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COV Technology Roadmaps

Enterprise Architecture Technology Roadmaps

The Enterprise Technical Architecture (ETA) consists of multiple technical domains and topics providing direction, recommendations and requirements for supporting solutions architecture and implementing a successful ETA. Technology roadmaps are a crucial part of the Commonwealth's ETA and assist with guiding development and support of information systems and technology infrastructure.

The intent for governance of technology versions is simply to prevent last minute version updates and their consequent negative impact on delivering quality information technology that supports the Commonwealth business architecture. In fact, updating to current versions should be a recurring task for agencies and suppliers of Commonwealth information technology services, because this will result in increased staff productivity, maintaining reliable security and reducing the costs of legacy maintenance. 

The following roadmaps enable agencies and suppliers to plan more predictable and scheduled updates.  Because assessments are "forecasted" with best available information at the time of a decision, they are subject to change to maintain resilience with those subsequent changes occurring outside the Commonwealth's control.

VITA's robust exceptions process is readily available to account for any unforeseen conflicts that may arise following guidance found in the technology roadmaps. Please use the Archer application to enter an EA exception.

Following are the most current roadmaps available. 

Roadmap Definitions

Technology Classification Definitions
Emerging

Currently non-approved COV technologies that are of interest to meeting current or future technical or business needs.

Technologies not ready for deployment. They lack essential factors, such as hardening templates, service packs, support, or COV domain expertise.

  • Pilot: Technologies eligible for controlled and limited evaluation

Any use of Emerging technologies must have an approved Enterprise Architecture (EA) exception.

Projected Predicted future versions of approved products/technologies based on pattern of previous releases. Initial dates will be estimates. The actual scheduled availability dates will be published as soon as available.
Approved These technologies have been evaluated, and where appropriate, support is in place. They are approved for current and future deployments.
Divest These technologies are no longer approved. Agencies shall not make any procurements or additional deployments of Divest technologies. Any new deployments of Divest technologies must have an approved EA exception. There are two phases within Divest:
Plan During this phase, agencies must develop and submit their plan to migrate off of these technologies within their IT Strategic Plan.
Execution

During this phase, agencies must execute their migration plans for these technologies. These migrations must be completed before the technologies become Prohibited. This may include:

  • CIO approved IBC (Investment Business Case) and IBC Addendum for projects and supporting BreTs (Business Requirement for Existing Technology) within agency IT Strategic Plans
  • Inclusion of any needed procurements to their agency IT Strategic Plan
Prohibited

Agencies are not allowed to use Prohibited technologies without an approved EA Exception, because these technologies are no longer supported by the commonwealth due to substantial risk. In addition, any use of Prohibited technologies must be mitigated by:

  • CIO approved IBC and IBC Addendum for projects and supporting BreTs within agency’s IT Strategic Plans
  • Migration plans included within the agency’s IT Strategic Plan
  • Inclusion of any needed procurements to their agency IT Strategic Plan
  • Execution of the migration plans including any required reporting
Skipped A version of a technology that has been or will be passed over in favor of a later version. This version was not considered when establishing N, N-1, N-2.
Vendor End of Support Agencies are not allowed to use technologies beyond end of support date without an approved Security Exception because these technologies no longer have security patches available.