Difference between revisions of "GC Enterprise Architecture/Framework"

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== EA Framework Playbook ==
 
== EA Framework Playbook ==
Here is an [[GC Enterprise Architecture/Playbook#1. Business Architecture|archived version of the playbook]] that was developed for the original EA assessment Criteria. It will updated to align the updated EA Framework once it is approved at GC EARB<multilang>
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Here is an [[GC Enterprise Architecture/Playbook#1. Business Architecture|archived version of the playbook]] that was developed for the original EA assessment Criteria. It will updated to align the updated EA Framework once it is approved at GC EARB.{{OCIO_GCEA_Footer}}
@en|__NOTOC__
 
 
 
The EA Framework was presented at GC EARB on [https://gcconnex.gc.ca/file/view/67145496/gc-earb-2020-07-16-02-tbs-service-digital-target-enterprise-architecture-and-updates-to-the-ea-framework-pdf?language=en July 16th, 2020]. Additional feedback has been sought from the departments by August 31st, 2020, before it will return for an endorsement.
 
 
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#1._Business_Architecture | 1. Business Architecture]] ==
 
 
 
=== Fulfill the Government of Canada users and other stakeholder's needs ===
 
* Clearly identify internal and external users and other stakeholders and their needs for each policy, program and business service
 
* Include policy requirement applying to specific users and other stakeholder groups, such as accessibilities, gender based+ analysis, and official languages in the creation of the service
 
* Model end-to-end business service delivery to provide quality, maximize effectiveness and optimize efficiencies across all channels (e.g lean process)
 
 
 
=== Architect to be Outcome Driven and Strategically Aligned to the Department and to the Government of Canada ===
 
* Identify which departmental/GC business services, outcomes and strategies will be addressed
 
* Establish metrics for identified business outcomes throughout the lifecycle of an investment
 
* Translate business outcomes and strategy into business capability implications in the GC Business Capability Model to establish a common vocabulary between business, development, and operation
 
 
 
=== Promote Horizontal Enablement of the Enterprise ===
 
* Identify opportunities to enable business services horizontally across the GC enterprise and to provide cohesive experience to users and other stakeholders
 
* Reuse common business capabilities, processes and enterprise solutions from across government and private sector
 
* Publish in the open all reusable common business capabilities, processes and enterprise solutions for others to develop and leverage cohesive horizontal enterprise services
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#2._Information_Architecture | 2. Information Architecture]] ==
 
 
 
=== Collect data to address the needs of the users and other stakeholders ===
 
* Assess data requirements based on users and other stakeholder needs
 
* Collect only the minimum set of data needed to support a policy, program, or service
 
* Reuse existing data assets and only acquire new data if required
 
* Ensure data collected, including from third party sources, are of high quality
 
 
 
=== Manage data strategically and responsibly ===
 
* Define and establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for data management
 
* Identify and document the lineage of data assets
 
* Define retention and disposition schedules in accordance with business value as well as applicable privacy and security policy and legislation
 
* Ensure data are managed to enable interoperability, reuse and sharing to the greatest extent possible within and across departments in government to avoid duplication and maximize utility, while respecting security and privacy requirements
 
* Contribute to and align with enterprise and international data taxonomy and classification structures to manage, store, search and retrieve data
 
 
 
=== Use and share data openly in an ethical and secure manner ===
 
* Share data openly by default as per the [https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=28108 Directive on Open Government] and [https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/government-canada-digital-standards.html Digital Standards], while adhering to existing enterprise and international standards, including on data quality and ethics
 
* Ensure data formatting aligns to existing enterprise and international standards on interoperability. Where none exist, develop data standards in the open with key subject matter experts, in consultation with the Enterprise Data Community of Practice
 
* Ensure that combined data does not risk identification or re-identification of sensitive or personal information
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#3._Application_Architecture | 3. Application Architecture]] ==
 
 
 
=== Use Open Source Solutions hosted in Public Cloud ===
 
* Select existing solutions that can be reused over custom built
 
* Contribute all improvements back to the communities
 
* Register Open Source software to the Open Resource Exchange
 
 
 
=== Use Software as a Service (SaaS) hosted in Public Cloud ===
 
* Choose SaaS that best fit for purpose based on alignment with SaaS capabilities
 
* Choose a SaaS solution that is extendable
 
* Configure SaaS and if customization is necessary extend as Open Source modules
 
 
 
