Avolution announces extended product suite and updated meta-model support with new release of ABACUS

Dec. 16, 2013 - PRLog -- AVOLUTION, developer and supplier of software solutions for enterprise modelling and metrics-based analysis, has today announced shipment of the latest release of its enterprise architecture tool, ABACUS 4.2. In addition to numerous functionality and performance enhancements within the core tool, the ABACUS product suite now includes a dedicated Report Builder module and updated support for numerous industry frameworks.

Available from today, ABACUS Report Builder is an intuitive, MS Office-optimised report authoring environment that allows users to quickly and simply design and modify engaging EA documentation and reports. Using an advanced dynamic query builder, content can now be freely configured through simple drag-and-drops or with easy-to-use wizards and then be exported to PDF, MS Word and MS Excel formats. Reports can include custom imagery and graphics as well as detailing any components, connections or attributes from an ABACUS repository. Reports can contain diagrams, charts, pivot tables, maps, gauges, sparklines, data bars, as well as graphical aids such as traffic-lights indicators, thereby enabling graphical representation of IT lifecycles, portfolios and roadmaps etc. Detailed analytic results from ABACUS’ simulations, such as TCO, Performance and Reliability, can also be included.

ABACUS 4.2 also introduces new capabilities to the tool’s varied artefact types: Matrices can now show indirect paths between components, including any intermediate components that are required to make the path, indicating extended component relationships; and Catalogues can now display a property of a connected component or standard, and use colour-coding according to attached component properties, to present more comprehensive project information through a single artefact. Both Matrices and Catalogues provide tabular views of repository data, enabling a simplified way to populate and edit a model.  The import and export times when ‘round-tripping’ Catalogues with MS Excel spreadsheets have also been improved in 4.2, further enhancing this effective data collection process.

Diagramming enhancements also feature in ABACUS 4.2. These include the ability to customise the foreground colour of even the most complex component shapes, and through a redesigned drawing toolbar layout to aid productivity.  Memory management has also been optimised for when working with diagrams, with a reduction in HDD and RAM memory requirements by a factor of 10x and 2x respectively, also enhancing user productivity.

With the release of ABACUS 4.2, Avolution has also taken the opportunity to introduce updates to the product’s extensive meta-model support. Enhancements in-line with developments to ArchiMate 2.1 from The Open Group; PEAF from Pragmatic Technology; OMG’s Business Process Management Notation BPMN; and the new Goal Structuring Notation GSN 1.0 standard have been added.  Avolution have also created a new variation on TOGAF 9.1, with a hybrid library that combines the architecture methodology and framework of TOGAF with the drawing notation of ArchiMate, adding to the 50+ frameworks, notations and techniques already supported in the tool.

ABACUS 4.2 is available now. More information, and downloadable 30-day trial software, is available at www.avolution.eu (http://www.avolution.eu/index.html).

ENDS

About Avolution

Avolution provides the ABACUS® solution which is unique to the enterprise modelling space in that it can create multiple solution alternatives (architectures) and then run various simulations (Discrete Event, Monte Carlo etc) against each alternative for metrics such as Performance, Cost and Availability.   Being built on a completely agile, open and flexible XML-based hierarchical repository, ABACUS offers support for more frameworks out-of-the-box than any other tool on the market, and users can create their own bespoke or hybrid repository meta-model through simple right-clicks and drag-and-drops in a matter of minutes.

Press Enquiries:

Renate Krelle, Communications Manager, Avolution (UK) Ltd.

Tel: 020 7554 5600

Email: renate.krelle@avolution.eu