Connected Systems refers to the architectural framework enabling diverse technological components, applications, and platforms to communicate, interact, and share data seamlessly across organizational boundaries, creating integrated ecosystems that support business processes and information flow.

For enterprise architects, Connected Systems represent a fundamental shift from siloed architectures toward interconnected ecosystems. These architectures typically employ multiple integration patterns—including point-to-point connections, hub-and-spoke models, enterprise service buses, and API-driven approaches—often in combination to address different integration scenarios. Modern connected system architectures increasingly adopt event-driven paradigms, facilitating real-time information flow and reactive business processes through publish-subscribe models and event streaming platforms. The proliferation of integration technologies (iPaaS, API management platforms, ESBs, message brokers) requires architects to develop clear integration governance frameworks that define standards for API design, message formats, authentication mechanisms, and quality of service requirements. As systems become more interconnected, architects must carefully manage the propagation of changes across the ecosystem, employing techniques like versioning, compatibility testing, and circuit breakers to prevent cascading failures. Security considerations become particularly complex in connected environments, requiring comprehensive approaches to identity management, data protection, and access control that span organizational boundaries. For CIOs and CTOs, connected systems architectures should align with broader digital transformation initiatives, creating the foundation for new business models, improved customer experiences, and operational efficiencies while maintaining appropriate controls for risk management and regulatory compliance.