How to Depict File Transfers and then Find Them Later

[GeistBW]

I have been asked to implement a way to document file transfers/webservice calls in Sparx so they could later be “reported” on to address the need to know what file transfers exist between systems and/or applications in diagrams.  I have all applications setup as a component element to be reused in multiple diagrams so there is the trackability to know how different diagrams can be used to make a complete picture of a system. But I’m not sure how to depict file transfers between applications or systems.
-   For those familiar with the “RICEF”, we have a spreadsheet that holds most file transfers and details about them. But it isn’t sustainable to keep this information in a separate spreadsheet, so we want to have this same info and connectivity depicted in our diagrams.

I have a question on which diagram/elements are best to use to represent the files and then how to do a search/report to find them later. We get audits that we need to produce a list or document that can show, for specific applications, what files are all sent/received to other applications/systems.

I am attempting to do this by using the “Interface” element and use attributes of the Interface element for details like frequency, integration type, criticality, description, file format. Then use an Information Flow connector to go from the originating application component to the interface element and then from the interface element to the destination application component. But I don’t know how to then “find” these interfaces to show during an audit.

I just don’t know if I’m going down the right path on how to create a diagram with these file transfers. Nor can I figure out how to find these file transfers later to show when requested.  Any help or suggestions appreciated.

We are EA Sparx 15.1 and the latest version of ProCloud.  We do use WebEA but don’t have Prolaborate purchased.

[steen.jensen]

We have several catalogues (lists) of different Archimate elements ie. Applications (application component) and InformationFlows (Application Collaboration) and Integration components (ApplicationInterface).
As all of those are visible Objects in Sparx EA Repository Its easy to Reuse och create reports & Exports (Excel etc) for diffrent projects etc

Then we have all relevant innformation as TaggedValues in each object and needed relations between those object, so we can see what Application is in use for InformationFlow xy123 or what IntegrationType (FTP, WebService, etc) is used for InformationFlow 123 or any other question regarding those objects list

[Modesto Vega]

I would model file transfers as flows between components as shown here https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.0/guidebooks/tools_ba_component_diagram.html, with or without the interface and with a flow representing a file transfer.

Typically, I start a diagram without interfaces.

If you have the file specfications and they are flat and not complex. You can add classes representing the files to the diagram.

[steen.jensen]

Yepp if EA whould handle Flow-Relations as other object we whould have done that, but as we needed a lot of TaggedValues on each element we selected to use Archimate_objects we could use in a list-view when we started in EA 12.

[Modesto Vega]

Yepp if EA whould handle Flow-Relations as other object we whould have done that, but as we needed a lot of TaggedValues on each element we selected to use Archimate_objects we could use in a list-view when we started in EA 12.

With Sparx 15.1 you should be able to draw an association class as shown in https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.1/model_domains/associationclass.html. This should also work for components.

However, I would make 2 additional comments:

1) I prefer to use (information) flows to depict this type of relationship. From memory, something very similar to the above also works.
2) I do like ArchiMate but I am unconvinced it is the right modelling language for a problem like this. Theoretically you could use the flow relationship - Section 5.3.2 in Chapter 5 https://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/archimate3-doc/chap05.html. But I don't know if you could attach a data object to the flow relationship to represent the file/message.