The modularization of business functions for greater flexibility and reusability. Instead of building monolithic applications for each department, a service-oriented architecture (SOA) organizes business software in a granular fashion so that common functions can be used interchangeably by different departments internally and by external business partners as well. The more granular the components (the more pieces), the more they can be reused.

A service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a way of thinking about IT assets as service components. When functions in a large application are made into stand-alone services that can be accessed separately, they are beneficial to several parties.

Standard Interfaces

An SOA is implemented via a programming interface (API) that allows components to communicate with each other. The most popular interface is the use of XML over HTTP, known as "Web services." However, SOAs are also implemented via the .NET Framework and Java EE/RMI, as well as CORBA and DCOM, the latter two being the earliest SOA interfaces, then known as "distributed object systems." CICS, IBM's MQ series and other message passing protocols could also be considered SOA interfaces. See Web services.

SOA has made huge progress in accurate years. It moved from experimental implementations by software enthusiasts to the main stream of today's IT. One of the main drivers behind such progress is the ability to rationalize and virtualize existing enterprise IT assets behind service interfaces which are well aligned with an enterprise business model and current and future Enterprise processes. Further, SOA progress was achieved through the introduction of the Enterprise Service Bus - a pattern for virtualization of a services infrastructure. By leveraging mediations, service location resolution, service level agreement (SLA) support, etc., ESB allows software architects to significantly simplify a Services infrastructure. The last piece missing in the overall SOA implementation is Enterprise Data Access. A possible solution for this problem, Enterprise Data Bus (a pattern for ubiquitous access to the enterprise data), was introduced in [1,2]. EDB adds the third dimension to SOA virtualization, which can be broken down as follows:

• Services - virtualization of the IT assets;
• ESB - virtualization of the enterprise services access
• EDB - virtualization of the enterprise data access.

In other SOA developments, several publications [3,4,5] suggested the use of Grid technology for improving scalability, high availability and throughput in SOA implementations. In this article, I will discuss how Grid can be used in the overall SOA architecture and introduce a programming model for Grid utilization in services implementation. I will also discuss an experimental Grid implementation that can support this proposed architecture.

SOA with EDB - overall architecture

Following [1,2] the overall architecture of the SOA with EDB is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1: SOA architecture with the Enterprise Data Bus

Here, ESB is responsible for proper invocation of services, which are implemented by utilizing EDB to access any enterprise data ^[1] which might be required by those services. This architecture provides the following advantages:

• Explicit separation of concerns between implementation of the service functionality (business logic) and enterprise data access logic.
  Enterprise Data Bus effectively creates an abstraction layer, encapsulating details of enterprise data access and providing "standardized interfaces" to the services implementations.
• EDB provides a single place for all of the transformations between enterprise semantic data models used by services [2] and data models of enterprise applications by encapsulating all of the access to enterprise data.
  As a result, service implementations can access enterprise data using a SOA semantic model, thus significantly simplifying the design and implementation of enterprise services.
• Service implementations having access to the required enterprise data provided by the EDB allows for significantly simplified service interfaces and provides a looser coupling between service consumer and provider:
  • Because the service (consumer) can directly access data ^[2] , the service invocation, for example, does not require the actual values of parameters (input/output) to be sent as part of a service invocation. As a result, the service interface can be expressed in terms of data references (keys) instead of actual data.
  • While an enterprise service model will evolve as the SOA implementation matures, the changes in the data reference definitions will rarely change. As a result, service interfaces based on Key data are more stable.
  • Extending service implementations to use additional data can be implemented without impacting its consumers.

Adding a Grid

One of the possible implementations the EDB is the use of a data grid such as Websphere eXtreme Scale, Oracle Coherence Data Grid, GigaSpaces Data and Application Grid or NCache Distributed Data Grid.

Data Grid is a software system designed for building solutions ranging from simple in-memory databases to powerful distributed coherent caches that scales to thousands of servers. A typical data grid implementation partitions data into non-overlapping chunks that are stored in memory across several machines. As a result, extremely high levels of performance and scalability can be achieved using standard processes. Performance is achieved through parallel execution of updates and queries (different parts of data can be accessed simultaneously on different machines) while scalability and fault tolerance can be achieved by replicating the same data on multiple machines.

Figure 2 shows the use of a Grid as an EDB implementation. The Grid maintains an in-memory copy of the enterprise data, which represents the state of enterprise databases and applications.

Figure 2 Grid as an EDB

The introduction of Grid allows the repartitioning of data that exists in multiple databases and applications so that it adheres to the enterprise semantic model. This entails bringing together logically related data from different applications/databases in the enterprise into one cohesive data representation along with rationalizing the duplicate data which will inevitably exist in the enterprise.

Grid implementations are typically supported by a publish/subscribe mechanism, allowing data changes to be synchronized between Grid memory and existing enterprise applications and data. A Grid-based intermediary allows for very fast access to the enterprise data using a data model optimized for such a service usage.

Although Grid-based EDB (Figure 2) simplifies high speed access to the enterprise data, it still requires potentially significant data exchange between the EDB and the service implementation. A service must load all the required data, execute its processing and then store results back to the Grid.

A better architecture is to bring execution of the services closer to the enterprise data; implement services as coordinators of the agents [7], which are executed in the memory space containing the enterprise data (Figure 3). A service implementation, in this case, receives a request and then starts one or more agents, which are then executed in the context of Grid nodes, returning the results to the service implementation, which then combines the results of agents' execution and returns the service's execution result.