=== Design for [https://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/En/GCinterop Interoperability]===
 
* Design systems as highly modular and loosely coupled services
 
* Expose services, including existing ones, through APIs
 
* Make the APIs discoverable to the appropriate stakeholders
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#4._Technology_Architecture | 4. Technology Architecture]] ==
 
 
 
=== Use Cloud first ===
 
* Adopt the use of the GC Accelerators to ensure proper Security and Access Controls
 
* Enforce this order of preference: Software as a Service (SaaS) first, then Platform as a Service (PaaS), and lastly Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
 
* Fulfill Cloud Services through SSC Cloud Brokering Services
 
* Enforce this order of preference: Public cloud first, then Hybrid cloud, then Private cloud, and lastly non-cloud (on-premises) solutions
 
* Design for cloud mobility and develop an exit strategy to avoid vendor lock-in
 
 
 
=== Design for Performance, Availability, and Scalability ===
 
* Ensure response times meet user needs, and critical services are highly available
 
* Support zero-downtime deployments for planned and unplanned maintenance
 
* Use distributed architectures, assume failure will happen, handle errors gracefully, and monitor performance and behaviour actively
 
* Establish architectures that supports new technology insertion with minimal disruption to existing programs and services
 
* Control Technical Diversity - design systems based on modern technologies and platforms already in use.
 
 
 
=== Follow DevSecOps Principles ===
 
 
 
* Use continuous integration and continuous deployments (CI/CD)
 
* Ensure automated testing occurs for security and functionality
 
* Include your users and other stakeholders as part of DevSecOps process
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#5._Security_Architecture_and_Privacy | 5. Security Architecture and Privacy]] ==
 
 
 
=== Build Security into the System Life Cycle, Across All Architectural Layers ===
 
* Identify and [https://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/Security_Categorization_Tool categorize] information based on the degree of injury that could be expected to result from a compromise of its confidentiality, integrity and availability.
 
* Implement a continuous security approach, in alignment with [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/it-security-risk-management-lifecycle-approach-itsg-33 CCCS’s IT Security Risk Management Framework]. Perform threat modelling to minimize the attack surface by limiting services exposed and information exchanged to the minimum necessary.
 
* Apply proportionate security measures that address business and user needs while adequately protecting data at rest and data in transit.
 
* Design systems to be resilient and available in order to support service continuity.
 
 
 
=== Ensure Secure Access to Systems and Services ===
 
* Identify and authenticate individuals, processes and/or devices to an appropriate level of assurance, based on clearly defined roles, before granting access to information and services. Leverage enterprise services such as Government of Canada trusted digital identity solutions that are supported by the [https://github.com/canada-ca/PCTF-CCP Pan-Canadian Trust Framework].
 
* Constrain service interfaces to authorized entities (users and devices), with clearly defined roles. Segment and separate information based on sensitivity of information, in alignment with [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/baseline-security-requirements-network-security-zones-government-canada-itsg-22 ITSG-22] and [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/network-security-zoning-design-considerations-placement-services-within-zones-itsg-38 ITSG-38]. Management interfaces may require increased levels of protection.
 
* Implement [https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/modern-emerging-technologies/policy-implementation-notices/implementing-https-secure-web-connections-itpin.html HTTPS] for secure web connections and [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/implementation-guidance-email-domain-protection DMARC] for enhanced email security.
 
* Establish secure interconnections between systems through secure [https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32604 APIs] or leveraging centrally managed Hybrid IT connectivity services.
 
 
 
=== Maintain Secure Operations ===
 
* Establish processes to maintain visibility of assets and ensure the prompt application of security-related patches and updates in order to reduce exposure to vulnerabilities, in accordance with GC Patch Management Guidance.
 
* Enable event logging, in accordance with GC Event Logging Guidance, and perform monitoring of systems and services in order to detect, prevent, and respond to attacks.
 
* Establish an incident management plan in alignment with the [https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/access-information-privacy/security-identity-management/government-canada-cyber-security-event-management-plan.html GC Cyber Security Event Management Plan (GC CSEMP)] and report incidents to the [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/contact-us Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS)].
 
