DoDAF Architecting

DoDAF Meta Model (DM2)

The DoDAF Meta Model (DM2) defines architectural data elements and enables the integration and federation of Architectural Descriptions. It establishes a basis for semantic (i.e., understanding) consistency within and across Architectural Descriptions.

Website: DoDAF Meta Model (DM2)

The purposes of the DM2 are:

  • Establish and define the constrained vocabulary for description and discourse about DoDAF models (formerly “products”) and their usage in the 6 core processes
  • Specify the semantics and format for federated Enterprise Architecture (EA) data exchange between: architecture development and analysis tools and architecture databases across the DoD Enterprise Architecture (EA) Community of Interest (COI) and with other authoritative data sources
  • Support discovery and understandability of EA data:
    • Discovery of EA data using DM2 categories of information
    • Understandability of EA data using DM2’s precise semantics augmented with linguistic traceability (aliases)
  • Provide a basis for semantic precision  in architectural descriptions to support heterogeneous architectural description integration and analysis in support of core process decision making.

The DM2 supports the exchange and reuse of architectural information among Components, and Federal and Coalition partners, thus facilitating the understanding and implementation of interoperability of processes and systems. As the DM2 matures to meet the ongoing data requirements of process owners, decision makers, architects, and new technologies, it will to a resource that more completely supports the requirements for architectural data, published in a consistently understandable way, and will enable greater ease for discovering, sharing, and reusing architectural data across organizational boundaries.

To facilitate the use of information at the data layer, the DoDAF describes a set of models for visualizing data through graphic, tabular, or textual means. These views relate to stakeholder requirements for producing an Architectural Description.
DoDAF Meta Model (DM2)

What and Where is the DM2
In accordance with standard data modeling conventions, the DM2 has several levels, as shown in the figure below.

AcqTips:

  • The DoDAF descriptions in this website are very generic and are mostly taken from the DoDAF Architecture Framework website. Make sure you visit the actual website for the most update information and a more thorough explanation of each viewpoint.
  • DoDAF Version 1.0, although outdated, has some good examples on how to construct AV’s, OV’s, and SV’s.

AcqLinks and References:

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