Figure 3 Service as an agent's coordinator

This approach provides the following advantages over the Publish/Subscribe data exchange model:

• It allows for local data manipulation that can significantly Improve overall service execution performance, especially when dealing with large amounts of data (megabytes or even gigabytes of data).
• Similar to the data partitioning, the actual execution is partitioned between multiple Grid nodes, thus further improving performance, scalability and availability of such an architecture.
• Because all services can access the same data, when service execution involves purely the manipulation of data with minimal request/replies, there is no need to pass data at all.

Software agents

The concept of an agent can be traced back to the early days of research into Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) which introduced the concept of a self-contained, interactive and concurrently-executing object. This object had some encapsulated internal state and could respond to messages from other similar objects. According to [7], "an agent is a component of software and/or hardware which is capable of acting exactingly in order to accomplish tasks on behalf of its user."

There are several types of agents, as identified in [7]:

• Collaborative agents
• Interface agents
• Mobile agents
• Information/Internet agents
• Reactive agents
• Smart Agents

Based on the architecture for the service implementation (Figure 3), we are talking about agents belonging to the multiple categories:

• Collaborative - one or more agents together implement the service functionality.
• Mobile - agents are executed on the Grid nodes outside of the service context
• Information - agents' execution directly leverages data located in the Grid nodes.

In the rest of the article we will discuss a simple implementation of Grid and a programming model that can be used for building a Grid-based EDB and an agent-based service implementation.

Grid implementation

Among the most difficult challenges in implementing Grid are High Availability and Scalability and data/execution partitioning mechanisms.

One of the simplest ways to ensure Grid's High Availability and Scalability is the use of messaging for the internal Grid communications. Grid implementations can benefit from both point-to-point and publish-subscribe messaging:

• Usage of messaging in point-to-point communications supports decoupling of Consumers from Providers. The request is not sent directly to the Provider, but rather to the queues monitored by the Provider(s). As a result, queuing provides for:
  • Transparently increasing the overall throughput by increasing the number of Grid nodes listening on the same queue.
  • Simple throttling of Grid nodes' load through controlling the number of threads listening on a queue.
  • Simplification of the load balancing. Instead of the consumer deciding which provider to invoke, it writes the request to the queue. Providers pick up requests as threads become available for request processing
  • Transparent failover support. If some of the processes listening on the same queue terminate, the rest will continue to pick up and process messages.
• Usage of publish/subscribe messaging allows for the simplification of "broadcast" implementations within the Grid infrastructure. Such support can be extremely useful when synchronizing changes within a Grid configuration.

Depending on the Grid implementation, data/execution partitioning approaches can range from pure load-balancing policies (in the case of identical nodes) to dynamic indexing of Grid data. This mechanism can be either hard-coded in the Grid implementation or externalized in a specialized Grid service-partition manager. The role of partition manager is to partition Grid data among nodes and serves as a "registry" for locating nodes (nodes queues) for routing requests. Externalization of a partition manager in a separate service introduces additional flexibility into an overall architecture through the use of a "pluggable" partition manager implementation or even multiple partition managers, implementing different routing mechanisms for different types of requests.

The overall Grid infrastructure, including partition manager and Grid nodes communication can be either directly exposed to the Grid consumer in the form of APIs, used as part of a Grid request submission or encapsulated in a set of specialized Grid nodes - Grid masters (controllers). In the first case, a specialized Grid library responsible for implementation of request distribution and (optionally) combination of replies has to be linked to a Grid consumer implementation. Although this option can, theoretically, provide the best possible overall performance, it typically creates a tighter coupling between Grid implementation and its consumers ^[3]. In the second case, Grid master implements a façade pattern [8] for the Grid with all advantages of this pattern - complete encapsulation of Grid functionality (and infrastructure) from the Grid consumer. Although implementation of Grid master adds an additional networking hop (and consequently some performance overhead), the loose coupling achieved is typically more important.

Overall high level Grid architecture supporting two level - master/nodes implementation is presented at Figure 4.

Figure 4 Grid High Level Architecture

In addition to components, described above, proposed architecture (Figure 4) contains two additional ones - Grid administrator and code repository.

GRID administrator provides a graphical interface, showing currently running nodes, their load, memory utilization, supported data, etc.

Because restarting of Grid nodes/master can be fairly expensive ^[4] we need to be able to introduce new code into Grid master/nodes without restarting them. This is done through usage of code repository - currently implemented as Web accessible jars collection. As developers implement new code that they want to run in Grid environment, they can store their code in a repository and dynamically load/invoke it (using Java URLClassLoader) as part of their execution (see below).

