Design a Data Architecture


Tutorial : Design a Data Architecture

We have not been able to find a definition of Data Architecture that is good enough.
Therefore, we have produced our own definition, which we have based on the
definition of an Architecture for a house which defines a number of Rooms :-

Each Room has a defined purpose.

All the Rooms combine together to serve some overall useful purpose.

Each Room has a clearly-defined interface with adjacent Rooms.

Each Room has at least one point of Entry and Exit.

We have developed a General Approach to the design of Data Architectures, based on the
identification of 'Data Islands' linked by Bridges which have specified Interfaces to control
Data Transfer over the Bridges.

We have successfully applied our Approach to :-

a CRM Data Architecture.
a Business Intelligence Data Architecture.
an e-Commerce Data Architecture.

It is intended that this Approach should be adopted and enhanced on the basis of experience,
so that it defines the 'Standards of Best Practice' for this activity.

A separate Page discusses why we need a Data Architecture.

The Approach is defined as a series of Steps,with associated Background comments,
some clearly-defined Deliverables,and some sample Template Forms which can be used
in the application of the Approach to a specific Project.

The General Approach is based on designing the Architecture at three Levels of Specification :-

The Logical Level

The Physical Level

The Implementation Level