Patent ID: 7200601

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; identify via data contained in a third data field of the data structure, a technology trend for the component of technology architecture identified via the data contained in the first data field, 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 future standard to be utilized for the component of the information technology architecture after the current standard is retired; and 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.