Programming model

In order to simplify the creation of applications running on the Grid we have designed a job-items programming model (Figure 5) for execution on the Grid. This model is a variation of Map/Reduce [9] pattern and works as follows:

Figure 5 Job Items model

1. Grid consumer submits job request (in the form of job container) to the Grid master. Job container provides all of the necessary information for the master environment to instantiate the job. This includes job's code location (location of the java jar, or empty string, interpreted as local, statically linked code), job's starting class, job's input data and job's context type, allowing the choice between multiple partitions managers for splitting job execution.
2. Grid master's runtime instantiates job's class passing to it the appropriate job context (partition manager), and replier object, supporting replies back to the consumer. Once the job object is created, runtime starts its execution.
3. Job's start execution method uses partition manager to split the job into items, each of which is send to a particular Grid node for execution - map step.
4. Each destination Grid node receives an item execution request (in the form of item container). The Item container is similar to the job container and provides sufficient information for the Grid node to instantiate and execute item. This includes item's code location, item's starting class; item's input data and item's context type.
5. Grid node's runtime instantiates an item's class, passing to it the appropriate item context and replier object, supporting replies back to the job. Once the item object is created, runtime starts its execution.
6. The Item's execution uses a reply object to send partial results back to the job. This allows job implementation to start processing an item's partial results (reduce steps) as soon as they become available. If necessary, additional items can be created and sent to the Grid nodes during this processing.
7. The Job can use a replier to send its partial results to the consumer as they become available

The overall execution looks as follows (Figure 6)

Figure 6 Job Items execution

Detailed execution for both Grid master and node is presented at Figure 7

Figure 7 Execution details

In addition to implementing Map/Reduce pattern, this programming model provides support for fully asynchronous data delivery on all levels. This not only allows significantly improved overall performance when job consumers can use partial replies, (For example: delivering partial information to the browser) but also Improve the scalability and throughput of the overall system by limiting the size of the messages (message chunking) ^[5].

Interfacing Grid

Use of a job container as a mechanism for job invocation also allows a standardized interface for submitting jobs to the Grid ^[6] (Figure 8). We are providing 2 functionally identical methods for this web service interface - invokeJobRaw and invokeJobXML.

Figure 8 GridJobService WSDL

Both methods allow invocation of the job on the Grid. The first approach uses MTOM to pass a binary-serialized JobContainer class, while the second one support XML marshalling of all elements of the JobContainer (Figure 5). In addition to the JobContainer, both methods pass two additional parameters to the Grid:

• Request handle allowing to uniquely identify request and is used by consumer to match replies to a request (see later)
• Reply URL - a URL at which consumer is listening for reply. This URL should expose GridJobServiceReplies service (Figure 9)

Figure 9 Grid Job Service Reply WSDL

Implementation of Grid master

The class diagram for Grid master is presented in Figure 10. In addition to implementing the basic job runtime described above, the Master's software also implements basic framework features including threading ^[7], request/response matching, requests timeout, etc.

In order to support request/multiple replies paradigm for items execution, instead of using "get Replies with wait" (a common request/reply pattern when using messaging), we decided to use a single listener and build our own reply matching mechanism. Finally, we have implemented a timeout mechanism, ensuring that the job is getting the "first" reply from every item within a predefined data interval (defined in the job container).

Figure 10 Grid master implementation

Implementation of Grid node

The class diagram for Grid node is presented at Figure 11. Similar to the master runtime, here we complement basic item's execution with the framework support including threading, execution timeout, etc.

Figure 11 Grid node implementation

To avoid stranding of node resources by items running forever, we have implemented items eviction policy, based on the item's execution time. An execution of an item, running longer then the time advertised by it (in the item container), will be terminated and timeout exception will be sent back to the job.

Grid consumer framework

We have also developed a consumer implementation, wrapping Web services (Figure 8, Figure 9) with a simple Java APIs (Figure 12) It leverages embedded Jetty Web server and allows to submit a job request to a Grid and register a callback for receiving replies.

Figure 12 Grid consumer

Conclusion

Introduction of the EDB allows architects to further simplify SOA implementation by introducing "standardized" access from services implementation to the enterprise data. It simplifies both service invocation and execution models and provides for further decoupling of services. The use of Grid for EDB implementations supports the EDB's scalability and high availability. Finally, use of service agents executing directly in the Grid further improves scalability and performance. Grid's high level architecture and programming model, described in this article, provides a simple yet robust foundation for such implementations.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to my coworkers in Navteq, especially Michael Frey, Daniel Rolf and Jeffrey Herr for discussions and help in Grid and its programming model implementation.

References

1. B. Lublinsky. http://www.infoq.com/articles/SOA-enterprise-data">Incorporating Enterprise Data into SOA. November 2006, InfoQ.

2. Mike Rosen, Boris Lublinsky, Kevin Smith, Mark Balcer. Applied SOA: : Service-Oriented Architecture and Design Strategies. Wiley 2008, ISBN: 978-0-470-22365-9.

3. Art Sedighi. Enterprise SOA Meets Grid. June 2006.

4. David Chappell and David Berry. SOA - Ready for Primetime: The Next-Generation, Grid-Enabled Service-Oriented Architecture.A SOA Magazine, September 2007.

5. David Chappell. Next Generation Grid Enabled SOA.

6. Data grid

7. Hyacinth S. Nwana. Software Agents: An Overview

8. Façade pattern

9. Map Reduce.

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The IT industry loves seismic shifts in technology architectures. In the 1990s, there was object-oriented programming. Later, service-oriented architecture and enterprise service bus built on these principles, but packaged them in a new way, and more recently, the same has been happening with microservices and containerisation.

All have tried to make it easier for software developers to componentise their enterprise application stack, such that an organisation is not locked into one particular application and can choose best-of breed components to solve particular business problems.

