What is offered in the new EA16 version?

Enterprise Architect 16 is a highly anticipated upgrade. The new version is fully updated to the 64-bit implementation, extends and transforms key aspects of the entire tool suite with Pro Cloud Server 5, Prolaborate 4, WebEA:

• Simplified modeling, collaboration, and governance functionality.
• Automatic updating of diagrams
• Flexible change management for model review

These new functionalities offer opportunities for simpler modelling and we are happy to share them with you.

Enough ZOOM Meetings: We’ll come to your city in person, seven dates for easy migration to the new version of Enterprise Architect!

Registration here

Why participate in the EA 16 Roadshow?

Our roadshow offers you the update to EA 16 and how you can easily migrate to the new version. In addition, our experts present tips and tricks for the practice:

• The interaction of the EA Tool Suite with EA 16, Prolaborate 4.0, Pro Cloud Server 5 and WebEA.
• Features of the last 3 releases that are rarely used but make modeling much easier.
• 5 steps for agile modeling.

Read more about the agenda here

Our tour dates: From 09:00h to 17:00h:

• Tuesday, May 10th Munich*
• Wednesday, May 11th Stuttgart*
• Thursday, May 12th Frankfurt*
• Tuesday, May 24 Zurich*
• Monday, June 13 Stockholm**
• Wednesday, June 15 Brussels**
• Wednesday, June 29 Berlin*

* = Event in German
** = Event in English

Good to know
To ensure a dialog and personal exchange of experiences between participants numbers are limited. Each event will take place in the center / near the main train station, so that the venue is easily accessible by public transport.  The agenda remains the same at each location, speakers and trainers may vary.

Participation fee
The participation fee is EUR 149,- excluding VAT. Included in this price: Participation in the day program on site including coffee breaks and lunch, discounted and specific trainings.

Registration here

Norbert Schattner of ifb Group was significantly involved in Norbert Schattner of ifb Group was significantly involved in the development of the reference architecture REFRAME for over ten years. REFRAME is based on the SPARX Enterprise Architect platform and enables corporate transformations in the financial sector. Ifb focuses its architecture entirely on standardisation and automation. Following a number of successes with insurance customers in Switzerland and Germany, ifb recently also convinced an Austrian insurance group of the benefits of its approach.

We want to try out something completely new:

EAM Gathering 2020

Enterprise Architects have a huge responsibility and sometimes they need to avoid being mis-used as Solution Architects, Business Architects or Software Architects. How do you survive when put in that position? Share your experience - speak with your peers that may also experience similar challenges.

This gathering only has capacity for 30 participants.

Please register as soon as possible.

This EAM gatherings will take place in 2020: Antwerp, Zurich, Hannover, Brussels - and on demand also in your region. Small - Focused - Tuned.

PHP has a very powerful session handling mechanism. By default it uses files, but you can use MemCache, MemCached or Redis, too and in some cases SQLite could be an option. These scenarios are provided with simple configuration settings. But if you have a Windows infrastructure then some of these "sounds-easy" scenarios do not really work. MemCache, MemChached are out-dated, Redis is not really available for Windows and the port from Microsoft is depricated. SQLite does not provide Row-Level-Locking mechanism that is required for a transaction intensive way of session handling.

So I thought it is clever to use an existing MS SQL Server that was already used for EA repositories.

You can find a lot of resources explaining how to write your own session handler, but none explaining the combination of SQL Server and what to configure without the need to adapt the code (meaning WebEA).

What is required:

MS SQL Server for PHP

installed as an extension please take care to use the fitting version to the PHP version

PHP.ini

This setting defines, that a user specific session handler should be used:

session.save_handler = user

This adds automatically the session handling to every php file interpreted:

auto_prepend_file = "[path]SSCESessionHandler.php"

SSCESessionHandler.php

Then you need a class that implements the SessionHandlerInterface:

class SparxCEFileSessionHandler implements SessionHandlerInterface

that means the following methods:

public function open($savePath, $sessionName)

--> here you open the connection to the database

public function close()

--> here you close the connection to the database

public function read($id)

--> here you read the session data

public function write($id, $data)

--> here you write the session data

public function destroy($id)

--> here you remove the entry of the session

public function gc($maxlifetime)

--> from time to time garbage collection takes place - a good place to remove out dated sessions

And at the bottom of this file - you should instanticate and start the Session Handler - because this will become the top most part of any php in the future of this installation

$handler = new SSCESessionHandler();
session_set_save_handler($handler, true);
session_start();

Single Sign On with Sparx Systems ProCloud 3.0 WebEA and Microsoft Server 2016 with Internet Information Server

After an installation as documented with the following User Security settings in Enterprise Architect

You will get the following Login for your model in WebEA – and if you choose to login with Windows ID – the default behavior is that does not work “Internal Server Error” occurs.

