Technology Domain

The Technology domain represents technical components, platforms, and infrastructure that enable business operations and capability delivery. It provides a structured approach for modeling applications, systems, platforms, and technical infrastructure within business architecture.

Schema Version: 2.1
Schema Location: /schemas/technology.schema.json
Specification: JSON Schema Draft-07

Overview

What is Technology?

Technology in business architecture represents the technical assets that enable and support organizational capabilities. The Technology domain covers:

Applications — Software systems supporting business functions
Infrastructure — Hardware, networks, and foundational services
Platforms — Integrated technology environments
Integration — Connections between systems and data flows
Technical Services — Shared technology capabilities

The domain connects technical assets to business capabilities, helping organizations understand how technology enables value delivery.

Purpose and Value

The Technology domain enables architects and planners to:

Map technology to capabilities — Understand how technical assets enable business functions
Assess technology landscape — Identify redundancies, gaps, and modernization needs
Plan technology investments — Align IT spending with business priorities
Manage technical debt — Track and prioritize technology improvements
Enable digital transformation — Connect business change to technology change

For Data Engineers

The Technology domain maps directly to your technical landscape:

Application → Service /Application in your CMDB
Infrastructure → Compute, storage, network resources
Platform → Data platform, cloud platform
Integration → Data pipelines, APIs, event streams
Technical Service → Shared services (auth, monitoring, etc.)

Core Components

The Technology domain uses a layered structure:

Application Layer: Business and analytical applications
Platform Layer: Integrated technology environments
Infrastructure Layer: Foundational compute, storage, network

Domain Attributes

Core Attributes

Attribute	Type	Description	Required
`title`	String	Name or title of the technology asset	✓
`description`	String	Detailed explanation of the technology	✓
`purpose`	String	Intended purpose within the Organization	✓
`owner`	String	Individual or team responsible	✓
`orgUnitTitle`	String	Organization unit(s) linked
`technologyCategory`	Enum	Broad categorization of technology type
`technologyType`	Enum	Specific type of technology
`vendor`	String	Technology vendor or provider
`version`	String	Current version deployed
`deploymentModel`	Enum	How the technology is deployed
`hostingLocation`	Enum	Where the technology is hosted
`lifecycle`	Enum	Current lifecycle stage
`supportStatus`	Enum	Vendor support status
`capabilities`	Array[String]	Capabilities enabled by this technology
`dependencies`	String	Other technologies or systems depended on
`integrations`	Array[Object]	Integration points with other systems
`dataAssets`	Array[String]	Information assets managed or accessed
`users`	String	User base and access patterns
`performanceIndicators`	String	Performance metrics and SLAs
`availability`	String	Availability requirements and actuals
`scalability`	String	Scalability characteristics
`security`	String	Security controls and classifications
`compliance`	Array[Enum]	Compliance requirements
`costs`	String	Cost information (licensing, operations, etc.)
`risks`	String	Potential risks associated with the technology
`riskCategories`	Array[Enum]	Categories of risks
`technicalDebt`	String	Known technical debt items
`modernizationPlan`	String	Plans for upgrade or replacement
`improvementOpportunities`	String	Areas for enhancement
`strategicAlignment`	String	Alignment with strategic goals
`components`	Array[Object]	Sub-components of the technology

Enumeration Values

Technology Category (`technologyCategory`)

Value	Description	Example
`Application`	Business or analytical software	ERP, CRM, BI tools
`Platform`	Integrated technology environment	Cloud platform, data platform
`Infrastructure`	Foundational technical resources	Servers, storage, network
`Integration`	Connection and data flow technology	ESB, API gateway, ETL
`Security`	Security technology	IAM, encryption, SIEM
`Data`	Data management technology	Database, data warehouse
`Development`	Development and DevOps tools	IDE, CI/CD, repositories
`Collaboration`	Communication and collaboration	Email, messaging, video

Technology Type (`technologyType`)