This has resulted in a drastic increase in the number of applications organisations are using. “Over the past 10 years, our clients have, on average, increased the number of enterprise applications from 80 to over 700,” says Emma McGuigan, enterprise and industry technologies lead at Accenture. 

The reason for this growth is that many software companies offer best-in-class or niche applications that meet particular business challenges. “We need to embrace the opportunity that those smaller application providers offer,” adds McGuigan.

Enterprise IT architect certifications appear most often at the apex of certification programs, where less than 1% of IT professionals ultimately ascend. Even so, many IT architect certifications are available, and you don’t need to invest in one certification sponsor’s vision to reach the top.

Many IT certifications in this area fall outside vendor umbrellas, which means they are vendor-neutral or vendor-agnostic. Nevertheless, the number of vendor-specific IT certifications exceeds vendor-neutral ones by a factor of more than 2 to 1. That’s why we devote the last section of this article to all such credentials, as we encountered them in search of the best enterprise architect certifications.

For IT pros who’ve already invested in vendor-specific certification programs, credentials at the architect level may indeed be worth pursuing. Enterprise architects are among the highest-paid employees and consultants in the tech industry.

What do enterprise architects do?

Enterprise architects are technical experts who are able to analyze and assess organizational needs, make recommendations regarding technology changes, and design and implement those changes across the organization.

How much does an enterprise architect earn?

The national average salary per SimplyHired is $130,150, in a range from $91,400 to a whopping $185,330. Glassdoor reports $133,433 as the average. Ultimately, the value of any IT certification depends on how long the individual has worked and in what part of the IT patch.

How do I become an enterprise architect?

Becoming an enterprise architect is not easy. While the requirements may vary by employer, most enterprise architects have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a computer-related field along with 5-10 years of professional work experience. Many enterprise architects obtain additional certifications past graduation.

Why should I get certified?

Certifications are a great way to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the experience and technical skills necessary to do the job and supply you a competitive edge in the hiring process. Certification holders also frequently earn more than their uncertified counterparts, making certifications a valuable career-building tool.

Which certifications are the best?

Below, you’ll find our top five certification picks. Before you peruse our best picks, check out the results of our informal job board survey. Data indicates the number of job posts in which our featured certifications were mentioned on a given day. The data should supply you an idea of the relative popularity of each of these certifications.

Job board search results (in alphabetical order, by certification)

AWS Certified Solution Architect

Making its first appearance on the leaderboard is the Certified Solutions Architect credential from Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS, an Amazon subsidiary, is the global leader in on-demand cloud computing. AWS offers numerous products and services to support its customers, including the popular Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). AWS also offers numerous cloud applications and developer tools, including Amazon Comprehend, Amazon SageMaker Batch Transform and Amazon Lightsail.

AWS offers certifications at the foundation, associate and professional levels across five role-based categories: architect, developer, operations, cloud and specialty certifications. Foundation-level certifications validate a candidate’s understanding of the AWS Cloud and serve as a prerequisite to AWS specialty certifications. Foundation certifications are a recommended starting place for those seeking higher-level credentials.

Associate credentials typically have no prerequisites and focus on technical skills. They are required to obtain professional-level certifications, which are the highest level of technical certification available. Specialty certs, meanwhile, focus on skills in targeted areas.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate 2019

AWS currently offers the following credentials:

• Foundation credentials: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
• Associate credentials: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate, AWS Certified Developer and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• Professional: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional and AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
• Specialty: AWS Certified Advanced Networking, AWS Certified Big Data and AWS Certified Security

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect credential is available at the associate and professional levels. The associate credential targets candidates with at least one year of experience architecting and implementing solutions based on AWS applications and technologies. AWS updated the associate-level test in February 2018 to include architecture best practices and new services.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification targets senior AWS architects who can architect, design, implement and manage complex enterprise-level AWS solutions based on defined organizational requirements. Candidates should have a minimum of two years’ direct experience deploying and designing on the AWS cloud and be able to translate organizational requirements into solutions and recommend best practices. The associate credential is a mandatory prerequisite.

AWS Certified Solution Architect facts and figures

CTA: Certified Technical Architect

In 1999, Salesforce revolutionized the world of CRM when it introduced the concept of using the cloud to provide top-notch CRM software. Today, Salesforce has more than 150,000 customers, making it the industry leader for CRM enterprise cloud platforms. Currently, Salesforce offers solutions for various focus areas, including sales, service, marketing, commerce, engagement, community, productivity (Quip), platform and ecosystem, integration, analytics, enablement, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, mobility, and industry (financial and health).

To meet industry needs for qualified and experienced professionals with the skills necessary to support its growing customer base, Salesforce developed and maintains a top-tier certification program. It offers many paths to candidates, including for administration, app building, architecture and marketing.

Salesforce Architect certifications are hierarchical, with most (but not all) lower-level credentials serving as prerequisites for more advanced credentials. At the top of the certification pyramid is the highest credential a Salesforce professional can earn – the Certified Technical Architect (CTA), which is our featured Salesforce certification.

