Use Cases

This chapter describes the primary use case for this version of the exchange file format and discusses additional use cases, such as the exchange of partial models or updates to existing models.

Exporting and Importing Models as a One-Off Exchange Operation

The exchange file format is used as a mechanism for exchanging model information from one system to another.

This is the use case scenario supported by this version of the ArchiMate Model Exchange File Format standard.

Once the information has been exported from System A and imported into System B, the exchange file can be seen as dispensable since it has served its purpose.

In this use case the exchange file format should not be considered as the canonical, or definitive, model itself, but rather as a simple transport mechanism. There are a number of scenarios in which this can be used:

  • Company X has created a model for Company Y

    Both companies are using modeling Tool A. When Company X is ready with the work, the model is exported into an exchange file and the file is sent by email to Company Y. Company Y imports the file into Tool A.

  • Company X has decided that modeling Tool A no longer meets its requirements and that they will migrate to Tool B

    The models created with Tool A are exported into exchange files and imported into Tool B, after which Tool A can be decommissioned within Company X. Company X can continue to undertake work for Company Y even though they now use different tools, since all deliveries of models between the two companies use the exchange file format.

  • Company X has created a reference model with Tool A and wants to distribute it among its customers and partners

    Company X exports the reference model to an exchange file format and publishes this on its website along with some links to various tools that can be used to import the model.

  • Company X provides a cloud solution for showing models on the web

    Companies who want to make use of this service create an exchange file from their tool and upload this to the service of Company X.

Repeated Exporting and Importing Models

Exchange files are used to transfer incremental changes made from one system into another system.

This use case scenario is not supported by this version of the ArchiMate Model Exchange File Format standard.

Each time a transfer is required, an export file is made by the first system and sent to the second system to be imported. Example scenarios of this are:

  • Divisions Q and P of Company X use Tool A for maintaining an up-to-date model of their business processes

    They are required to send updates to the head office. When needed, they create exchange files and send these to the head office, which imports them into the company-wide model managed by Tool B.

  • Company X created a reference model but because regulations have changed, the model needs to be updated

    Company X publishes the new reference model along with the old reference model on their website for its customers.

In order to import an incremental update of a model, the importing tool needs some means to determine the changes. This requires some form of identification of the elements of the model. For example, the name of the elements could be used, but names could change. As an alternative, the object’s identifier could be used or a property could be defined, which contains a unique identifier. Special care has to be taken with how to recognize that concepts or relationships have been removed.

The current exchange file format has no built-in support for incremental updates, and only some requirements on consistency with respect to concepts that are referred to in relationships. It might be possible to define a property to indicate that an element or relationship has become obsolete and needs to be removed. This means that the exporting tool needs to have some capability to track changes and generate an exchange file with the desired information.

Round-Trip Exporting and Importing

Exchange files are used to exchange incremental changes in two directions.

This use case scenario is not supported by this version of the ArchiMate Model Exchange File Format standard.

Example scenarios are:

  • Company X is undertaking a modeling project for Company Y, and has to take into account changes made by Company Y on certain parts of the model

    Company Y creates a (partial) export of its model into an exchange file. Company X imports this exchange file and, after having completed additional changes to the model, exports the updates to an exchange file. Company Y imports the exchange file to integrate the changes with its existing model.

  • Architect M of Company X wants to work off-line on a large model stored in the repository managed by Tool A

    She creates a partial export to an exchange file and imports this into Tool B. The next day she creates an exchange file with Tool B and imports this into Tool A.

Round-trip exchange puts some additional requirements on the tools used. The tools need to match sufficiently, such that the exported concepts and relationships can be recognized from earlier exports. For this, external identifiers need to be preserved while modifying a model. Also, with respect to the graphical properties of the models, there should be a good match. For example, in the case when unit conversion (between metric and imperial units) during import/export is needed, the position and dimensions may change due to rounding errors, leading to false updates.