TM Forum Frameworx is an enterprise architecture framework (EAF) for the telecom and digital service provider industries. It embraces the sub-frameworks of eTOM, TAM, and SID. TM Forum is the organization that owns the intellectual property on Frameworx and continuously maintains its contents. TransWare AG, as a member and partner of TM Forum as well as a technical partner of Sparx Systems Pty Ltd, has made Frameworx accessible to the leading EA/BPM modeling tool Sparx Systems™ Enterprise Architect (SparxEA). The product TM Forum Frameworx for Enterprise Architect comprises the sub-frameworks of eTOM and TAM (SID will follow in a later version).
Frameworx is an EAF based on SoA concepts. It consists of the Business Process Framework (eTOM), the Application Framework (TAM), and the Information Framework (SID). TM Forum offers Frameworx downloads in XML and HTML data formats to its members. However, the available data formats cannot easily be used as active content in BPM or EA modeling tools. This webinar presents how to use Frameworx as real active content in the leading modeling tool SparxEA that is used by many TM Forum members. TransWare has created a Frameworx add-in for SparxEA (based on UML profiles and MDG technology for the meta-model) and translated the original Frameworx content into the native SparxEA EAP data format.
The ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 conceptual model of an architecture description defines the term EAF as: "An architecture framework establishes a common practice for creating, interpreting, analyzing and using architecture descriptions within a particular domain of application or stakeholder community". EAFs are used to describe the architecture of an organization by different viewpoints. Examples of architecture frameworks: Zachmann, DODAF or TOGAF. EAFs consist on model content (best practices and templates) and modeling languages. A modeling language can be graphical, having a domain-specific notation to express information systems and structures. Examples are UML™, BPMN™ or Archimate™. TransWare has defined the Frameworx EAF systematics using basic SparxEA concepts:
- UML profiles
- MDG technology
- EAP file for content
For eTOM the BPMN™ 2.0 modeling language has used as much as possible. Frameworx for SparxEA is delivered by TransWare as a MSI setup for easy installation. TM Forum members can order TM Forum Frameworx for Enterprise Architect in the TransWare shop. To use Frameworx 17.5 the SparxEA version 13.5 or higher is needed.