 
 
=== Privacy by Design ===
 
* Perform Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to support risk mitigation activities when personal information is involved
 
* Perform [https://canada-ca.github.io/aia-eia-js/ Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA)] to support risk mitigation activities when deploying an automated decision system as per [https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32592 Directive on Automated Decision Making]. For more info, please go to [https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/modern-emerging-technologies/responsible-use-ai/algorithmic-impact-assessment.html this link]
 
* Implement security measures to assure the protection of personal information and data
 
* Take into consideration the [https://www.ipc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Resources/7foundationalprinciples.pdf 7 Foundational Privacy Design Principles] (English only) when designing services
 
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<!-- FRENCH -->
 
@fr|__NOTOC__
 
 
 
<h3> TO BE TRANSLATED >>>> This is a <b> DRAFT STREAMLINED COPY </b> of the proposed updates to the GC Enterprise Architecture Framework(formerly GC EA Standards) for assessment</h3>
 
 
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#1._Business_Architecture | 1. Architecture opérationnelle]] ==
 
 
 
=== Répondre aux besoins des utilisateurs du gouvernement du Canada et des autres intervenants</b>
 
* Cerner clairement les utilisateurs internes et externes et les autres intervenants et leurs besoins pour chaque politique, programme et service opérationnel
 
* Inclure dans la création du service les exigences de politique qui s’appliquent à des utilisateurs particuliers et à d’autres groupes d’intervenants, comme l’accessibilité, l’analyse comparative entre les sexes+ et les langues officielles
 
* Mettre en place un modèle de prestation de services de bout en bout pour assurer la qualité, maximiser l’efficacité et optimiser l’efficience de tous les canaux (par exemple, processus allégé)
 
 
 
=== Concevoir les architectures axées sur les résultats et stratégiquement harmonisées sur le Ministère et le gouvernement du Canada ===
 
* Déterminer les services, les résultats et les stratégies opérationnels du Ministère et du GC qui seront pris en compte
 
* Établir des mesures pour déterminer les résultats opérationnels tout au long du cycle de vie d’un investissement
 
* Traduire les résultats opérationnels et la stratégie en incidences sur les capacités opérationnelles dans le modèle de capacité opérationnelle du GC afin d’établir un vocabulaire commun entre les activités, l’élaboration et les opérations
 
 
 
=== Promouvoir l’habilitation horizontale de l’organismee ===
 
* Cerner les possibilités de services opérationnels accessibles horizontalement au sein du GC et offrir une expérience cohérente aux utilisateurs et aux autres intervenants
 
* Réutiliser les capacités et les processus opérationnels et les solutions d’entreprise communes de l’ensemble du gouvernement et du secteur privé
 
* Publier ouvertement toutes les capacités et les processus opérationnels communs et réutilisables et toutes les solutions d’entreprises pour permettre à d’autres de mettre sur pied des services intégrés horizontaux cohérents
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#2._Information_Architecture> 2. Architecture de l’information]] ==
 
 
 
=== Recueillir des données pour répondre aux besoins des utilisateurs et des autres intervenants ===
 
* Évaluer les exigences en matière de données en fonction des besoins des utilisateurs et des autres intervenants
 
* Recueillir uniquement l’ensemble minimal de données nécessaire à l’appui d’une stratégie, d’un programme ou d’un service
 
* Réutiliser les ressources de données existantes et n’acquérir de nouvelles données que si nécessaire
 
* S’assurer que les données recueillies, y compris auprès de sources tierces, sont de grande qualité
 
 
 
=== Gérer les données de façon stratégique et responsable ===
 
* Définir et établir des rôles, des responsabilités et des responsabilisations clairs pour la gestion des données
 
* Cerner et documenter la lignée des actifs de données
 
* Définir des calendriers de conservation et d’elimination en fonction de la valeur opérationnelle ainsi que des politiques et des lois applicables en matière de sécurité et de protection de la vie privée
 
* Veiller à ce que les données soient gérées pour permettre, dans la mesure du possible, l’interopérabilité, la réutilisation et l’échange des données au sein des ministères et avec d’autres ministères à l’échelle du gouvernement afin d’éviter le double emploi et de maximiser l’utilité, tout en respectant les exigences en matière de sécurité et de protection des renseignements personnels
 
* Contribuer et s’aligner sur les structures de classification et de taxonomie des données d’entreprise et internationales pour gérer, stocker, rechercher et récupérer des données
 
 
 
=== Utiliser et partager ouvertement les données de manière éthique et sécurisée ===
 
* Communiquer ouvertement les données par défaut, conformément à la Directive sur le gouvernement ouvert et les Normes numériques du gouvernement du Canada, tout en respectant les normes existantes de l’entreprise et les normes internationales, notamment en matière de qualité et d’éthique des données
 
