.
An application component which responds to requests from a client.
Standard Generalized Markup Language
Standards Information Base
Security Management Application Process
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
System Network Architecture
Simple Network Management Protocol
A part of the Enterprise Continuum. The Solutions Continuum contains implementations of the corresponding definitions in the Architecture Continuum. In this way it becomes a repository of re-usable solutions for future implementation efforts.
Structured Query Language
Special Working Group
A collection of components organized to accomplish a specific function or set of functions (taken from Draft Recommended Practice for Architectural Description IEEE P1471/D5.2).
A cross-category service of the Application Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that provides for the administration of the overall information system. These services include the management of information, processors, networks, configurations, accounting, and performance.
An individual, team, or organization (or classes thereof) with interests in, or concerns relative to, a system (taken from ANSI/IEEE Std 1471-2000).
Technical Architecture Framework for Information Management
The organized collection of all views pertinent to an architecture.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria
A structure which allows the components of an information system to be described in a consistent manner.
Transparent File Access
Transport Layer Security Protocol
Trusted Network Interpretation
Transaction Processing
Interaction between a user and a computer in which the user inputs a command to receive a specific result from the computer.
Order of transactions required to accomplish the desired results.
Technical Reference Model
Trusted Systems Interoperability Group
User Interface Definition Language
User Interface Management System
User Interface System Reference Model
A service of the Application Platform entity of the Technical Reference Model (TRM) that supports direct human-machine interaction by controlling the environment in which users interact with applications.
A representation of a whole system from the perspective of a related set of concerns.
A specification of the conventions for constructing and using a view. A metaview acts as a pattern or template of the view, from which to develop individual views. A metaview establishes the purposes and audience for a view, the ways in which the view is documented (e.g., for visual modeling), and the ways in which it is used (e.g., for analysis).
Wide Area Network
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