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Modelling Software Platforms

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Sonam Tobgay
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Hi All,

We have the following software platforms and I am kind of stuck on how to model these software platforms and/or applications.

1. UiPath Platforms - Should I capture UiPath Orchestrator (web apps for managing robots), Studio and Robot as ITC and the business-specific use case robot (for example finance bot) as an application? If UiPath Orchestrator is captured as ITC, then it has underlying ITC such as VM, Windows Server, IIS, SQL Server, etc. Should these ITCs be captured and related through "requires" and "required by" attribute under ITC factsheet?

2. Databricks Platform - Should Databrics analytics platform be captured as ITC and specific use case insights (for example - customer sentiments insights) as an application?

3. Similarly, we have low code app development platform - MS Power Platform. Should Power Apps, Power Automate, CDS, Power BI, and Power VA be modelled as ITCs? 

4. O365 Suite - For now, we have captured all products under the O365 suite as applications. To capture license cost details, one needs to have an ITC entry for these apps in LeanIX. Should we create one O365 (Software) ITC to enter license cost and vendor?

Thank you very much.

Sonam 

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4 comments

  • 0
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    Mark Murray

    Hi Sonam,

    Here is how I handle these use case patterns:

    I consider all the examples you mention as "application platforms" meaning they don't add any value by using them as is. These are represented by ITC. Specifically, UiPath, Databricks, MS Power, O365. This approach is also consistent with the fact that you called all these things "platform".

    Something with business value/logic/data needs to be built on top of those "application platforms" to provide value. These are represented as applications by Application factsheets. 

    My example:
    We use Cognos analytics platform with various custom reports built on them. Cognos is the ITComponent representing a reporting platform while each "custom" report built on top of Cognos is represented as an application. Our report applications provide specific busines capabilities, to specific users. 

    Hope this helps.
    -Mark

  • 0
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    Srihari Krishna Vankadari

    Hi Sonam,

    May I know how you have modelled now? We are also facing similar problems, We have team which is creating RPA Bots, how to model these Bots in LeanIX?

    My recommendation was to add them as “Process” Factsheet, Because each Bot will automate the task (accomplish the process) using different applications and serve a capability. ITComponents which are used to build the Bot can add as dependencies (Requires). So all dots connected.

    But few debates in the team to add them as “Applications” to map Capabilities, Processes, Data Objects and ITComponents.

    Kindly suggest what would be the LeanIX view on these type of modelling scenarios and recommendations. 

  • 0
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    Sebastian Villalobos

    According to the LeanIX docs, they recommend modeling RPA as either an Application or an IT Component.

    The final decision will remain on how your organization perceives and uses it.

    https://docs-eam.leanix.net/docs/application-vs-it-component

  • 0
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    Mark Murray

    Hi All.

    This comment refers to Cognos Reporting Platform update, Process Automations as well as power apps.

    1. UPDATE - Cognos platform
      We now model Cognos platform as follows:
      - Cognos Platform as ITC
      - Each Cognos Workspace is created as an Application. This is because we need to manage access to the Cognos Workspaces and currently, this requires an application. We no longer track each individual report as an app.

    2. NEW - Automated Processes
      We are currently modeling our Robotic Process Automations as follows:
      - Each automated process is catalogued as a Process Factsheet with customer attributes of "Is this an automated process?" and "Intelligent Automation ID". This is essentially our automated process catalog.
      - Each automated process is related to the applications that are integrated as part of the automated process.

    3. QUESTION - Power Apps
      We are currently trying to figure out how to represent power apps in LeanIX. We are thinking that Power Apps, Low Code/No Code apps are similar and am currently approaching it in this manner. We have not yet defined how to best model these type of apps.
      - Does anybody track Power Apps or Low Code/No Code today? If so, how do you do it?

    Regards,

    Mark

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