What are our architectural dependencies?

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The business question What are our architectural dependencies? focuses on the interconnections between applications based on their data exchange. The visualization shows the dependence that upstream applications have to a specific application via incoming information flows and that downstream applications have to a specific application by means of outgoing information flows. Review the dependencies between applications to understand the business data that may be at risk, assess potential challenges to application migration, and identify areas where complexity may be reduced.

This business question visualizes data in a flow report. The application selected in the Application field is in the center of the visualization. Incoming information flows are visualized as arrows that start with a source application and point to the selected application. Outgoing information flows start with the selected application and point to the target application. The applications and source and target information flows are colored based on the object state. Point to an information flow to show a tooltip with the following information: Source application > target application.

What data do the applications exchange? Click the Filter   button and set Business Data in the Information Flow Attribute field to add the business data transferred by information flows to each information flow.

What is the potential impact to the data transferred by the information flows for applications that will be migrated? What is the impact for applications that will be eliminated? Ensure that the business data is displayed on the information flows as described above. Click the Filter   button and select Recommendation in the Color Rules field. The applications will be colored based on the recommendation to invest, tolerate, eliminate, or migrate the application. Review the legend to understand the color rules. Recommendation: Review the business data that is transferred by information flows and consider the impact to your company's business data for applications that will be eliminated or migrated.

Which applications may be relevant for cloud migration based on their connection frequency of use? The connection frequency describes how often a specific information flow is used to transfer business data between the two associated applications or their respective components. Click the Filter   button and select Connection Frequency in the Information Flow Attribute field. Recommendation: Review which information flows have a high connection frequency in order to understand which applications might be grouped for migration to the cloud.

Which information flows target planned applications? Click the Filter   button and set Plan in the Object State field. The visualization shows only the source and target applications that are planned for the future. Recommendation: Assess the information flows between the planned applications. Review whether planned applications with no information flows are relevant for the to-be landscape, or whether information flows need to be specified for those applications.