Enterprise Architecture and SOAEnterprise Architecture and SOA

Practical Delivery for Local Transformational Government

James Randall, Solutions Architect, Sheffield City Council

IntroductionIntroduction

• What is T-Government really about?

• What is SOA?

• Why Enterprise Architecture is important

• Practical SOA: Local ContactPoint Deployment – What is LAconnect?– ContactPoint and LAconnect

• Core Services• Extended Services

– LAconnect Certification– LAconnect Community

• Conclusions

About SheffieldAbout Sheffield

• Fourth largest city in England

• Sheffield has a population of approximately 520,000

• The Council spends over £1.4 billion a year providing a range of services for the people of Sheffield

• Four Directorates and one ALMO:– Children and Young People– Neighbourhoods and Community Care– Chief Executives– Development, Environment and Leisure– Sheffield Homes (ALMO)

• Currently selecting a new strategictechnology partner

What is T-Government really about?What is T-Government really about?

• Citizen Centric

• Improved Information Sharing

• Service Improvement

• Process Improvement

• Effective and relevant governance

“radically changing the way government conducts its business internally and externally”

Murphy, J. (MP Parliamentary Secretary Cabinet Office Report, 2005)

What is SOA?What is SOA?

• Service Oriented Architecture

• A natural \ human way of thinking

• Something you do, not something you install

• Focus on business design and business process

• Based on loosely coupled services

SOA ApproachSOA Approach

B

D

C

A Management• Distributed control• Business based• Process knowledge• Increase visibility

Web Services• Based on open standards• Loosely coupled• Highly reusable

Message Exchange• Based on business flows• Exposed Business Logic• Discoverable services

Data Transfer• Open Standards

Information Exchange• Dynamic services• Integration costs reduce• Support costs decrease• Improved ability to support change

Enterprise Architecture in SheffieldEnterprise Architecture in Sheffield

Enterprise ArchitectureEnterprise Architecture

Service ManagementService Management

Strategy and GovernanceStrategy and GovernanceS

trategic Partner

Strategic P

artner

Projects and ProgrammesProjects and Programmes

Practical SOA: Sheffield’s ContactPointPractical SOA: Sheffield’s ContactPoint

• Sheffield Issues:– ContactPoint architecture does not take account of wider local data

management requirements– In large authorities the solution proposed will significantly overload

the proposed local ContactPoint data managers– ContactPoint cannot deliver key local safeguarding success factors

as evidenced by the SafetyNET deployment (e.g. proactive alerting)

• Proposal to extend the use of existing Integration technologies

• Proposal to maintain local data management (data cleaning and data matching)

• Submission in August 2007 of a ‘CMS Modification’ proposal to utilise Sheffield’s existing Integration Hub for ContactPoint. In partnership with Adaro Software

Sheffield Local ContactPointSheffield Local ContactPoint

Outside the DCSF funded project

Outside the DCSF funded project

What is LAconnect?What is LAconnect?

CMS CMS CMS

Integration TechnologyEnterprise messaging infrastructure or ESB

• JBoss ESB• CapeClear ESB• Cloverleaf IMB• BizTalk• etc…

LAconnect Services

Presentation Layer

• Standard web pages• MS SharePoint• JBoss Portal• etc…

B

D

C

A

ContactPoint and LAconnectContactPoint and LAconnect

• LAconnect CS (Core Services)Available to Local Authorities who already have (or are intending to deploy) a suitable enterprise messaging infrastructure or enterprise service bus (ESB). This deployment option will require the Local Authority to register and configure LAconnect services within their existing capability but leverages that existing infrastructure and offers maximum scope for future scaling of functions and capabilities.

• LAconnect OTS (Off The Shelf)A preconfigured community JBoss ESB (distributed under the LGPL) with LAconnect CS (distributed under GPL) already registered. This option is designed for local Authorities who do not have an existing capability in this area or for those that wish to keep separation. This option will also support initial evaluation and testing.

LAconnect Core ServicesLAconnect Core Services

• The capability to manage data load from Modified Case Management Systems

• The bi-directional transfer of messages between ContactPoint Modified Case Management Systems (CMS) and the National ContactPoint system.

• The ability to upload data from accredited, non-modified Case Management Systems, and pass this data to National ContactPoint via the agreed schema.

• Integration with the government EAS Identity Provider for the security and access management (2 factor)

• Assign and Manage Local ContactPoint User Accounts including permissions management.

• Automate basic data management tasks (e.g. ‘Stop Notices’) and allow devolvement of those tasks as required.

• Effectively manage ContactPoint data discrepancy reports.

• Effectively manage local and national Shielding requests.

LAconnect Extended ServicesLAconnect Extended Services

• Sheffield City Council Services– Local child ‘best view’– Practitioner Case Lists– Proactive Alerting– Training Manager

• 3rd Party Services– Adaro Software Ltd - CPconnect – Infoshare Ltd - ClearCore Wrapper

• LAconnect services all publish a public contract in the form of a defined service schema

• Any individual or organisation can develop or extend LAconnect services

LAconnect CertificationLAconnect Certification

• Service Certification Authority– Maintain a library of LAconnect certified services– Evaluate new services for inclusion in the Library– Evaluate and approve extensions to existing LAconnect services– Establish support options for each LAconnect certified service

• Approved Supplier Certification– Active advocate of LAconnect– Capable of supporting LAconnect services– Potential member of the LAconnect Service Certification Authority

LAconnect communityLAconnect community

• Community Website:

www.laconnect.org.uk

– The latest information on LAconnect– LAconnect services and LAconnect OTS available to download– Details on LAconnect professional support packages– Community discussion groups– Community support forums– Additional LA connect resources such as presentation templates,

business case templates and cost models.– Details on the LAconnect certification authorities

ConclusionsConclusions

• T-Government is a ‘good thing’

• SOA is an important approach for T-Government

• SOA is only possible within a quality governance environment

• Real practical steps can (and have been) taken

• Public Sector Organisations can share more than just data– Information– Approaches– Services