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ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface

Alfabet is an IT planning and portfolio management system. Based on answering the questions, when, where, how, and why to make changes in the IT portfolio, it is used to increase IT investment returns and reduce transformation risks.

When configured in ARIS, the ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface allows users to reuse objects from connected ARIS databases and Alfabet databases and switch to the other system.

It is easy to navigate between the systems. For example, from a business process in Alfabet, you can switch to the corresponding function or to a model in ARIS that contains the function. You can switch, for example, from an application system to the related application in Alfabet.

Map Alfabet object to ARIS object

You can map an Alfabet object to an ARIS object. Multiple mapping is not possible. By default, you can map objects of the Application system type object type to objects of the Alfabet Application class. If you want to use other object types or Alfabet classes, you must adapt the configuration files according to the Alfabet REST API version in use.

Prerequisite

The database is connected with Alfabet.

Procedure. Procedure

  1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

  2. Navigate to a mapped object of the Application system type object type or select the object in a model.

  3. Activate the Contents tab bar.

  4. Click Alfabet Alfabet > Map Alfabet object Map Alfabet object. The Select Alfabet object dialog opens. All Alfabet objects are listed that match the .

  5. Select the Alfabet object class, for example, Application. You will see only those Alfabet objects you have the privileges to use. If you start typing the object name into the Filter field, the number of entries will decrease.

  6. Click Refresh Refresh, if objects are missing in the list. If an object is not available, you can create it in Alfabet.

  7. Double-click the Alfabet object you want to map to the ARIS object.

    The attributes defined in the configuration file are applied to the Alfabet object. For the Application system type type these are the following attributes by default:

The Alfabet object is mapped to the ARIS object. The name of the Alfabet object is now used for the ARIS object. Additional attributes have been entered for this object in the Alfabet attribute type group.

The mapping remains until the object is unmapped. Administrators can delete all mappings at once.

Create Alfabet object

You can create a missing Alfabet object to be mapped to an ARIS object.

Prerequisites

  • The database is connected with Alfabet.

  • You have access to the Alfabet Web User Interface.

Procedure. Procedure

  1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

  2. Navigate to an object of the Application system type type.

  3. Activate the Contents tab bar.

  4. Click Alfabet Alfabet > Map Alfabet object Map Alfabet object. The Select Alfabet object dialog opens.

  5. Select the Alfabet table, for example, Application.

  6. Click Create new Alfabet object. The Alfabet login dialog opens.

  7. Create the object in Alfabet.

  8. In ARIS in the Select Alfabet object dialog click Refresh Refresh.

The new object is listed in the table.

You can map the new object to an ARIS object.

Switch to Alfabet

You can navigate to mapped Alfabet objects from ARIS.

Prerequisite

  • The database is connected with Alfabet.

  • You have access to the Alfabet Web User Interface.

Procedure. Procedure

  1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

  2. Navigate to a mapped object of the Application system type type or select the object in a model.

  3. In the Start tab bar, click Go to Go to > Alfabet object.

  4. Log in to Alfabet, if required.

The object is displayed.

Unmap Alfabet object

You can delete the mapping between an ARIS object and an Alfabet object.

Prerequisite

The database is connected with Alfabet.

Procedure. Procedure

  1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

  2. Navigate to a mapped object. Unless you have changed the configuration, objects of the Application system type type may be mapped to Alfabet objects.

  3. Activate the Contents tab bar.

  4. Click Alfabet Alfabet > Unmap Alfabet object Unmap Alfabet object.

The mapping is removed without prompting. All attributes in the Alfabet attribute type group are deleted. The name of the Alfabet object continues to be used for the ARIS object.

Connect database with Alfabet system as administrator

You can connect any ARIS database with an Alfabet system in ARIS Architect.

Prerequisites

  • You have used the Perspective Wizard to activate the ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability subject, and have selected at least the Modeling working environment.

  • Your Administrator has configured the interface in ARIS.

  • You have the Database management function privilege.

