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Data Engine

IN CONTROL: Dragon1 Data Engine

Integrating and Consolidating Data Sources

Dragon1 Data Engine helps organizations take control by transforming data sources like backend systems, REST APIs, Excel sheets, and other documents into coherent, dynamic, metric-driven KPI dashboards for architecture, systems, processes, software applications, and infrastructure.

A 100% automatically generated cybersecurity landscape, from real-time data, with a time-lapse.

Data Collection, Integration and Mapping

Bring your data directly into Dragon1. The Data Engine supports having your data in various sources:

  • REST APIs / JSON
  • Live Streams
  • Backend Systems
  • XML & Visio Files
  • Excel Sheets
  • Documents

You can link raw and streaming data to Dragon1 and map it for continuous synchronization/updates.

A 100% automatically generated application landscape, from real-time data, with a time-lapse.

"The unified data repository cuts our integration time by 80%. It's a massive productivity improvement—less time wasted means more time is valuable for governance and strategy. Dragon1 Data Engine is an incredible tool."
D
Saul Alberto, CTO
"We no longer need a data architect or engineer for every new visualization. Dragon1 Data Engine handles positioning, layering, and connections perfectly, allowing our architects to focus on design rather than data modeling syntax."
S
Alison Montgomery, CTO
"Our teams can prototype 'what-if' scenarios and impact analyses on the fly. The engine's ability to generate metrics and model relationships means less reliance on our own, often siloed, data for initial analysis."
J
Gustave Schmitz, Business Architect
"The data mapping and data quality comparison dialog is amazing. It greatly points out exactly what changes when introducing a new data source, drastically reducing the analysis time for data impact assessments."
V
Arvind Gopalanram, IT Manager

Event Stream Mapping & Automated Analysis

Generated Architecture, Business, Technology Maps

The Data Engine is preconfigured to generate all key enterprise views. 100% no modeling required. Also not modelled data is turned into diagrams or views:

  • Enterprise Layers Maps
  • Motivation/Strategy Maps
  • Capability Maps
  • Process Maps (BPMN)
  • Data Maps
  • Application Maps
  • Server Maps
  • Network Maps
  • Architecture Principles Maps
  • IT Standards Maps
  • UML Class Diagrams
  • UML Activity Diagrams
  • And more
auto-generated capability map

A 100% auto-generated and auto-styled Capability Map.

Time Lapse & Scenario Comparison: Continuous State Analysis

The Time Lapse & Scenario Comparison feature is a very powerful differentiator, allowing you to move beyond simple current and future states.

  • With Time Lapse & Scenario Comparison, you can not only view the current state and future state, but also any date in between. For instance, you can find the optimal path or date for a transition by analyzing how metrics such as risk and cost fluctuate over the project timeline. You can also compare three different lists of changes. And generate roadmaps from it.
interface for selecting a historical or future date for analysis.

Interface for selecting a historical or future date for analysis.

KPIs / Metric Panel on Every Diagram

Every generated diagram features a dedicated KPIs / Metric Panel that shows real-time metrics. This immediate context helps analysts and decision-makers assess key indicators, such as risk, cost, and performance, directly on the architecture view.

Example Metrics:

→ Risk Score: High

→ Cost Impact: +10%

→ Performance: Stable

→ 100 metrics out of the box

detailed view of a KPIs metric panel showing a high risk score

Detailed view of a Metric Panel showing a high risk score.

Overview Dashboard & Detailed Dashboards: Your Single Pane of Glass

The Data Engine produces an overarching dashboard that aggregates metrics from all architecture diagrams, providing a holistic enterprise view. And with 1 click to visit a detailed dashboard on that topic and even drill down to architecture diagrams & process maps.

  • 12 Default Control Panels:
  • Architecture areas: Products, Services, Processes, Applications, Data Objects, and Servers
  • Management areas: Finance, Logistics, Sales, Production, IT Operations, Cybersecurity
detailing the overview KPIs metrics dashboard

Two example details dashboards - that drill down to architecture diagrams & process maps.

Data Sources Linking Overview

The core function of the Data Engine is to establish a single source of truth for the entire enterprise. Dragon1 Data Engine connects to various authorized source systems to automatically collect, validate, and transform operational data into the structured model data required for your architecture visualizations (ArchiMate, BPMN, UML, Dragon1). This integration ensures that all generated maps and real-time metrics are based on current, reliable information.

Data Source Types:

→ CMDBs and IT Inventory: For technical information on servers, application versions, and underlying infrastructure components.

→ Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Tools: For insight into capital investments, project status, and the realization of the architecture roadmap.

