HL7 Service-Aware Interoperability Framework (SAIF): Canonical Definition Specification, Release 2

DESCRIPTION

The Service-Aware Interoperability Framework (SAIF) provides consistency between all artifacts, enables a standardized approach to Enterprise Architecture development and implementation, and a way to measure the consistency. SAIF is the framework that is required to rationalize interoperability of standards. SAIF is an architecture for achieving interoperability, but it is not a whole-solution design for Enterprise architecture management. This document describes a canonical form of Service-Aware Interoperability Framework (SAIF) which can be adapted to an organization's implementation requirements through the production of a SAIF implementation Guide. Since the DSTU publication of the Release 2 version, glossary terms have been harmonized.

ALTERNATIVE NAMES

HL7 Service-Aware Interoperability Framework (SAIF): Canonical Definition Specification, Release 2 may also go by the following names or acronyms:

TARGETS

• Enterprise interoperability projects
• Interoperability projects among multiple enterprises/organizations
• Organizations building large-scale integrated health IT infrastructures at the national level

BENEFITS

• Creates concepts upon which a implementation guide can be based
• Enables the creation of an implementation guide (SAIF-IG) specific to needs of the entity using it
• Consistency of specifications
• Enhanced ability to manage loosely-coupled complex interactions between multiple trading partners
• Increased cross-organization reuse of architecture primitives
• Realizing the value proposition of CMETs and extending that proposition to include behavioral as well as static semantic constructs

IMPLEMENTATIONS/CASE STUDIES

• National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) (Austrailia)
• NCI National Cancer Institute (US)
• FDGC (the Federal Geographic Data Committee) (http://geospatial.gov/)

DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND

The development of the SAIF Canonical Definition (SAIF-CD) – which began in early 2008 – was motivated and directed by a high-level set of requirements communicated to the Health Level Seven International (HL7) Architecture Board (ARB) by the HL7 Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and senior representatives of several large national programs whose representatives participate in various HL7 activities.  In particular, the ARB was directed to provide a coherent, enterprise-architecture-centric approach that would enable the explicit description of technology components – including, but not necessarily limited to, HL7-specified artifacts – from the perspective of the interactions between those components as they were involved in scenarios whose purpose was to achieve an agreed-upon goal based on “cross-organizational-boundary shared purpose.”  The scope of the components themselves was not specified, i.e. a “component” could be defined as a system, a service, a message, a document, an enterprise, or a generic party.  The notion of “interactions to achieve an agreed upon goal based on cross-organizational-boundary shared purpose” was assumed to mean – at a technical level – some degree of technical – most likely semantic – interoperability between the involved components that itself was a manifestation of a non-technical agreement and definition of a joint (i.e.  cross-organizational-boundary) shared purpose.

 

Originally titled SAEAF (Services-Aware Enterprise Architecture Framework), the name caused confusion with other enterprise architectures such as Zachman and Togaf. It was renamed in February 2010 to SAIF adding emphasis to its focus on interoperability. SAIF should be regarded as an adjunct to any Enterprise Architecture Framework (EAF) that focuses on Working Interoperability (WI). This framework draws on SOA practices and two critical constructs to significantly enhance the path to WI. These constructs include separation of concerns (static vs. behavioral semantics) and a formal notion of contracts. The responsible work group for this product is the Architecture Review Board. SAIF specifically addresses these four core areas:

1. Static information (including RIM, data types, vocabulary bindings, etc.)
2. Behavior (subsuming the existing Dynamic Model)
3. Enterprise Conformance and Compliance (including HL7's existing Implementation and Conformance standards)
4. Governance

RELATED DOCUMENTS

HL7 Service-Aware Interoperability Framework (SAIF): Canonical Definition Specification, Release 2

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ADDITIONAL DETAILS

For specifications and information about work groups, training, projects and more, visit the HL7 Wiki Website page for this product at: http://wiki.hl7.org/index.php?title=SAIF_main_page

BALLOT TYPES

• Informative
• Normative

STATUS DATE

2014-11-07

RESPONSIBLE WORK GROUP

PRODUCT TYPES

• Methodology Specifications
• Services
• Standard Reference Materials

CURRENT STATE

• Retired

REALM

• Universal