Procedure. Procedure

  1. Start ARIS Architect.

  2. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

  3. Click Properties Properties. The dialog opens.

  4. On the Selection tab, click Alfabet integration.

  5. Enable Connect to Alfabet.

  6. In the Web service URL field, enter the Uniform Resource Locator to be used for access to the Alfabet Web service (Alfabet RESTful API). This URL is required for exchanging data. This is the address of the Alfabet Web application.

  7. In the User interface URL field, enter the Uniform Resource Locator to be used for access to the Alfabet user interface. This URL is required to enable users to navigate to Alfabet objects from ARIS.

  8. In the User name (optional) and the API password/token fields, specify the user credentials as required.

    If the RESTful API of the Alfabet system is configured for anonymous access, you must enter the related token. If the RESTful API is configured to be accessed by a user, you must enter both the user name and the password.

    For more information about the password and token, and authorization, see the Alfabet Interface for RESTful Web Services manual. Read the documents on the ARIS Documentation website or download them from the ARIS Download Center.

      Warning

      For security reasons, it is recommended that you use the Alfabet RESTful API version 2. Do not activate Alfabet REST API v1, as it is not recommended. Switch to Alfabet RESTful API version 2 as soon as possible.

    1. Click Test connection to validate the specified values. A dialog shows the test result.

    2. If the test was successful, click OK to close the dialogs.

    3. Log out of the database and log in again so that the specified connection parameters are applied.

    The database is connected to the Alfabet system.

    Users can map ARIS objects to Alfabet objects.

    Specify options for synchronization as administrator

    Select the required actions for ARIS objects or connections whose mapped master objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet.

    Procedure. Procedure

    1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

    2. Click Properties Properties. The dialog opens.

    3. On the Selection tab, click Alfabet integration > Synchronization options.

    4. Select the actions that you want to use for ARIS objects and connections when an authorized ARIS user starts the Alfabet synchronization but objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet.

    5. Click OK.

    The selected options are applied for future Alfabet synchronizations.

    Manage objects and connections as administrator

    If imported Alfabet objects and connections no longer exist in Alfabet, you can decide on how to treat these elements in ARIS. You can either leave them unchanged, delete the mapping, mark them as deleted, or delete the elements from the database.

    Procedure. Procedure

    1. Log into the database.

    2. Click Properties Properties.

    3. On the Selection tab, click Alfabet integration > Synchronization options.

    4. Select the actions that you want to use for ARIS objects and connections when an authorized ARIS user starts the Alfabet synchronization but objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet.

    5. Click OK.

    6. In ARIS Architect, click ARIS > Show Administration Administration.

    7. In the Start tab bar, click Alfabet Alfabet > Alfabet synchronization. A warning is displayed.

        Warning

        Note that you cannot undo the selected synchronization options. We recommend backing up the database before starting the operation.

      1. Click OK.

        The data for which you have privileges in Alfabet is synchronized. Objects that are currently being edited are not included. A dialog opens for you to complete the procedure.

      2. Click Yes to review the log file and check which objects have been synchronized.

      3. Click No to close the dialog.

      You have overwritten the attributes of all mapped objects and connections with the current values from the Alfabet system.

      Mappings for ARIS master objects whose mapped objects no longer exist in Alfabet were deleted.

      ARIS objects and connections whose mapped master objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet were handled according to your selection.

      Import all Alfabet objects (bulk import) as administrator

      You can import all Alfabet objects to a selected database group.

      Prerequisite

      The database is connected with Alfabet.

      Procedure. Procedure

      1. Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

      2. Select the database group as a target for all Alfabet objects to be imported.

      3. Activate the Contents tab bar.

      4. Click Import Import > Import all Alfabet data.

        This functionality is also available on the Administration tab (Start tab bar > Alfabet Alfabet > Import all Alfabet data). A dialog for you to complete the procedure opens.

      5. Click Yes to review the import log file, or click No to close the dialog.

      You have successfully imported all from Alfabet into the selected database group at once (bulk import).

      configured data

      ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface comes with a default configuration. Administrators can modify the configuration, for example, the ARIS object types or Alfabet tables to be used.

      To use the interface, ARIS as well as Alfabet must be configured. How to configure ARIS is described in this help set. How to configure Alfabet is described in the Alfabet reference manual. For more information, read the Alfabet reference manual of the ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface. Read the documents on the ARIS Documentation website or download them from the ARIS Download Center.