Value	Description	Example
`Enterprise Application`	Core business system	SAP, Oracle EBS
`Analytical Application`	Analytics and BI	Tableau, Power BI
`Custom Application`	Internally developed	Custom web apps
`SaaS Application`	Cloud-delivered software	Salesforce, Workday
`Database`	Data storage system	PostgreSQL, Oracle
`Data Warehouse`	Analytical data store	Snowflake, Redshift
`Data Lake`	Raw data repository	S3, ADLS
`Integration Platform`	Integration middleware	MuleSoft, Dell Boomi
`API Gateway`	API management	Kong, Apigee
`Cloud Platform`	Cloud infrastructure	AWS, Azure, GCP
`Container Platform`	Container orchestration	Kubernetes, OpenShift
`Compute`	Processing resources	Servers, VMs
`Storage`	Data storage resources	SAN, NAS, object storage
`Network`	Network infrastructure	Routers, firewalls, load balancers

Deployment Model (`deploymentModel`)

Value	Description	Example
`On-Premises`	Deployed in own data center	Traditional enterprise apps
`Public Cloud`	Deployed in public cloud	AWS, Azure hosted
`Private Cloud`	Deployed in private cloud	VMware private cloud
`Hybrid Cloud`	Mix of on-prem and cloud	Hybrid deployments
`Multi-Cloud`	Multiple cloud providers	AWS + Azure
`SaaS`	Vendor-managed cloud service	Salesforce, ServiceNow
`Edge`	Deployed at edge locations	IoT gateways

Hosting Location (`hostingLocation`)

Value	Description
`Primary Data Center`	Main corporate data center
`Secondary Data Center`	DR/backup data center
`AWS`	Amazon Web Services
`Azure`	Microsoft Azure
`GCP`	Google Cloud Platform
`Vendor Hosted`	Vendor-managed hosting
`Edge Location`	Edge/remote location

Lifecycle Stage (`lifecycle`)

Value	Description	Example
`Planning`	Under evaluation or planning	New technology assessment
`Development`	Being developed or configured	Implementation project
`Pilot`	In pilot or testing	Limited deployment
`Production`	Actively in production	Live systems
`Enhancement`	Being enhanced or upgraded	Version upgrades
`Sunset`	Planned for retirement	Legacy systems
`Retired`	No longer in use	Decommissioned

Support Status (`supportStatus`)

Value	Description	Example
`Active Support`	Full vendor support	Current versions
`Extended Support`	Limited support available	Older versions
`End of Life`	No vendor support	Unsupported versions
`Community Support`	Community-only support	Open source
`Internal Support`	Internal support only	Custom applications

Technology Component Elements

Attribute	Type	Description
`title`	String	Name/title of the component
`description`	String	Detailed explanation
`componentType`	Enum	Type: `Module`, `Service`, `Database`, `API`, `Interface`, `Library`
`version`	String	Component version
`status`	Enum	Status: `Active`, `Deprecated`, `Planned`
`dependencies`	Array[String]	Component dependencies
`owner`	String	Component owner
`documentation`	String	Documentation location

Domain Relationships

The Technology domain integrates with other metamodel domains:

Target Domain	Relationship Type	Description
Capabilities	Enablement	Technology enables capability delivery
Information	Management	Technology manages information assets
Services	Delivery	Technology delivers service capabilities
Products	Support	Technology supports product delivery
Organization	Ownership	Organization units own technology assets
Performance	Measurement	Technology tracked through performance metrics
Policy	Compliance	Technology complies with policies
Initiatives	Implementation	Initiatives implement technology changes
Value Stream	Automation	Technology automates value stream activities
Stakeholder	Usage	Stakeholders use technology systems