* Veiller à ce que le formatage des données soit harmonisé avec les normes d’interopérabilité existantes opérationnelles et sur les normes internationales. Lorsqu’il n’en existe pas, élaborer des normes de données ouvertes avec des experts en la matière, en consultation avec la Communauté de pratique des données organisationnelles
 
* Éviter le risque d’identification ou de réidentification des données combinées de renseignements délicats ou personnels
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#3._Application_Architecture | 3. Architecture des applications]] ==
 
 
 
=== Utiliser des solutions ouvertes hébergées dans le nuage public ===
 
* Sélectionner les solutions existantes qui peuvent être réutilisées sur des solutions personnalisées
 
* Contribuer à toutes les améliorations retournées aux communautés
 
* Enregistrer les logiciels de source ouverte dans l’Échange de ressources ouvert
 
 
 
=== Utiliser le logiciel comme service (SaaS) hébergé dans le nuage public ===
 
* Choisir le SaaS le mieux adapté à l’utilisation en fonction de l’harmonisation sur les capacités du SaaS
 
* Choisir une solution SaaS extensible
 
* Configurer le SaaS et, si la personnalisation est nécessaire, étendre en tant que modules ouverts
 
 
 
=== Concevoir en visant [https://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/En/GCinterop l’interopérabilité] ===
 
* Concevoir des systèmes en tant que services hautement modulaires et couplés de manière lâche
 
* Exposer les services, y compris les services existants, au moyen d’API
 
* Rendre les API accessibles aux intervenants appropriés
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#4._Technology_Architecture | 4. Architecture de la technologie]] ==
 
 
 
=== Utiliser avant tout le nuage ===
 
* Adopter l’utilisation des accélérateurs du GC pour assurer des contrôles de sécurité et d’accès appropriés
 
* Appliquer cet ordre de préférence : Logiciel en tant que service (SaaS) d’abord, puis Plateforme comme service (PaaS), et enfin Infrastructure comme service (IaaS)
 
* Adopter des services infonuagiques au moyen des Services de courtage infonuagique de SPC
 
* Appliquer cet ordre de préférence : le nuage public d’abord, puis le nuage hybride, puis le nuage privé et, enfin, les solutions sans nuage (sur site).
 
* Concevoir en fonction de la mobilité des nuages et élaborer une stratégie de sortie pour éviter l’immobilisation des fournisseurs.
 
 
 
=== Concevoir en visant le rendement, la disponibilité et l’extensibilité ===
 
* * S’assurer que les délais de réponse répondent aux besoins des utilisateurs et que les services essentiels sont hautement disponibles
 
* Appuyer les déploiements sans arrêt de service pour les travaux d’entretien prévus et non prévus.
 
* Utiliser des architectures distribuées, supposer qu’une défaillance se produira, traiter les erreurs avec élégance et surveiller activement le rendement et le comportement.
 
* Mettre en place des architectures qui prennent en charge l’insertion de nouvelles technologies avec une perturbation minimale des programmes et services existants
 
* Contrôle de la diversité technique – systèmes de conception basés sur les technologies et plateformes modernes déjà utilisées
 
 
 
=== Suivre les principes DevSecOps ===
 
 
 
* Utiliser l’intégration continue et les déploiements continus (IC/DC)
 
* S’assurer que des essais automatisés sont effectués pour assurer la sécurité et les fonctionnalités
 
* Inclure vos utilisateurs et autres intervenants dans le processus DevSecOps
 
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== [[GC_EA_Playbook#5._Security_Architecture_and_Privacy | 5. Architecture de la sécurité et protection de la vie privée]] ==
 
 
 
=== Intégrer la sécurité dans le cycle de vie du système, à tous les couches architecturales ===
 
* Identify and [https://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/Security_Categorization_Tool categorize] information based on the degree of injury that could be expected to result from a compromise of its confidentiality, integrity and availability.
 
* Implement a continuous security approach, in alignment with [https://cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/it-security-risk-management-lifecycle-approach-itsg-33 CCCS’s IT Security Risk Management Framework]. Perform threat modelling to minimize the attack surface by limiting services exposed and information exchanged to the minimum necessary.
 
* Apply proportionate security measures that address business and user needs while adequately protecting data at rest and data in transit.
 
* Design systems to be resilient and available in order to support service continuity.
 
