Identifying the Challenges and Requirements of Enterprise Architecture Frameworks for IoT Systems

Enterprise Architecture Frameworks (EAFs) have been around since the last decades of the 20th century. They are a proven practice to analyze, describe, organize, implement and manage changes in the global architecture of an enterprise’s data, processes, applications and technology. Recently, new promising technologies such as big data, machine learning, and the always-and-everywhere connected Internet of Things (IoT), have made their way into all sorts of business-generating activities. The vast number of possible connectable devices, with almost infinite useful applications throughout an enterprise such as operations, human resource management, communications, and customer service, demonstrates the holistic nature of IoT. Because of that, making use of IoT cannot be treated in isolation, but should be integrated in all aspects of Enterprise Architecture. Therefore, this paper identifies the main architectural challenges and derived requirements of IoT systems for an EAF. A literature study and a questionnaire aimed at industry EA experts have been used as main data sources.