      Alfabet interoperability is available for objects of the Application system type type by default. Objects can be mapped to Alfabet objects of the Application Alfabet object class. If you want to define other ARIS object types or Alfabet object classes, you must modify the configuration according to the Alfabet RESTful API in use.

      For security reasons, it is recommended that you use the Alfabet RESTful API version 2.

      Configure Alfabet REST API v2

      Configure Alfabet REST API v1

      Start Alfabet synchronization as administrator

      You can synchronize data between the ARIS database and the Alfabet system according to the .

      configuration

      ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface comes with a default configuration. Administrators can modify the configuration, for example, the ARIS object types or Alfabet tables to be used.

      To use the interface, ARIS as well as Alfabet must be configured. How to configure ARIS is described in this help set. How to configure Alfabet is described in the Alfabet reference manual. For more information, read the Alfabet reference manual of the ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability Interface. Read the documents on the ARIS Documentation website or download them from the ARIS Download Center.

      Alfabet interoperability is available for objects of the Application system type type by default. Objects can be mapped to Alfabet objects of the Application Alfabet object class. If you want to define other ARIS object types or Alfabet object classes, you must modify the configuration according to the Alfabet RESTful API in use.

      For security reasons, it is recommended that you use the Alfabet RESTful API version 2.

      Configure Alfabet REST API v2

      Configure Alfabet REST API v1

      Prerequisites

      • The database is connected with Alfabet.

      • Objects are mapped.

      • .

      • Using the Explorer tab, log in to the database.

      • Click Properties Properties. The dialog opens.

      • On the Selection tab, click Alfabet integration > Synchronization options.

      • Select the actions that you want to use for ARIS objects and connections when an authorized ARIS user starts the Alfabet synchronization but objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet.

      • Click OK.

        • The selected options are applied for future Alfabet synchronizations.

      Procedure. Procedure

      1. In ARIS Architect, click ARIS > Show Administration Administration. The Administration tab opens.

      2. Log in to the database and ensure that the database name is selected.

      3. In the Start tab bar, click Alfabet Alfabet > Alfabet synchronization. A warning is displayed.

          Warning

          Note that you cannot undo the selected synchronization options. We recommend backing up the database before starting the operation.

        1. Click OK.

          The data for which you have privileges in Alfabet is synchronized. Objects that are currently being edited are not included. A dialog opens for you to complete the procedure.

        2. Click Yes to review the log file and check which objects have been synchronized.

        3. Click No to close the dialog.

        You have overwritten the attributes of all mapped objects and connections with the current values from the Alfabet system.

        Mappings for ARIS master objects whose mapped objects no longer exist in Alfabet were deleted.

        ARIS objects and connections whose mapped master objects or connections no longer exist in Alfabet were handled according to your selection.

        Delete all Alfabet mappings or mappings and objects as administrator

        You can delete all mappings between ARIS objects and Alfabet objects in ARIS Architect. You can optionally delete only the link parameters or the object definitions.

        Prerequisite

        • The database is connected with Alfabet.

        • You have used the Perspective Wizard to activate the ARIS - Alfabet Interoperability subject, and have selected at least the Modeling working environment.

        Warning

        Note that the selected actions cannot be undone. We recommend backing up the database before starting the operation.

        Procedure. Procedure

        1. In ARIS Architect, click ARIS > Show Administration Administration. The Administration tab opens.

        2. Log in to the database.

        3. In the Start tab bar, click Alfabet Alfabet > Delete Alfabet mappings. The dialog opens.

        4. Select Delete mapping if you want to delete only the mappings between ARIS and Alfabet objects. The objects themselves will not be deleted from the database.

          Select Delete object if you want to delete the mappings between ARIS objects and Alfabet objects along with the corresponding objects.

        5. Click OK. A dialog opens for you to complete the procedure.

        6. Click Yes to review the import log file, or click No to close the dialog.

        All mapping is removed. All attributes in the Alfabet attribute type group are deleted. The names of the Alfabet objects continue to be used for the ARIS objects. If you have enabled the corresponding option, the objects are deleted as well.

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