 
 
=== Assurer un accès sécurisé aux systèmes et aux services ===
 
* Identifier et authentifier les personnes, les processus ou les dispositifs à un niveau d’assurance approprié, en fonction de rôles clairement définis, avant d’accorder l’accès à l’information et aux services. Exploiter les services opérationnels, comme les solutions d’identité numérique de confiance du gouvernement du Canada qui sont appuyées par le Cadre de confiance pancanadien.
 
* Limiter les interfaces de service aux entités autorisées (utilisateurs et périphériques), avec des rôles clairement définis. Segmenter et séparer l’information en fonction de son caractère sensible, conformément aux ITSG-22 et ITSG-38. Les interfaces de gestion peuvent nécessiter un niveau de protection accru.
 
* Intégration HTTPS pour des connexions Web sécurisées et DMARC pour une sécurité accrue des courriels.
 
* Établir des interconnexions sécurisées entre les systèmes au moyen d’API sécurisées ou en exploitant les services de connectivité informatique hybride gérés de manière centralisée.
 
 
 
=== Maintenir des opérations sécurisées ===
 
* Établir des processus pour maintenir la visibilité des actifs et assurer l’application rapide des correctifs et des mises à jour liés à la sécurité afin de réduire l’exposition aux vulnérabilités, conformément à l’orientation en matière de gestion des correctifs du GC.
 
* Activer la consignation des événements, conformément à l’Orientation sur la journalisation des événements du GC, et effectuer la surveillance des systèmes et des services afin de détecter les attaques, de les prévenir et d’y réagir.
 
* Établir un plan de gestion des incidents conforme au Plan de gestion des événements de cybersécurité du gouvernement du Canada (PGEC GC) et signaler les incidents au Centre canadien pour la cybersécurité (CCC).
 
 
 
=== Protection de la vie privée dès la conception ===
 
* Effectuer l’évaluation des facteurs relatifs à la vie privée (EFVP) pour appuyer les activités d’atténuation des risques lorsque des renseignements personnels sont en jeu
 
* Effectuer une Évaluation de l’Incidence Algorithmique (EIA) pour appuyer les activités d’atténuation des risques au moment du déploiement d’un système automatisé de prise de décisions, conformément à la Directive sur la prise de décision automatisée. Pour plus d’informations, consulter ce lien.
 
* Mettre en œuvre des mesures de sécurité pour assurer la protection des renseignements personnels et des données.
 
* Tenir compte des [https://www.ipc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Resources/7foundationalprinciples.pdf sept principes fondamentaux de conception de la protection de la vie privée] (anglais seulement) au moment de la conception de services.
 
<div>
 
 
 
</multilang>
 
{{OCIO_GCEA_Footer}}
 

Revision as of 13:50, 2 September 2020

Appendix A: Enterprise Architecture Framework

As stated in the Policy on Service and Digital, the CIO of Canada responsible for:

  • "Prescribing expectations with regard to enterprise architecture."
  • "Establishing and chairing an enterprise architecture review board (EARB) that is mandated to define current and target architecture standards for the Government of Canada and review departmental proposals for alignment."
  • "Approving an annual, forward-looking three-year enterprise-wide plan that establishes the strategic direction for the integrated management of service, information, data, IT, and cyber security and ensuring the plan includes a progress report on how it was implemented in the previous year."

The Enterprise Architecture Framework articulates the prescriptive vision for enterprise architecture in the GC.

It is the fundamental element for GC EARB to meet its mandate to review and endorse the architectures of all departmental digital initiatives and ensure their alignment with enterprise architectures. Digital initiatives presenting at GC EARB complete the GC EARB presenter template and indicate how the target architecture intends to achieve the criteria outlined in the EA Framework. An summary Enterprise Architecture Assessment is produced to recommend to assist the committee in making recommendations for endorsement.

The Enterprise Architecture Framework is an aspirational representation of the strategic direction view that is encapsulated in Service and Digital Target Enterprise Architecture.

Beyond being applied to individual projects submitted to GC EARB, the EA Framework will also provide a superstructure for the Strategic Actions in the revised DOSP, spanning across all four of the pillars in that document, which will serve as the primary implementation plan for the Policy.

To realize the GC Enterprise Ecosystem Target Architecture, departments should align with the practices and principles as outlined below when considering new IT solutions or modernizing older solutions. The architectural approach was developed to facilitate managed incremental transitions but requires more strategic planning on the part of departments to be implemented effectively.