Here are the steps to solve that issue

First go to the Web Site’s authentification:

Then change the Anonymous Authentification (WebEA will also work with other authentication modes, but it is not necessary to have the huge overhead for configuring that – as the underlying connection to the data will be authenticated) – The trick is to define the Anonymous user identity as Application Pool Identity.

After such a change it is recommended to restart the Web Publishing Service

Then refresh the Web Site and after choosing the Model and Login With Windows ID – depending on the browser type a Windows Security dialog will occure – here you can type in Domain\User and Password

But be aware of the correct writing – as the user name is case sensitive (EA does not take care, but WebEA does)

Of course in a intranet zone you can get rid of the Windows Security Dialog, by adding it to the Intranet zone via Control Panel

If it is not configured to be automatically detected you can define that manually

With Internet Explorer there is a strange behavior as it does not work properly

So therefore I recommend to use the Trusted Site configuration, but there you have to adopt the custom level to allow automatic login with current user name and password

These settings are used by almost all browsers except Firefox (Firefox always will ask for credentials), whyever – I tried with IE, Edge, Firefox and Chrome.

World Record | Installing EA incl. Pro Cloud Server Installation in 3:33

Here I tried how fast and easy the installation of Enterprise Architect and ProCloud Server is (incl. some explainations 3min and 33secs): World Record | YouTube Link

A Standards-Based Modeling Approach for Industry 4.0 Architectures

Authors: Christoph Binder, Christian Neureiter, Goran Lastro, Mathias Uslar and
Peter Lieber

Abstract. Emerging technologies in the industrial area lead to a continuously increasing complexity concerning systems development. Varying approaches dealing with the same problem generate a number of heterogeneous solutions instead of concentrating on a mutual tool-set in order to provide a common basis. Having recognized this issue, the German industry introduced the Reference Architecture Model for Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0), proposed in the standardized technical specication DIN SPEC 91345. Providing a three-dimensional model on how to structure industrial systems, the starting point for the discussion on how to deal with the upcoming complexity has been set. However, due to the current state of research, only the frame to work in has been specied. In this paper the idea of following an approach based on Model-Driven-Architecture (MDA) in order to develop future industrial systems is introduced.
To achieve this, rstly the concepts of RAMI 4.0 are analyzed and a detailed description on how to apply them for developing specic architectures is given. This approach itself and its applicability are demonstrated by a real-world case study, which is created with the help of the RAMI Toolbox.

If you are interessted in the complete whitepaper - contact us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

There are a great number of opportunities to meet Sparx Services in Europe:

SparxSystems CE: Belgian Railway relies on Enterprise Architect

In order to prepare itself for the liberalisation of national railway markets in 2023, the Belgian National Railway Company SNCB has developed an architecture continuum using Enterprise Architect over the last three years. With more than 1000 applications in use and a huge volume of data, this was not an easy task. Today, IT decisions can be made more easily based on reliable information, and the company is now able to move toward a modern IT landscape.

 Luc Alix (left), Head of Enterprise Architecture and Alain Garsoux (right) in charge of Architecture Governance at Ypto, a subsidiary of the Belgian National Railway Company

Vienna/Brussels – In 2005, the Belgian National Railway Company was divided into three public companies, in accordance with European and Belgian regulations. This naturally had considerable consequences for the common IT: Thousands of components (applications, servers, networks, etc.) had to be recorded, analysed and reassigned. To ease this IT transformation, SNCB decided to create a new IT company called “YPTO”, a 100% subsidiary. Ypto started to invest in its enterprise architecture with Enterprise Architect from Sparx Systems. Luc Alix, Head of Enterprise Architecture, hired Alain Garsoux to promote and improve Ypto’s architectural knowledge database (continuum). Alix: "We very soon decided to define our own architecture framework by adopting and integrating major architecture standards like Archimate™, TOGAF™, BPMN, SAFe, etc.. The adopted prescriptive language helps the decision-making process by forcing us to address the important concerns and not getting lost in details.”

Enterprise Architect: Cost-effective and adaptable

Since a suitable tool is naturally required for the construction of such a complex IT landscape, the decision was made to purchase based on specificity. Enterprise Architect proved to be the cheapest and most adaptable solution. A. Garsoux explains: "Being active in the public sector forces us to regularly reconfirm the purchase, the good price of the platform has so far always made it possible to extend the licenses and to avoid migration tasks. This allows us to continuously work with the tool, which has now been ideally adapted and makes our architecture work much easier and more productive.” Hans Bartmann, Managing Director of SparxSystems Central Europe: "We are pleased that Enterprise Architect has so far overcome the hurdle of tenders so well due to its excellent price-performance ratio, adaptability and openness to many languages and standards. At the same time we congratulate SNCB on their state-of-the-art IT architectural solution, which can also serve as a very good example for other companies!”