→ Financial and HR Systems: For linking costs (Total Cost of Ownership), application ownership, and organizational structure to IT assets.

→ APM (Application Performance Monitoring) / Observability Platforms: For collecting real-time performance data, capacity metrics, and system health indicators.

schematic overview of dragon1 data engine connecting various data sources (CMDB, PPM, Monitoring) and transforming them into an enterprise architecture model

Integrated Data Sources Linking Overview.

Data Mapping, Mining and Filtering

This powerful feature is the bridge between your raw source data (like spreadsheets, CMDBs, or monitoring logs) and your Enterprise Architecture model. Data Mapping involves harmonizing inconsistent terminology and data schemas from various sources into a single, standardized metadata structure. Filtering ensures that every generated visualization is relevant, up-to-date, and focused on a specific architectural concern (e.g., current state, future state, or risk profile).

  • Schema Normalization:
  • Class Mapping: Define rules to translate source system objects into target system objects (components may become applications, requirements may become principles)
  • Attribute Mapping: Define rules to translate source system values (e.g., an application status of 'Prod' in the CMDB) into target model attributes (e.g., the lifecycle stage 'Active' in the Dragon1 model).
  • Relationship Mapping: Automatically infer and create traceable relationships (e.g., a 'Service' is realized by an 'Application') based on unique identifiers shared across different data sources.
  • Runtime Filtering: Use dynamic filter expressions to determine the scope of a visualization. For example, show only applications with a Technical Fit Score below a certain threshold or projects that are currently 'On Track', directly influencing the content of a generated map.
data mapping and filtering

Data Mapping, Mining, and Filtering Screen (available on request).

Essential Use Cases

Automated Application Portfolio Rationalization

Reducing IT spend and eliminating redundant/outdated applications (Application Rationalization).

The Engine connects to the CMDB (for infrastructure cost/host data), the Project Management System (for investment data), and the monitoring tools (for performance/utilization).

Dynamic Compliance and Regulatory Impact Analysis

Ensuring compliance with new regulations (e.g., GDPR, industry standards, internal security policies).

The engine automatically maps regulatory documents to the affected business processes and applications, instantly generating a risk heatmap that shows the scope of required changes.

Business Capability to Technology Roadmapping

Translating strategic objectives (like 'Improve Customer Experience') into concrete IT projects and technology changes.

By linking current applications to supporting capabilities, the engine visualizes the capability maturity gap and provides a data-driven basis for prioritizing and funding the strategic investment roadmap.

Business Activity Monitor

Dragon1 Data Engine is an incredibly powerful tool for business and operational monitoring.

It effectively automates the most time-consuming and error-prone parts of maintaining an EA Repository and Blueprints: data integration, transformation, and establishing traceability.

The Data Engine acts as an EA Repository Connector and Automation Layer.

Instead of manually collecting and updating data in static files, the tool pulls live, authoritative data from your source systems (CMDB, HRM, Project Management, Monitoring Tools) and transforms it into the structured JSON Data format required by the Dragon1 Viewer.

high-level view of the full in control dashboard

In Control with your generated KPI Dashboard on the Dragon Data Engine.

Dragon1 Data Engine: The Go-To Add-On

Dragon1 Data Engine is a powerful, non-invasive layer that combines data analysis with visual architecture modeling to enrich the data from your operational systems, giving it strategic context. Instead of requiring manual data entry, the Engine connects to these major platforms via APIs or data extracts, transforming live inventory, performance, and financial data into dynamic EA models and visualizations.

ServiceNow (CMDB/ITSM)

Converts raw IT asset and relationship data directly from the CMDB into a strategic Architecture Model (e.g., ArchiMate), providing a complete, traceable inventory for EA.

Turbonomic / AppDynamics

Integrates real-time Performance and Cost metrics with application objects in the model, directly populating the Metric Panels to justify modernization or retirement.

Jira / Azure DevOps

Connects Project, Epic, and Status data to the EA Roadmap, visualizing the live progress of architecture transformations and capability improvements.

SAP / Oracle ERP

Pulls Financial and Organizational data (e.g., TCO, ownership, vendor details) to provide the critical business context needed for portfolio management decisions.

AWS / Azure / GCP

Automatically imports Cloud Inventory and configuration data, ensuring the generated Cloud Architecture Maps are always accurate and compliant with defined standards.

dragon1 data engine generated cybersecurity landscape

A 100% automatically generated cybersecurity landscape, from real-time data, with a time-lapse.

Ready to Get More In Control

Gain the clarity, intelligence, and agility needed to tackle tomorrow's challenges, today.

Explore the Data Engine: Request a Personalized Demo

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