Patent ID: 7617244

Claim:
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for enabling a computer to communicate information technology architecture for an organization, the data structure comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to: identify via data contained in a first data field of the data structure, a component of an information technology architecture for an organization; identify via data contained in a second data field of the data structure, a current standard for the component of the information technology architecture identified via the data contained in the first data field; and identify via data contained in a third data field of the data structure, a future standard, wherein the future standard is utilized for the component of the information technology architecture after the current standard is retired, the data structure further comprising computer-readable information enabling the computer to identify via data contained in a fourth data field of the data structure, a technology trend for the component of the information technology architecture identified via the data contained in the first data field, wherein the data structure is sent from an architecture lifecycle management server to a server operated by one or more vendor organizations and used by the vendor organizations to identify technologies compatible with the information technology architecture, wherein the one or more vendor organizations are provided with a subset of information related to the information technology architecture when at least one of the one or more vendor organizations is a non-preferred vendor.