The EA Shared Model Repository provides an overview The EA Shared Model Repository provides an overview of the mapped areas and guidelines for modeling

Open tool to reduce complexity

During the embedding phase for the modeling platform, Ypto specified precise guidelines for solution architects. Standard architectural views were defined to support the work of 12 Enterprise Architects and 50 Solution Architects. "Thanks to pre-fab architecture diagrams, we are able to easily capture our current complex IT landscape into the architecture knowledge database (Continuum). The captured raw data is then transformed into actionable information to support decision making”, says A. Garsoux. With this capture, a continuous documentation is automatically updated, which is of decisive importance for traceability and further developments.

The analysis of the existing applications showed for example that currently up to 20 applications are necessary for the handling of a single business activity. Since each of these applications (currently over 1.000) has to be maintained, the declared goal is to significantly reduce this number. "For any new request for change, we always start by specifying the impacted business activities and the impacted applications. From this we can very quickly see - thanks to our architectural knowledge database - what things we want to keep and what needs to be renewed,” says the IT architect.

The Architecture Framework provides an overall view of the IT architecture

New applications are subject to precise specifications

"Precise architectural principles have been defined for all applications, which must be adhered to. Only in this way can we ensure that we achieve a uniform architecture. The framework also helps us to make very efficient decisions on certain developments," explains A. Garsoux. The IT architect now describes the structure as mature and ready for roll-out in the company, which is already ongoing. But he also knows that this will require a lot of internal persuasion: "The commitment to this forward-looking IT architecture must now spread throughout the company, because this of course entails changes. Our delivered information convinced our management and we prove every day that we are taking a decisive step towards a prosperous future for SNCB!"

The SNCB

SNCB is Belgium’s national railway company. It is a public company which provides the operation and marketing of railway services for national and international passenger and freight transport. It is also responsible for the maintenance of the rolling stock. SNCB employs around 21,000 people and has a turnover of 2.2 billion euros. It also owns shares in Eurostar and Thalys, as well as in the IFB and TRW branches. SNCB plays a crucial role in the development of sustainable mobility by providing a quality, reliable service that is in line with the market.

About Sparx Systems

Enterprise Architect is the world’s premiere UML/SysML modeling platform. Produced in Australia by Sparx Systems since 1996, it has been implemented by over 730,000 users worldwide, due not only to its high performance at an unbeatable price. Enterprise Architect is a powerful yet intuitive modeling tool that facilitates any desired level of explicitness and precision in the development, analysis and documentation of even the most complex systems and architectures. Individuals and teams can use EA to design and produce software systems, perform business process modeling, handle requirements or model any process or system using standardized or custom modeling languages and frameworks with maximum reuse and traceability throughout. Pro Cloud Server and WebEA allow geographically-distributed model-based development and engineering teams to actively collaborate on any number of ongoing projects in real time. SparxSystems Software Central Europe was founded in 2004 in Vienna, Austria to provide individuals and organizations in Europe's core German-speaking and other economically-aligned markets with Enterprise Architect software licenses, training and support in their own language and time zone.

Enterprise Architect - Best Practices Day 2018 (German Event)

After the great feedback of our first Best Practice Days we will continue this series of events. We are creating during this yearly event a personal and interactive plattform for the Enterprise Architect Community hosted by Sparx Systems Central Europe.

Nach dem großen Erfolg und den vielen positiven Rückmeldungen zu den ersten beiden Auflagen der «Best Practice Days» gibt es im 2018 die Fortsetzung! Mit diesem jährlichen Event schaffen wir die persönliche und interaktive Plattform zur Enterprise Architect Community. Dienstag, 10. bis Mittwoch, 11. April 2018 in Nürnberg NH Collection Hotel Nürnberg City.

Der erste Tag ist den Praxis- und Fachbeiträgen gewidmet, der zweite Tag reserviert für Schulungen rund um den effizienten Einsatz der Modellierungsplattform.
Berichte aus der Praxis, Fachbeiträge rund um neue Funktionalitäten, interaktive Schulungen und die persönliche Vernetzung mit anderen Enterprise Architects machen aus diesen beiden Tagen ein Muss für jeden, der die Plattform in seinem Unternehmen einsetzt.