The Salesforce Architect certification pyramid has three levels:

• Specializations: These form the bottom tier of the pyramid. Salesforce offers eight specializations, four of which support application solutions, while the other four support system solutions. Application specializations include certifications for Data Architecture and Management Designer, Sharing and Visibility Designer, Platform Developer I, and Platform App Builder. System specializations include Development Lifecycle and Deployment Designer, Identity and Access Management Designer, Integration Architecture Designer, and Platform Developer I credentials.
• Domain Architect: There are two Salesforce Domain Architect credentials: the Certified Application Architect and the Certified System Architect. The Certified Application Architect designation targets professionals with expert-level knowledge in Salesforce product functionality and features, while the Certified System Architect credential focuses on governance, integration and testing. Both credentials require the candidate to first earn their corresponding specialization certifications in addition to meeting other requirements.
• Technical Architect: The Certified Technical Architect (CTA) is the highest Salesforce credential available. CTAs are experts in all Salesforce domains and possess skills necessary to design, build and implement Salesforce platform solutions. To earn the CTA, candidates must first obtain both the Certified Application Architect and Certified System Architect credentials or pass a single exam. Candidates must meet experience requirements and pass a rigorous board review, which validates their knowledge and skills in Salesforce competency areas, such as communication, development lifecycle and deployment planning, integration, solution architecture, data, security, and systems architecture.

Salesforce requires CTAs to maintain current skills. Credential holders must pass maintenance module exams with each new product release cycle (typically in summer, winter and spring). While challenging to earn, the CTA is important for IT professionals who are serious about a Salesforce technologies career.

CTA facts and figures

ITIL Master Certificate – IT Service Management

One of our favorite credential sets (and for employers as well, judging by job board numbers) is the ITIL for IT Service Management credentials from Axelos. Axelos is a global provider of standards designed to drive best practices and quality throughout organizations. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) joined the Axelos family in 2013.

Axelos manages ITIL credentialing requirements and updates, provides accreditation to Examination Institutes (EIs), and licenses organizations seeking to use ITIL. In addition to ITIL certifications, Axelos offers credentials for Prince2 2017 (which includes Foundation, Practitioner and Agile qualifications), Prince2 Agile, Resilia, MSP, MoP, M_o_R, P30, MoV, P3M3 and AgileSHIFT.

ITIL is a set of well-defined and well-respected best practices that specifically target the area of IT service management. There are more than 2 million ITIL-certified practitioners worldwide. ITIL is perhaps the most widely known and globally adopted set of best practices and management tools for IT service management and support.

ITIL Foundation (2011): Complete course and 2 practice exams

Axelos maintains a robust ITIL certification portfolio consisting of five ITIL credentials:

• ITIL Foundation: An entry-level credential that validates general ITIL knowledge, including terminology, concepts, elements, services lifecycle and ITIL processes
• ITIL Practitioner: A steppingstone credential for the Intermediate credential that tests a candidate’s ability to use ITIL principles within their business organization
• ITIL Intermediate: An industry-recognized qualification with a modular structure, each module focusing on a different aspect of IT service management
• ITIL Expert: An expert-level credential for candidates who possess broad ITIL knowledge that covers the entire ITIL scheme
• ITIL Master: The highest ITIL credential from Axelos, targeting professionals who recommend and implement ITIL best practices

Axelos introduced ITIL 4 in early 2019. ITIL 3 practitioners should check the Axelos website frequently for updates about the transition to ITIL 4 and availability of the ITIL 4 transition modules.

The ITIL Master is the pinnacle ITIL certification, requiring experience, dedication, and a thorough understanding of ITIL principles, practices, and techniques. To gain the ITIL Master designation, candidates must have at least five years of managerial, advisory or other leadership experience in the field of IT service management. They must also possess the ITIL Expert certification. Once the skill and certification requirements are met, the real certification work begins.

Upon completing the prerequisites, candidates must register with PeopleCert, the sole approved Axelos Examination Institute, and submit an application. Next, candidates prepare and submit a proposal for a business improvement to implement within their organization. The proposal submission is followed by a “work package,” which documents a real-world project that encompasses multiple ITIL areas.

The work package (1) validates how the candidate applied ITIL principles, practices, and techniques to the project; and (2) documents the effectiveness of the solution and the ultimate benefit the business received as a result of the ITIL solution. Finally, candidates must pass an interview with an assessment panel where they defend their solution.

Axelos will soon be sponsoring 50 lucky people in their quest to obtain the ITIL 4 Master certification. You can register your interest in the program here.

ITIL Master facts and figures

TOGAF 9

A leader in enterprise architecture, The Open Group’s standards and certifications are globally recognized. The TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) standard for enterprise architecture is popular among leading enterprise-level organizations. Currently, TOGAF is the development and architecture framework of choice for more than 80% of global enterprises.

TOGAF’s popularity reflects that the framework standard is specifically geared to all aspects of enterprise-level IT architectures, with an emphasis on building efficiency within an organization. The scope of the standard’s approach covers everything from design and planning stages to implementation, maintenance, and governance.

The Open Group offers several enterprise architect credentials, including TOGAF, Open CA, ArchiMate, IT4IT and the foundational Certified Technical Specialist (Open CTS).

The Open Group reports that there are more than 75,000 TOGAF-certified enterprise architects. At present, there are two TOGAF credentials: the TOGAF 9 Foundation (Level 1) and TOGAF 9 Certified (Level 2). (The TOGAF framework is currently based on version 9.2, although the credential name still reflects version 9.)