Examples

Example 1: Enterprise Data Platform

{
  "title": "Enterprise Data Platform",
  "description": "Cloud-native data platform providing unified data management, analytics, and AI/ML capabilities for the enterprise",
  "purpose": "Enable data-driven decision making through centralized, governed data access and analytics",
  "owner": "Chief Data Officer",
  "orgUnitTitle": "Data and Analytics Division",
  "technologyCategory": "Platform",
  "technologyType": "Data Warehouse",
  "vendor": "Snowflake",
  "version": "Enterprise Edition",
  "deploymentModel": "Public Cloud",
  "hostingLocation": "AWS",
  "lifecycle": "Production",
  "supportStatus": "Active Support",
  "capabilities": [
    "Data Integration",
    "Data Warehousing",
    "Business Intelligence",
    "Advanced Analytics",
    "Machine Learning"
  ],
  "dependencies": "AWS infrastructure, corporate network, identity provider",
  "integrations": [
    {
      "system": "SAP ERP",
      "type": "Data Ingestion",
      "method": "Batch ETL",
      "frequency": "Daily"
    },
    {
      "system": "Salesforce CRM",
      "type": "Data Ingestion",
      "method": "CDC Streaming",
      "frequency": "Near Real-time"
    },
    {
      "system": "Tableau",
      "type": "Data Consumption",
      "method": "Direct Query",
      "frequency": "On-demand"
    }
  ],
  "dataAssets": [
    "Customer Master Data",
    "Transaction History",
    "Financial Data",
    "Operational Metrics"
  ],
  "users": "500 analysts, 50 data scientists, 100 business users via dashboards",
  "performanceIndicators": "Query response time: &lt;5s for 95th percentile, Data freshness: &lt;4 hours",
  "availability": "99.9% SLA, multi-AZ deployment",
  "scalability": "Auto-scaling compute, separate storage scaling",
  "security": "SSO integration, column-level security, data masking, audit logging",
  "compliance": ["SOC2", "GDPR", "Internal Policies"],
  "costs": "Annual cost: $1.2M (compute: $800K, storage: $400K)",
  "risks": "Cloud provider dependency, data security, cost management",
  "riskCategories": ["Technology", "Security", "Financial"],
  "strategicAlignment": "Core enabler for digital transformation and data-driven culture initiatives",
  "components": [
    {
      "title": "Data Ingestion Layer",
      "componentType": "Service",
      "description": "Manages data ingestion from 50+ source systems",
      "status": "Active"
    },
    {
      "title": "Analytics Data Mart",
      "componentType": "Database",
      "description": "Curated data models for business analytics",
      "status": "Active"
    }
  ]
}

Example 2: Track Monitoring System

{
  "title": "Track Condition Monitoring System",
  "description": "IoT-based system for real-time monitoring of track conditions using sensors and predictive analytics",
  "purpose": "Enable predictive maintenance and improve safety through continuous track condition monitoring",
  "owner": "Director of Track Technology",
  "orgUnitTitle": "Technology Innovation Division",
  "technologyCategory": "Application",
  "technologyType": "Custom Application",
  "vendor": "Internal Development",
  "version": "3.2.1",
  "deploymentModel": "Hybrid Cloud",
  "hostingLocation": "Azure",
  "lifecycle": "Production",
  "supportStatus": "Internal Support",
  "capabilities": [
    "Track Inspection",
    "Predictive Maintenance",
    "Safety Monitoring",
    "Asset Management"
  ],
  "integrations": [
    {
      "system": "IoT Sensor Network",
      "type": "Data Collection",
      "method": "MQTT Streaming",
      "frequency": "Real-time"
    },
    {
      "system": "Maintenance Management System",
      "type": "Work Order Generation",
      "method": "REST API",
      "frequency": "Event-driven"
    }
  ],
  "performanceIndicators": "Sensor data latency: &lt;1 second, Prediction accuracy: 94%",
  "availability": "99.5% uptime, fault-tolerant architecture",
  "security": "End-to-end encryption, device authentication",
  "compliance": ["Federal Regulations", "Safety Standards"],
  "costs": "Annual operations: $450K, Sensor network: $2M capital",
  "risks": "Sensor reliability, connectivity in remote areas, model accuracy",
  "riskCategories": ["Technology", "Operational"],
  "strategicAlignment": "Directly supports safety excellence and infrastructure reliability goals"
}