The Government of Canada Enterprise Architecture framework defined below presents the evaluation criteria being used by GC Enterprise Architecture Review Board to align solutions to the Service and Digital Target Enterprise Architecture. In the interest of effective communication to the architecture community of practice, the material has been organized based on the architectural domains as defined within the TOGAF framework – Business, Information, Application, Technology, Security, and Privacy.

The EA Framework was presented at GC EARB on July 16th, 2020. Additional feedback has been sought from the departments by August 31st, 2020, before it will return for an endorsement.

Business Architecture

Business architecture is a critical aspect for the successful implementation of the GC Enterprise Ecosystem Target Architecture.  The architectural strategy advocates whole-of-government approach where IT is aligned to business services and solutions are based on re-useable components implementing business capabilities in order to deliver a cohesive user experience.   As such, it is essential that business services, stakeholder needs, opportunities to improve cohesion and opportunities for re-use across government be clearly understood.   In the past these elements have not been a priority.  It is expected that the IT culture and practices will have to change to make business architecture, in general, and these elements, in particular, a primary focus.

Fulfill the Government of Canada users and other stakeholder's needs

  • Clearly identify internal and external users and other stakeholders and their needs for each policy, program and business service
  • Include policy requirement applying to specific users and other stakeholder groups, such as accessibilities, gender based+ analysis, and official languages in the creation of the service
  • Model end-to-end business service delivery to provide quality, maximize effectiveness and optimize efficiencies across all channels (e.g lean process)

Architect to be Outcome Driven and Strategically Aligned to the Department and to the Government of Canada

  • Identify which departmental/GC business services, outcomes and strategies will be addressed
  • Establish metrics for identified business outcomes throughout the lifecycle of an investment
  • Translate business outcomes and strategy into business capability implications in the GC Business Capability Model to establish a common vocabulary between business, development, and operation

Promote Horizontal Enablement of the Enterprise

  • Identify opportunities to enable business services horizontally across the GC enterprise and to provide cohesive experience to users and other stakeholders
  • Reuse common business capabilities, processes and enterprise solutions from across government and private sector
  • Publish in the open all reusable common business capabilities, processes and enterprise solutions for others to develop and leverage cohesive horizontal enterprise services

Information Architecture

Information architecture best practices and principles remain consistent but their focus must accommodate the needs of a business service and business capability orientation.  In particular, in order to share information across Government, information architecture must address the higher standards needed in terms of the awareness of the information handling needs of each piece of data – its source, quality, and associated policy obligations.

Collect data to address the needs of the users and other stakeholders[edit | edit source]

  • Assess data requirements based on users and other stakeholder needs
  • Collect only the minimum set of data needed to support a policy, program, or service
  • Reuse existing data assets and only acquire new data if required
  • Ensure data collected, including from third party sources, are of high quality

Manage data strategically and responsibly[edit | edit source]

  • Define and establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for data management
  • Identify and document the lineage of data assets
  • Define retention and disposition schedules in accordance with business value as well as applicable privacy and security policy and legislation
  • Ensure data are managed to enable interoperability, reuse and sharing to the greatest extent possible within and across departments in government to avoid duplication and maximize utility, while respecting security and privacy requirements
  • Contribute to and align with enterprise and international data taxonomy and classification structures to manage, store, search and retrieve data

Use and share data openly in an ethical and secure manner[edit | edit source]

  • Share data openly by default as per the Directive on Open Government and Digital Standards, while adhering to existing enterprise and international standards, including on data quality and ethics
  • Ensure data formatting aligns to existing enterprise and international standards on interoperability. Where none exist, develop data standards in the open with key subject matter experts, in consultation with the Enterprise Data Community of Practice
  • Ensure that combined data does not risk identification or re-identification of sensitive or personal information

Application Architecture

Application architecture practices must evolve significantly for the successful implementation of the GC Enterprise Ecosystem Target Architecture. Transitioning from legacy systems based on monolithic architectures to architectures that oriented around business services and based on re-useable components implementing business capabilities, is a major shift.   Interoperability becomes a key element, and the number of stakeholders that must be considered increases.