The TOGAF 9 Foundation, or Level 1, credential targets architects who demonstrate an understanding of TOGAF principles and standards. A single test is required to earn the Level 1 designation. The Level 1 test focuses on TOGAF-related concepts such as TOGAF reference models, terminology, core concepts, standards, ADM, architectural governance and enterprise architecture. The Level 1 credential serves as a steppingstone to the more advanced TOGAF Level 2 certification.

The TOGAF 9 Certified, or Level 2, credential incorporates all requirements for Level 1. Level 2 TOGAF architects possess in-depth knowledge of TOGAF standards and principles and can apply them to organizational goals and enterprise-level infrastructure. To earn this designation, candidates must first earn the Level 1 credential and pass the Level 2 exam. The Level 2 test covers TOGAF concepts such as ADM phases, governance, content framework, building blocks, stakeholder management, metamodels, TOGAF techniques, reference models and ADM iterations.

Candidates wanting a fast track to Level 2 certification may take a combination exam, which covers requirements for both Level 1 and 2. Training is not mandatory for either credential but is highly recommended. Training classes run 2-5 days, depending on the provider and whether you’re taking the combined or single-level course. The Open Group maintains a list of approved training providers and a schedule of current training opportunities on the certification webpage.

TOGAF 9 facts and figures 

Zachman Certified – Enterprise Architect

Founded in 1990, Zachman International promotes education and research for enterprise architecture and the Zachman Framework. Rather than being a traditional process or methodology, the Zachman Framework is more accurately referred to as an “ontology.” Ontologies differ from a traditional methodology or process in that, rather than focusing on the process or implementation, they focus on the properties, types and interrelationships of entities that exist within a particular domain. The Zachman Framework ontology focuses on the structure, or definition, of the object and the enterprise. Developed by John Zachman, this framework sets a standard for enterprise architecture ontology.

Zachman International currently offers four enterprise architect credentials:

• Enterprise Architect Associate Certification (Level 1): Candidates must attend a four-day modeling workshop and pass a single exam. The workshop covers key concepts relating to enterprise architecture and the Zachman Framework, case studies, engineering vs. primitive models and manufacturing vs. composite models, and hands-on experience building Framework models. The workshop fee ($3,499) includes the test and certification fees for Level 1 and Level 2.
• Enterprise Architect Practitioner Certification (Level 2): Architects must submit case studies of primitive and composite models that address specified management issues. Case studies must pass a referee review.
• Enterprise Architect Professional Certification (Level 3): Candidates must complete a case study demonstrating primitive (architectural) and composite (implementation) models and complete a referee review. Level 3 credential holders may advertise themselves as “Zachman consultants.”
• Enterprise Architect Educator Certification (Level 4): Designed for educators, this credential prepares candidates to develop and teach the Zachman Framework. To earn this credential, candidates should go through all educational materials related to the Zachman Framework, develop their own curricula and course materials, and present those materials for review and approval. While this is not required, Zachman recommends that Level 4 candidates obtain the Level 3 Professional designation.

Zachman credentials are valid for three years. To maintain these credentials, candidates must earn continuing education credits (referred to as EADUs). The total number of EADUs required varies by certification level.

Zachman Certified – Enterprise Architect facts and figures

Beyond the top 5: More enterprise architect certifications

The Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) is a great credential, especially for professionals working with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from PMI continues to appear in many enterprise architect job descriptions. Although the PMP is not an enterprise architect certification per se, many employers look for this particular combination of skills.

Outside of our top five vendor-neutral enterprise architect certifications (which focus on more general, heterogeneous views of IT systems and solutions), there are plenty of architect-level certifications from a broad range of vendors and sponsors, most of which are vendor-specific.

The table below identifies those vendors and sponsors, names their architect-level credentials, and provides links to more information on those offerings. Choosing one or more of these certifications for research and possible pursuit will depend on where you work or where you’d like to work.

<td”>EMC Cloud Architect Expert (EMCCAe) <td”>GoCertify </td”></td”>

These architect credentials typically represent pinnacle certifications within the programs to which they belong, functioning as high-value capstones to those programs in many cases. The group of individuals who attain such credentials is often quite small but comes with tight sponsor relationships, high levels of sponsor support and information delivery, and stratospheric salaries and professional kudos.

Often, such certifications provide deliberately difficult and challenging targets for a small, highly select group of IT professionals. Earning one or more of these certifications is generally the culmination of a decade or more of professional growth, high levels of effort, and considerable expense. No wonder, then, that architect certifications are highly regarded by IT pros and highly valued by their employers.

Choosing the right IT architect credential

Enterprise architect credentials will often be dictated by choices that your employer (or industry sector, in the case of government or DoD-related work environments) have already made independent of your own efforts. Likewise, most of the vendor-specific architecture credentials make sense based on what’s deployed in your work environment or in a job you’d like to occupy.

Though there are lots of potential choices IT pros could make, the actual number they can or should make will be influenced by their circumstances.

I think I might be in a toxic relationship. I’m on my knees begging for forgiveness after I failed to execute a request properly. Then I find myself searching for hours on end for a way to redeem myself, only to be told that I presented my offer of redemption too late. Schedules are edited at whim, and I am expected to drop everything just because I am supposed to be devoted. I question this relationship, and I do really want to fix it — to fix myself to serve it better. 

Perhaps, my analogy is too obvious. I am, of course, talking about my major: architecture.

