The Open Group Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model – Introduction

 

Objective

This standard defines The Open Group Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model and provides guidance on how to apply it with the TOGAF® and ArchiMate® standards to develop an Enterprise Architecture.

Overview

This standard defines the Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model. It also provides guidance on applying the Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model with the TOGAF and ArchiMate standards to develop, maintain, and govern an Enterprise Architecture for the Cloud Ecosystem.

The approach described in the standard enables practitioners to effectively align business and technical capabilities in creating architectural components, their inter-relationships, and to effectively manage interactions and relationships between the participants of the Cloud Ecosystem in order to minimize the impact of changes in Cloud Services (either developed by the enterprise itself or by participating entities of the Cloud Ecosystem).

Conformance

At the time of publication, there are no conformance requirements defined in this section for the purposes of this standard. Readers are advised to check The Open Group website for any conformance and certification requirements referencing this standard.

Normative References

The following standards contain provisions which, through references in this standard, constitute provisions of the Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards listed below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.

Terminology

For the purposes of this standard, the following terminology definitions apply:

Can

Describes a permissible optional feature or behavior available to the user or application. The feature or behavior is mandatory for an implementation that conforms to this document. An application can rely on the existence of the feature or behavior.

Legacy

Describes a feature or behavior that is being retained for compatibility with older applications, but which has limitations which make it inappropriate for developing portable applications. New applications should use alternative means of obtaining equivalent functionality.

May

Describes a feature or behavior that is optional for an implementation that conforms to this document. An application should not rely on the existence of the feature or behavior. An application that relies on such a feature or behavior cannot be assured to be portable across conforming implementations. To avoid ambiguity, the opposite of “may” is expressed as “need not”, instead of “may not”.

Must

Describes a feature or behavior that is mandatory for an application or user. An implementation that conforms to this document shall support this feature or behavior.

Shall

Describes a feature or behavior that is mandatory for an implementation that conforms to this document. An application can rely on the existence of the feature or behavior.

Should

For an implementation that conforms to this document, describes a feature or behavior that is recommended but not mandatory. An application should not rely on the existence of the feature or behavior. An application that relies on such a feature or behavior cannot be assured to be portable across conforming implementations. For an application, describes a feature or behavior that is recommended programming practice for optimum portability.

Will

Same meaning as “shall”; “shall” is the preferred term.

Future Directions

It is anticipated that this standard will be updated to incorporate additional features and techniques to support the development of Enterprise Architecture with the Cloud Ecosystem Reference Model. It may also be aligned with future Open Group and international standards that overlap with the content of this standard.

⇒ Definitions