New kid on the EA block

As enterprise architecture evolves, look for the mix of tools to change from those that have a history in the architecture space to tools with very different origins.

Flashline Inc.'s background is in software engineering and re-use, for example, and just a few years ago, the company would not have had an obvious role in the enterprise architecture market. But as users move from designing architectures to using them for practical purposes, new products will increasingly play alongside more traditional tools.

Flashline basically provides a single point of control for information technology projects with enterprise architecture as a primary source, tracking the progress of those projects and making sure they maintain compliance with an organization's architecture.

The downside is that Flashline is entering an enterprise architecture market already loaded with tools. The good thing is that most users find that no one toolset provides everything they need so they are willing to mix and match. And, that opens the door for the company and others.

"Most organizations by now have accepted the importance of an [enterprise architecture] and have taken steps to define one for themselves," said Charles Stack, Flashline's chief executive officer. "We are generally at the point where we need to deploy them and that's the business we are in."