To most (the some 20,500 non-architecture majors), the field seems like a substantial amount of work. Your friends in the program likely declined that rager last weekend, citing their need to catch up on their latest project. Or perhaps you’ve never heard of the program. I wouldn’t blame you. After all, it doesn’t even have a donor’s name in front of it. Schools at USC tout their benefactors’ names like students do their astrology signs. Architecture sticks out of the roster like a sore, underfunded thumb.

But my issues with the School of Architecture, or SoA as these minimalist, self-proclaimed design geniuses call it, go beyond the lack of funding. Sure, I have to pay for materials, access to design tools and machines vital to the curriculum and arrange my own transportation to mandatory field trips — but we’re USC students, of course we have the funds for that. Tuition is a reasonable $65 thousand, what’s a few more thousand dollars? Honestly, I’m more surprised at the fact that they’ve managed to wring the fun out of field trips than I am infuriated by the costs.

What truly unhinges me, though, is the sheer lack of empathy ingrained within the program. Last semester, we met for four, four-hour blocks per week, with each meeting evaluating the work done in the last — adding more to be scrutinized in the future. It was a constant loop of labor; while I had Wednesdays off, I was never truly free — I was often spending 8-12 hours in the library in an attempt to catch up for Thursday. The department never provided accommodations, so if you missed a week due to illness (I did, twice) you were left to scramble to ensure that you finished the assignment by the review date, where the unforgiving jury would criticize you, saying that your project was unfinished. All energy was turned to serve the all-mighty deadline, as it confronted you unimpressed by your latest offering, only to kick you down and have you repeat the process in a manner that would make Sisyphus look on in horror.

The resulting culture is one indulged in masochism. Students would compete over how many all-nighters they put in or laugh about ending their lives over a project. The negativity was palpable, even suffocating. Conversations I had with friends in the program would devolve into trauma-laced negativity fests where we would exchange the latest horrors: One student was criticized in front of the class for not washing his hands when the professor saw fingerprints on his model. Two students managed 48 hours of consecutive work on one project. Another had to restart her anti-anxiety pills.

These kinds of conditions are unforgivable by any standard, however, they are often justified by the profession itself. In the workforce, unpaid overtime is almost expected, which is embittered by the fact that accurate grads of SoA make around $48,000 and are expected to eventually earn $80,000. But, if you’re passionate about your work, then it isn’t truly work, right? It’s common practice within the field to have a side hustle, so become a YouTuber, or even a professor, and perpetuate the toxic work culture pervading the profession to a generation of malleable youth. To prepare students for the profession, they must be exposed to the worst of it. 

However, these problems are actually entirely remediable. The curriculum is extremely flexible, and is completely reset every year. However, all that these resets appear to do for the program is allow professors to push curriculums that are just as demanding but have never been tried before. As a freshman, I was made to learn Grasshopper, a program typically taught to 4th and 5th years that is hardly ever used in practical settings. Don’t ask, I am just as dumbfounded as you are. 

The problem is that professors are teaching what they know about the field: It’s intensive, soul-crushing and will take every last fiber of your being to survive. It’s all they know. I can’t really blame them for passing their trauma down to us because it’s what they’re being told to teach. And I think it might be working. I developed acute anxiety as a result of the first semester. So this time around, I have to brave a full-time job’s worth of hours punctuated by anxiety attacks that render me unable to actually do the work for my major, or any other class for that matter.

I wish I could end this piece saying that things are changing, that the school and the profession are responding to the humanitarian crisis pervading them. But I don’t think they are. I don’t know when they will or if they will. I want to create things that make people happy, that inspire joy, but producing them brings me pain. It hurts. And honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can carry on this relationship. 

If architecture doesn’t care about me, then why should I care about it?

Architecture Undergraduate Programs

Overview of Architecture at Drexel Westphal

The practice of architecture requires a unique skill set—creative thinking and aesthetic sensitivity balanced with technical knowledge, cultural understanding, and social responsibility--all coupled with the ability to communicate effectively. Drexel’s undergraduate architecture curriculum encompasses foundation courses in the applied and social sciences, the humanities, and a wide range of professional architecture courses to prepare students for careers in architecture and related fields. At the heart of the curriculum are the design studios, in which students are challenged to apply knowledge acquired from the above disciplines to consequential design problems.

Drexel Westphal’s Architecture program offers two distinct degree options for students interested in pursuing a career in architecture: 

• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.): NAAB-accredited architecture degree leading to professional licensure that combines full- and part-time study and incorporates extensive early exposure to architectural practice
• Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (BS): full-time architecture studies degree with flexible options to combine your studies with related fields; can be a precursor to a dual BS/MS degree at Drexel University or a professional NAAB-accredited M.Arch. degree at another institution; provides the opportunity to take advantage of Drexel’s renowned co-op program

Which undergraduate Architecture degree is right for me?

Bachelor of Architecture

Drexel Westphal’s Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) degree is designed to help you develop a comprehensive knowledge of the discipline of architecture, as well as foundational professional knowledge and a basic understanding of related fields. The NAAB-accredited B.Arch. degree at Drexel University is suitable for students who seek to earn a professional undergraduate degree that leads to professional licensure and affords them early exposure to architectural practice. While our B.Arch. degree does not participate in Drexel's signature co-op program, our students' opportunity to gain professional work experience and complete all or most of their Architectural Experience Program (AXP) requirements prior to graduation far exceeds the practice exposure of co-op. Depending on the degree path (read on to learn more about the 2+4 Option and the Part-Time Evening Option), the B.Arch. can be completed in six to seven years. Students enrolled into the B.Arch. degree have the option to pursue the Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) to complete the Architectural Registration Examination (ARE) and achieve professional licensure upon graduation. Due to its curriculum structure, the B.Arch. degree cannot accommodate international students on J1 visas.

