Narrow Results

This paper presents a framework for architecture alignment that can be positioned between approaches for software architecture, which concern software artefacts only, and strategic alignment models, which have a business focus. The framework is currently applied in case study research to find alignment patterns used in practice. First results presented in this paper indicate that the framework might yield an operationalization of strategic architecture alignment models. We also present an alignment pattern which shows a difference between how architectures are designed at the application level and the infrastructure level. We think this difference is significant for practical alignment models.

The new generation of industry, i.e. Industry 4.0, pertains to the processing of immense amounts of data, resulting, among other things, from the large-scale use of microcontrollers to control machines, an increase in the scale of automation, the use of the Internet of Things technology — e.g. in sensors installed at different stages of the production process, the implementation of the digital twin concept, and many other technologies designed to collect data (e.g. GPS or RFID). These data are collected in the enterprise’s variety of resources and databases. These data can be a valuable source of information and knowledge if the right approach to advanced data analysis is adopted, which depends, among other things, on the enterprise’s existing IT infrastructure. This paper sets out to present conclusions formulated on the basis of research consisting in the analysis of multinational manufacturing companies’ existing IT infrastructures. Three basic model solutions of IT architecture occurring in multi-site enterprises were identified, which made it possible to identify the main problems stemming from the IT architecture in place and concerning the analysis of data for the needs of company management. Additionally, this paper discusses the challenges faced by multi-site manufacturing companies. One such activity is the modification and expansion of the company’s IT infrastructure, including the implementation of Big Data and Master Data Management (MDM) solutions. The contribution provided by this paper consists in the analysis of the IT infrastructure in large, multi-site enterprises, which enabled the identification of problems and challenges related to advanced data analysis in this type of companies.