Example 3: Integration Platform

{
  "title": "Enterprise Integration Platform",
  "description": "API-led integration platform enabling connectivity across cloud and on-premises systems",
  "purpose": "Provide standardized integration capabilities to reduce point-to-point connections",
  "owner": "Enterprise Integration Lead",
  "orgUnitTitle": "Enterprise Architecture Division",
  "technologyCategory": "Integration",
  "technologyType": "Integration Platform",
  "vendor": "MuleSoft",
  "version": "Anypoint Platform",
  "deploymentModel": "Hybrid Cloud",
  "lifecycle": "Production",
  "supportStatus": "Active Support",
  "capabilities": [
    "API Management",
    "Data Integration",
    "Event Processing",
    "B2B Integration"
  ],
  "integrations": [
    {
      "system": "SAP",
      "type": "System API",
      "method": "REST/OData"
    },
    {
      "system": "Salesforce",
      "type": "Experience API",
      "method": "REST"
    }
  ],
  "performanceIndicators": "API response time: &lt;200ms, Throughput: 10K requests/min",
  "availability": "99.9% SLA",
  "costs": "Annual licensing: $600K"
}

Implementation Guidelines

Technology Management Best Practices

Align to capabilities — Map every technology asset to business capabilities
Manage lifecycle — Track lifecycle stage and plan transitions
Control technical debt — Document and prioritize debt remediation
Standardize platforms — Consolidate to strategic platforms
Plan for change — Maintain technology roadmaps aligned to strategy

Technology Landscape Assessment

OpenMetadata Integration

For Data Platform Teams

When integrating with OpenMetadata, map Technology entities as follows:

Orthogramic Element	OpenMetadata Entity	Notes
Application	Service	Application as a service
Database	Database	Database assets
Data Platform	Database Service	Platform connection
Integration	Pipeline	Integration flows
API	API Service	API endpoints

# Example: Map Technology to OpenMetadata Service
def create_service(technology):
    """
    Map Orthogramic Technology to OpenMetadata Service entity
    """
    service_type_map = {
        "Database": "databaseService",
        "Data Warehouse": "databaseService",
        "Integration Platform": "pipelineService",
        "API Gateway": "apiService",
        "Cloud Platform": "storageService"
    }
    
    return {
        "name": technology["title"].lower().replace(" ", "_"),
        "displayName": technology["title"],
        "description": technology["description"],
        "serviceType": service_type_map.get(
            technology.get("technologyType"), "customService"
        ),
        "owner": {"name": technology["owner"], "type": "user"},
        "tags": [
            {"tagFQN": f"TechnologyCategory.{technology['technologyCategory']}"},
            {"tagFQN": f"Lifecycle.{technology.get('lifecycle', 'Production')}"},
            {"tagFQN": f"DeploymentModel.{technology.get('deploymentModel', 'OnPrem')}"}
        ],
        "connection": {
            "config": {
                "type": technology.get("technologyType"),
                "hostPort": technology.get("hostingLocation", "unknown")
            }
        }
    }

Schema Reference

Repository: Orthogramic/Orthogramic_Metamodel
Schema Location: /schemas/technology.schema.json
Version: 2.1
Specification: JSON Schema Draft-07
License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Overview​

What is Technology?​

Purpose and Value​

Core Components​

Domain Attributes​

Core Attributes​

Enumeration Values​

Technology Category (technologyCategory)​

Technology Type (technologyType)​

Deployment Model (deploymentModel)​

Hosting Location (hostingLocation)​

Lifecycle Stage (lifecycle)​

Support Status (supportStatus)​

Technology Component Elements​

Domain Relationships​

Examples​

Example 1: Enterprise Data Platform​

Example 2: Track Monitoring System​

Example 3: Integration Platform​

Implementation Guidelines​

Technology Management Best Practices​

Technology Landscape Assessment​

OpenMetadata Integration​

Schema Reference​