Enterprise architecture frameworks - The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT) - are two sides of the same coin and can compliment each other to get a better understanding of a business.
So said Mauritz Kloppers, an independent IT management advisor, speaking during an enterprise architecture seminar hosted by the Computer Society of SA in Johannesburg last week.
“TOGAT and COBIT complement each other and one cannot be used without the other,” said Kloppers, adding that enterprises are sacrificing money, productivity and competitive advantage by not implementing effective IT governance.
Kloppers is of the view that TOGAF is more of a management domain while COBIT mainly focuses on the governance side. Thus, he said, when mixed, the two can compliment each other much to the benefit of an organisation.
According to Kloppers, TOGAF is an enterprise architecture framework which provides a comprehensive approach for designing, planning, implementation, and governance of an enterprise information architecture.
“I can describe the relationship between TOGAF and COBIT like a driver without a car, or a car without a driver,” Kloppers said.
He revealed that TOGAF is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the US and other countries.
Describing COBIT, he said it is a framework created by ISACA for IT management and governance. “It is a supporting toolset that allows managers to bridge the gap between control requirements, technical issues and business risks,” he explained.
He pointed out the emphasis of TOGAF on the free flow of information, reusability of components and the adaptability of the process, makes it an effective tool to get an overall view on the business components.
Further, he also explained that TOGAF, with its Architecture Development Method, addresses key strategic business questions to kick off the architecture development method, rooting any subsequent IT modeling firmly on business prerogatives.
On the other hand, said Kloppers, COBIT enables clear policy development and good practice for IT control throughout organisations.
COBIT emphasises regulatory compliance, helps organisations to increase the value attained from IT, and enables business alignment. COBIT is often used at the highest level of IT governance. It harmonises practices and standards such as ITIL, ISO 27001 and 27002, and PMBOK, he added.
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