Automated Application Discovery: The Enterprise Architect's Auto-Aide

The challenge that enterprise architects face in establishing enterprise architecture (EA) lies less in its creation and more in its lack of observance by the developers or others that it is supposed to govern. There are few tools to assist architects with this issue, other than sweat, tears, and manual labor. However, several new possibilities are emerging, many from the systems and operations management space, that may — if suitably repurposed — at last offer the enterprise architect the means to monitor corporate observance of enterprise architecture. This would be a blessing for all concerned but especially the architect. At last, application systems visibility would be within the architect's reach and, when automated, would occur with a minimum of human intervention. Possessing such an "automated aide"(auto-aide) will help architects both establish enterprise architecture and enable more disciplined management processes that promote the delivery of applications more consistent with architecture guidelines