Products...FEA...DRM...Mapping

The following diagram depicts VA’s Data Architecture alignment with the FEA DRM in terms of mappings between currently available VA data and enterprise architecture artifacts, and specific concepts in the FEA DRM Abstract Model.  The FEA DRM Abstract Model recognizes three major standardization areas: (1) Data Description, (2) Data Context, and (3) Data Sharing.

The VA artifacts in the diagram relate either directly or indirectly to the Data Description and Data Sharing standardization areas of the FEA DRM Abstract Model.

Reference(s):

• DRM MAP.pdf

The VA Conceptual Information Model (CIM) will embody the DRM concepts of Entity” and Entity Relationships in their most basic form.  The VA Enterprise Architecture 4.1 uses a taxonomy known as the “Corporate Information Model” that is the basis for its current work on the CIM.  VA will use the examples, soon to be provided by the FEA, to expand work on the attributes of the CIM.  The following entity relationship diagram shows a current high-level representation of the VA CIM.  Further details are in the VA CIM high-level logical model and the associated VA Data Classification Scheme.

Reference(s):

• Conceptual Information Model.pdf

The Information Exchange Matrix (IEM) is a compound model that serves as a link between the VA business architecture and the VA data architecture.  It shows the flow of business information between sending and receiving processes and provides a mapping of VA data classes in the Corporate Information Model to VA processes.  This mapping answers the DRM question of what VA services are available to access data within the VA community of interest.   

Reference(s):

• Information Exchange Matrix.xls

The VA CRUD Matrix provides detailed information about the form of action or transformation certain information and data experience, as they are associated with business processes.  It is the basis for the IEM mapping to the Conceptual Information Model.

Note that the current EA 4.2 CRUD is work-in-progress.  The mapping is nearly complete to VA enabling business lines and will be completed next for VA mission business lines.  When complete, the VA logical models will have a new, essential mapping to VA business processes.

Reference(s):

• DAS CRUD.pdf

The VA Data/Metadata Registry implements the DRM concepts of Entity, Attribute, Data Type, and Document as represented in the Data Description standardization area of the Abstract Model.  This evolving VA registry will be useful in identifying opportunities for data standardization among the members of the VA community of interest, internally among the VA Administrations and among personnel and medical organizations of the DoD.

VA is in the process of collecting metadata from critical VA projects and using that information to create logical and physical models for the purpose of data sharing and reuse.  For EA 4.2, these models include the VA VA/DoD Identity Repository (VADIR) As-Is Logical and Physical Models, the Integrated Project Teams (IPT) logical models for DoD/VA Data Sharing and Identity Management, and the As-Is VA Corporate Database logical model.