Title: Solution architecture alignment for logistics portfolio management

Authors: Thomas Gulledge, Wael Hafez, Matthias Ledwon, Carsten Svensson

Addresses: Enterprise Engineering Laboratory, Geroge Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA. ' IDS Scheer, Incorporated, 1055 Westlakes Drive, Suite 100, Berwyn, PA 19312, USA. ' IDS Scheer, Incorporated, 1055 Westlakes Drive, Suite 100, Berwyn, PA 19312, USA. ' Enterprise Integration, Incorporated, 5971 Kingstowne Village Parkway, Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22315, USA

Abstract: Architecture alignment is a key component of large-scale enterprise integration effort. To date, one of the largest logistics-oriented SAP implementation landscapes is in the process of being deployed by the US Army. Once fully deployed, the system is designed to streamline the entire US Army logistics value chain. Hence, along with the traditional systems and process requirements necessary to deploy an SAP solution, the Army must align with many non-SAP programmes and initiatives. To meet these goals, the concept of |architecture alignment| becomes critical, for it provides a common enforcer of standards from which a high-level strategic and management-oriented view of the eventual solution can be driven to the implementation level. This paper describes the process of aligning programmes and initiatives with solution architectures, along with the conceptual SALE (Single Army Logistics Enterprise) architecture model used to drive the alignment process.

Keywords: Single Army Logistics Enterprise; SALE; mySAP; solution architectures; architecture alignment; services; standards; logistics portfolio management; enterprise integration; logistics value chain; SAP implementation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2005.007468

International Journal of Services and Standards, 2005 Vol.1 No.4, pp.401 - 413

Published online: 22 Jul 2005 *

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