Minutes from MS Architects Forum

The Aspiring Architect

Content Management and Search Gadgets

Daryl Chantry

Architect

Architecture Strategy Team (Redmond)

Thursday 19 April 2007

Microsoft Wellington, Level 12 Mobil on the Quay

Glossary

FY08 begins 1 July 2007

Skills, Knowledge & Desire

What we will discuss

• What is Architecture?
• What is an Architect?
• Architect Roles
• Architect Levels
• Becoming a certified Architect
• Tools for Training
  • Skyscrapr.net
  • Gadgets
  • Community Content

What is Architecture?

• Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings and structures
• The inclusion of aesthetic principles distinguishes architecture from applied science or engineering, which usually concentrate more on the functional and feasibility aspects of a design, rather than the user experience.

What is an Architect?

• The illiterate of the 21^st Century are not those that cannot read or write. They are those that can not learn, unlearn, and relearn. – Alvin Toffler
• Virtual Scenario
  • Individual
  • Company
  • Customer

Architect Roles

• Enterprise
• Infrastructure
  • Physical Network
  • Security
  • Storage
  • Network OS
  • Application Platform
  • etc
• Solutions
  • Integration
  • Work Flow
  • Application
  • Purchased Applications
  • etc

Architect Levels

• Aspiring
• Associate
• Microsoft Certified
  • Solutions
  • Infrastructure
  • Messaging

Becoming an Architect – Training Problem

• Solution Architect (a to z)
• Infrastructure (same)
• E.g. Deployment of components requires a base understanding of network and server deployment.

Associate Architect

• Architectural Concepts and Process
  • What is software/infrastructure architecture
  • Patterns, frameworks, methodologies
  • Te architecture process
• Non functional Architecture
  • Scalability, Performance, Security, Resiliency, Failure Prevention
• Functional Architecture
  • Architectural Patterns, Integration patterns, Data patterns
• Specific Topics solution / Infrastructure
• Business Technology Strategy
• Communication, Leadership, and Organizational Dynamics

MCA Certification

• Create a certification that assures our customer an MCA:
  • Is a successful, practicing architect
  • Can speak the language of business, architecture, and technology
  • Can provide predictability to IT and success on IT projects
  • Takes a vendor neutral stance to creating architecture

MCA Practicing Architect

• Have driven projects through the IT lifecycle
• Complex projects – multiple points of integration, multiple technologies
• Large Projects
  • Enterprise impact
  • Strategic to the organisation

MCA Multilingual

• Can speak the language of business
  • Translate business problem to technical solution
  • etc

MCA Predictable Results

• Know where you fit into an enterprise framework and how to leverage it (TOGAF, Zachman, etc.)
• Know and employ methodologies to drive your project through the lifecycle (MSF, XP, Scrum, Waterfall, RUP)
• Leverage patterns
• Know operational frameworks, how to provision for multiple management tools, train users, helpdesk

MCA Trusted Advisor

• Identify the existing environment
  • What’s there; what can be leveraged
• Identify the business requirements and goals
  • Business advantage? Migrate? Green field?
• Identify…

MCA Candidate Commitment

• Six months
• AU$10,000

Tools – Community Content

Authoring and Content Management Processes

• Flexible Content Management Framework
  • Document Storage, Authoring, Approval, Publishing
  • Close integration with Office Applications
• Powerful Content Management Workflows
  • Built-in workflows
  • SharePoint Designer workflows
  • Visual Studio workflows

Skyscrapr.net

• All Aspiring Architect content
• Articles expire – must be maintained

Windows Vista – Gadgets

• Mini Applications
  • Easy to use
  • Information at a glance
  • Simple to develop and customize

Gadget Deployment

• Individual
• Partner System
• Customer System
• Microsoft Content Management System