Foundational Concepts for IA - Information Assurance Architecture - page 6

A lexicon is a dictionary of the words and phrases pertaining to a particular
subject. A lexicon ensures that all stakeholders with an interest in a project interpret
and use the same language consistently. For example, risk means different things to
different people and may mean different things to the same person in different situ-
ations. The debate on whether a definition is right or wrong can go on ad infinitum.
The important point is for everyone to agree that for now the working definition is
as the lexicon states.
Standards provide a baseline upon which to build a successful IA architecture.
Using an industry standard means that the approach, the details, or both can be
vetted against an accepted reality. Rarely will any one standard address all orga-
nizational needs. However, using standards within an architecture removes the
perception of arbitrariness and provides a credible reference point from which to
customize the organization-specific solution.
Means are the available resources and include people, expertise, time, material,
and budget.
Method is a prescribed manner to proceed. The IA 2 Framework and IA 2 Pro-
cess together provide the IA architectural method.
Motivation is a set of reasons. The root motivation for IA architecture is to
recognize the presence of business risk and address it appropriately.
Mission is a specific focus. The specific focus for IA 2 may be a system, a busi-
ness function, a technical service, a group of people, or the overall IA posture of
the enterprise.

1.3.1 Architecture Terminology

Architecture is the art of consciously forming a coherent structure. In a technical
environment, an architecture view is a “representation of a system from the perspec-
tive of related concerns or issues,” “a collection of logically related models.” An
architectural framework is “a standard for the description of architectures.” Archi-
tecture addresses not only structure, but also behavior of systems and data, as well
as behavior of people in terms of relationships, actions, and cognition.
An architecture is a unifying structure using a set of design artifacts and
descriptive representations to describe an entity such that it can be produced to
requirements and be maintained over its life cycle. An entity may be physical, logi-
cal, system, cyber, or a combination of these. An architectural process provides a
disciplined methodology to promote repeatability, consistency, high quality, and
complexity management.

IEEE 1471.
Maier and Rechtin.
Maier and Rechtin.