52 VIEWPOINT Digital triplets have the scope to build on the success of digital twins by creating a dynamic representation of a business’s operations and processes, as well as its physical assets THORSTEN FUCHS: ORBUS SOFTWARE Embracing the power of three with digital triplets The concept of a digital triplet is relatively new. It builds on the idea of a digital twin – which comprises a physical object and its virtual replica – and adds a third component to the equation. While a digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object, and a digital blueprint is a virtual representation of an enterprise architecture, a digital triplet combines these two concepts with real-time data to create a more dynamic representation of an organisation’s operations. A digital triplet consists of: the physical object, a tangible asset such as a machine or building that is being monitored and managed; the digital twin, a virtual representation of that physical object that includes its design specifications, operational data, and maintenance history; and real-time data, which is collected from sensors and other monitoring devices that are attached to the physical object. This data is used to update the digital twin in real time, creating a dynamic replica of the physical object’s current state. By combining these three components, a digital triplet provides a more complete and accurate representation of an organisation’s operations. This allows organisations to optimise their operations, identify potential issues before they become problems, and make more informed decisions based on real-time data. So, how is this relevant to enterprise architecture? A digital triplet could be used to simulate the impact of changes to an organisation’s IT infrastructure, such as adding new applications, upgrading hardware or software, or changing network configurations. If, for example, a company wanted to assess the potential impact of migrating its existing applications to a new cloud-based platform, it could use a digital triplet to simulate a range of migration scenarios, such as different application workloads, network configurations or hardware requirements. By analysing the resulting data, it could gain insights into the potential impact of these changes on its IT operations, including changes in response times, scalability or availability. A digital triplet could also help organisations identify potential issues before they occur. For instance, by analysing real-time data from the digital twin and comparing it to historical data, organisations could identify patterns that might indicate the potential for system failures or other issues. This could allow them time to take proactive measures to prevent these issues from occurring, such as applying patches or updates to systems before they become vulnerable to attack. Enterprise architects could incorporate digital triplets into their analysis and decision-making processes, shifting their focus from static enterprise architecture diagrams and models “A digital triplet could be used to simulate the impact of changes to an organisation’s IT infrastructure”
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