WHAT IS RA?
A reference architecture (RA) is frequently used in the computer and software industry to facilitate the development of systems that are multi-vendor, multi-site or multi-organization. It provides a common vision which can be propagated across an industry, using a common lexicon and taxonomy. It serves as a baseline for near-term and future-oriented discussions, it aids in documenting implicit knowledge and best practices, and it encourages the modularization of functionality. The JT-NM Reference Architecture (RA) presented in this document is targeted at the new domain of professional media that is based on packet-based network transport and standard, rather than media-specific, computing, storage and network infrastructure.