Use Open Source Solutions hosted in Public Cloud

  • Select existing solutions that can be reused over custom built
  • Contribute all improvements back to the communities
  • Register Open Source software to the Open Resource Exchange

Use Software as a Service (SaaS) hosted in Public Cloud

  • Choose SaaS that best fit for purpose based on alignment with SaaS capabilities
  • Choose a SaaS solution that is extendable
  • Configure SaaS and if customization is necessary extend as Open Source modules

Design for Interoperability

  • Design systems as highly modular and loosely coupled services
  • Expose services, including existing ones, through APIs
  • Make the APIs discoverable to the appropriate stakeholders

Technology Architecture

Technology architecture is an important enabler of highly available and adaptable solutions that must be aligned with the chosen application architecture. Cloud adoption provides many potential advantages by mitigating the logistical constraints that often negatively impacted legacy solutions hosted “on premises”.  However, the application architecture must be able to enable these advantages.

Use Cloud first

  • Adopt the use of the GC Accelerators to ensure proper Security and Access Controls
  • Enforce this order of preference: Software as a Service (SaaS) first, then Platform as a Service (PaaS), and lastly Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
  • Fulfill Cloud Services through SSC Cloud Brokering Services
  • Enforce this order of preference: Public cloud first, then Hybrid cloud, then Private cloud, and lastly non-cloud (on-premises) solutions
  • Design for cloud mobility and develop an exit strategy to avoid vendor lock-in

Design for Performance, Availability, and Scalability

  • Ensure response times meet user needs, and critical services are highly available
  • Support zero-downtime deployments for planned and unplanned maintenance
  • Use distributed architectures, assume failure will happen, handle errors gracefully, and monitor performance and behaviour actively
  • Establish architectures that supports new technology insertion with minimal disruption to existing programs and services
  • Control Technical Diversity - design systems based on modern technologies and platforms already in use.

Follow DevSecOps Principles

  • Use continuous integration and continuous deployments (CI/CD)
  • Ensure automated testing occurs for security and functionality
  • Include your users and other stakeholders as part of DevSecOps process

Security Architecture and Privacy

Security architecture and privacy has always been an important but often poorly addressed aspect of solution design.  However, for the successful implementation of the GC Enterprise Ecosystem Target Architecture depends on a proper security architectural implementation.  Legacy systems based on monolithic architectures often had simplistic approaches to mitigating security risks. The future digitally enabled GC services will support a diverse community and have interoperating components spread across multiple environments.  It is critical that security be built in to all processes and across all architectural layers.

Build Security into the System Life Cycle, Across All Architectural Layers

  • Identify and categorize information based on the degree of injury that could be expected to result from a compromise of its confidentiality, integrity and availability.
  • Implement a continuous security approach, in alignment with CCCS’s IT Security Risk Management Framework. Perform threat modelling to minimize the attack surface by limiting services exposed and information exchanged to the minimum necessary.
  • Apply proportionate security measures that address business and user needs while adequately protecting data at rest and data in transit.
  • Design systems to be resilient and available in order to support service continuity.

Ensure Secure Access to Systems and Services

  • Identify and authenticate individuals, processes and/or devices to an appropriate level of assurance, based on clearly defined roles, before granting access to information and services. Leverage enterprise services such as Government of Canada trusted digital identity solutions that are supported by the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework.
  • Constrain service interfaces to authorized entities (users and devices), with clearly defined roles. Segment and separate information based on sensitivity of information, in alignment with ITSG-22 and ITSG-38. Management interfaces may require increased levels of protection.
  • Implement HTTPS for secure web connections and DMARC for enhanced email security.
  • Establish secure interconnections between systems through secure APIs or leveraging centrally managed Hybrid IT connectivity services.

Maintain Secure Operations

  • Establish processes to maintain visibility of assets and ensure the prompt application of security-related patches and updates in order to reduce exposure to vulnerabilities, in accordance with GC Patch Management Guidance.
  • Enable event logging, in accordance with GC Event Logging Guidance, and perform monitoring of systems and services in order to detect, prevent, and respond to attacks.
  • Establish an incident management plan in alignment with the GC Cyber Security Event Management Plan (GC CSEMP) and report incidents to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS).

Privacy by Design

  • Perform Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to support risk mitigation activities when personal information is involved
  • Perform Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA) to support risk mitigation activities when deploying an automated decision system as per Directive on Automated Decision Making. For more info, please go to this link
  • Implement security measures to assure the protection of personal information and data
  • Take into consideration the 7 Foundational Privacy Design Principles (English only) when designing services

EA Framework Playbook

Here is an archived version of the playbook that was developed for the original EA assessment Criteria. It will updated to align the updated EA Framework once it is approved at GC EARB.