The B.Arch. degree program may be right for students who:

• Plan to pursue a career as a licensed architect
• Wish to complete professional experience requirements for licensure alongside their education thus pursuing an expedited path to licensure
• Seek a rigorous, studio-based education in architecture
• Are prepared for a part-time architecture program that integrates professional exposure into their plan of study

Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies

Drexel University’s Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (BS in Arch. Studies) degree is a four-year, pre-professional degree. Students develop a comprehensive knowledge of the discipline of architecture, hone design skills, and expand their architectural understanding. If you’re unsure about becoming a licensed architect, this degree provides flexible avenues to combine your studies with related fields. Our BS in Architectural Studies degree can be a precursor to a dual BS/MS degree at Drexel University or a professional NAAB-accredited M.Arch. degree. The BS in Arch. Studies is a full-time degree program, which also welcomes international students. We offer both a co-op and a non-co-op option for this degree.

The BS in Architectural Studies may be right for students who:

• Are interested in the fields of architecture and design, but are not sure if they want to become licensed architects
• Hold J1 visas or are international students seeking a degree in architecture
• Are considering post-graduate education in architecture or a related field, such as an accredited professional M.Arch. degree
• Wish to complete a full-time, four-year pre-professional architecture degree
• Are interested in combining an architectural education with other disciplines, like digital media, construction management, design, or other fields 
• Want to participate in Drexel’s cooperative education (co-op) program in architecture or a related field
• Seek a customizable curriculum that prepares students for innovative professional paths

Need help understanding the differences in undergraduate architecture degrees? Deciding which education option is the best fit for you? Our Admissions team is here to answer your questions and help you choose a path to your career in architecture. Contact us at westphaladm@drexel.edu or 215.895.1738.

What are the pathways to a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) degree at Drexel?

The mission of the Drexel Bachelor of Architecture degree is to pursue architecture as a professional discipline by combining the rigors of the academy with the realities of contemporary architectural practice. The program does this by providing a strong, broadly based curriculum in the arts, design, humanities, social and applied sciences coupled with professional courses taught by faculty who reflect the broad diversity of architectural and design practices today.

Drexel Architecture’s work/study program is an experience-based learning model that complements and provides an alternative to traditional programs. The Drexel model provides a practical, high-quality education to those students who seek early exposure to daily architectural practice as well as an affordable alternative to students who could not otherwise be able to enter the profession.

At Drexel, there are two paths to an accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree, serving two distinct populations:

2+4 Option

The 2+4 Option is an accelerated route designed for a class of well-prepared students entering directly from high school. In this program, two years of full-time coursework address the basic principles of architectural design and satisfy fundamental university core requirements in the arts and sciences as well as those job-related skills that are needed for entry-level professional positions. A comprehensive review of performance will take place after each year to ensure that students are making sufficient progress in all areas.

After successfully completing the minimum requirements of the full-time phase, students find professional employment in the building industry, including architecture firms, while continuing their academic program part-time in the evening for four additional years. By combining work and study, Drexel students may be able to simultaneously satisfy their required internship for licensure (IDP) while completing their professional degree, thus qualifying for the registration test on graduation in most jurisdictions.

Information on admissions to the 2+4 Option

Part-Time Evening Option

The Part-Time Evening Option is one of only two part-time evening architecture programs in the United States, and it leads to an accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree. Designed for non-traditional and transfer students, this program offers all courses part-time in the evening, enabling students to work full-time. The part-time evening sequence is seven years, but transfer students with university-level design credits can reduce its length by meeting specific program requirements through transcript and portfolio review. All part-time evening courses are offered after 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Information on Transfer Admission Requirements

How Can I Become a Licensed Architect?

Bachelor of Architecture students may be able to receive credit in the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) for work experience obtained before graduation, which is part of most state licensure requirements. The Bachelor of Architecture program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

For more information on both B.Arch. pathways also visit the Drexel University Undergraduate Architecture Catalog.

Accreditation Information

In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a 8-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

At Drexel University, in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism the following NAAB-accredited degree program:

Bachelor of Architecture 227 credits, (equivalent to 150 semester credits)

Next accreditation visit for the Program: 2026

Drexel University Architecture Program Accreditation Reports and Documents

Learn more about Drexel Architecture

Need help deciding which undergraduate Architecture degree is best for you? Want to tour the Architecture facilities at Drexel Westphal, or learn more about how our program prepares students for architecture careers?

The Westphal Admissions team is available to answer questions, organize a tour, or connect you with faculty. Contact us at westphaladm@drexel.edu or 215.895.1738.

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ReFocus 2023 will take place Feb. 26–March 1, 2023, at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The event features senior-level life insurance and reinsurance executives with sessions that look at leading issues in the industry, including distribution, new technologies and consolidation. AM Best is a gold-level sponsor of the networking breakfast on Monday, Feb. 27. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.refocusconference.com/.

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