EA Repository As A Service?

[Geert Bellekens]

Glassboy’s comment:

If you do create Cloud Sparx as a Service, then you have scope to allow a second tranche of cooperation in building shareable models. 

is something interesting as well!

I develop lots of model content to be shared by other projects.

And at least what information the model represents, for sure could be usefull for other organizations as well.

As a very simple example, I have a considerable library of SysML ValueTypes Quantities and Units rather than just the SI base stuff.

True we could indeed start building and sharing standard industry models, or parts of models.
Some might be free open source community stuff, but I can imagine someone selling models from this platform as well.
That is a good idea. Once, a long long time ago we had an initiative that went in that direction. It slowly died as we lost interest, and it was much too low scale (just a few friends that were doing some stuff with models on a wiki).
But I think in this case scale matters. If we get enough parties together, and we get the support from Sparx Systems (which also means their promise that they will not start a competing initiative themselves ) this might become something.

Geert

[PeterHeintz]

Yes, the Sparx Systems plans matter. And it might need some additional EA features as well, just remember e.g. the Project Transfer over cloud.

Maybe there first repository in your service (once your VAR’s are interested in), is to share the ideas in your consortium.

[Glassboy]

True we could indeed start building and sharing standard industry models, or parts of models.
Some might be free open source community stuff, but I can imagine someone selling models from this platform as well.
That is a good idea. Once, a long long time ago we had an initiative that went in that direction. It slowly died as we lost interest, and it was much too low scale

I'd probably end up having to get a personal copy at home to contribute as most of my actual work now is using another tool.

[Geert Bellekens]

For those interested, there an "invitation only" google group where we continue the discussion and with all the involved parties will try to get something off the ground.
So if you have a company, you have a lot of EA knowledge, and you would like to be part of this new initiative go to the group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!forum/ea-as-a-service and ask to be invited.
This group is only intended for those parties that are actually thinking about creating this new company that will provide those services. In term this will be the place were we will draft a business plan, talk about prices, margins and more of those confidential things.

If you have good ideas about this or you want to discuss it further without having an interest in actually participating then please continue the discussion where. We are still interested in hearing everyone's thoughts about this.

Geert

[Eve]

Looks like Sparx Systems India already offers a hosted solution.

See the last FAQ at
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/resources/webinar/partners/cloud-server/amazon/deploy-enterprise-architect-model-on-amazon-cloud-aws.html

[Rich Anderson]

HI Guys,  I've been otherwise engaged over the past few days, but this whole thread I seem to have started is getting pretty interesting. 

First, in response to Simon, this video (which I referenced in the first post) is just a set of loose instructions on how to set this up yourself.  Since I have a need to support a client in the USA and I'm in New Zealand, I went ahead and followed these  instructions (filling in quite a few blanks) and did manage to set up an AWS-based EA system as described in this video.  I'm pretty much a noob to AWS, so I had a bit of learning curve to climb, but after about a day and half of fumbling around and installing lots of software on an AWS-hosted Windows 2012 server, I finally managed to get it work, convert the EAP to a database and get my client in the USA to connect to it.   While doing that, I learned a few things about some of the challenges in setting up a proper service (such as how do you auto-provision new database schemas on demand), but these seem quite solvable to me by someone with good AWS skills or maybe orchestration/containerization software like Docker or Chef.

As to the problem of putting commercially sensitive data like this on the cloud, I can only say that this problem has been solved by others.  Here is a good example of a company that is providing an as-a-service strategy execution service on the cloud (hosted on AWS).  This data is easily as sensitive as anything found in an EA model (maybe more)   http://www.shibumi.com/.  There a quite a few consulting firms using this now to develop and execute highly sensitive strategy engagements with Global 500 clients.  I'm sure there are other examples.  I've evaluated this on behalf of a few consulting firms, and spoken to the principals of the company several times.   I'll just say that they understand the issue well and have managed to get many firms to use the service on the cloud.   (I would avoid any on-premise versions if possible)

I love the idea of having a gallery/exchange of starting point reference models.  Here is an example of one using (much smaller) business model canvases https://businessmodelgallery.com/.   There are also quite a few public sources of business architecture reference models, and I have worked on migrating a few of these to EA for my client.  They are generally pretty friendly to people finding new ways to leverage these models.  Most of them are non-profit .ORGs such as APQC, Acord (Insurance), AARTS (Retail), Telecommunications Forum,etc.

Geert, I'll sign for your private group, as I am interested in pursuing this, but don't know how much time can be dedicated given all my other commitments.

Best,

[Geert Bellekens]

Rich,

Noone of us has a lot of time, yet we all would like to see this new project come alive.
But I guess there lies the power in working together. We don't all have to figure everything out ourselves.
We combine our knowledge and we all spend a little bit of time

I do like the idea of offering starter models too, I think Pawel suggested that at the private group as well.

Geert