Network Centric Operations (NCO) recognises the demand for pervasive decision-making in the modern battlespace. NCO provides the ability to leverage information networks to generate a more dynamic and agile decision-making space. An important dimension of this approach is the technological flexibility to quickly move the decision-making authority hierarchically or geographically as the situation demands. A fundamental enabler to this approach is the concept of a services orientated architecture (SOA). The use of industry-standard IT architectures provides the means of ensuring that systems can be provisioned rapidly, can be shared as appropriate, and can give the flexibility and response times required within such challenging environments.
Standardised Battlespace SOA
Enabling Network Centric Operations through the provision of inclusive, adaptive information networks in harsh and rapidly changing situations February 2009 Network Centric Operations (NCO) recognises the demand for pervasive decision-making in the modern battlespace. NCO provides the ability to leverage information networks to generate a more dynamic and agile decision-making space. An important dimension of this approach is the technological flexibility to quickly move the decision-making authority hierarchically or geographically as the situation demands. A fundamental enabler to this approach is the concept of a services orientated architecture (SOA). The use of industry-standard IT architectures provides the means of ensuring that systems can be provisioned rapidly, can be shared as appropriate, and can give the flexibility and response times required within such challenging environments.
Clive Longbottom Bob Tarzey Quocirca Ltd Quocirca Ltd Tel : +44 118 948 3360 ext 200 Tel: +44 1753 855 794 Email: Clive.Longbottom@Quocirca.com Email: Bob.Tarzey@Quocirca.com
STANDARDISED BATTLESPACE SOA February, 2009
Standardised Battlespace SOA
Enabling Network Centric Operations through the provision of inclusive, adaptive information networks in harsh and rapidly changing situations The battlespace environment presents a distinct set of issues that have been a challenge historically for information technologies (IT) and traditional architectural approaches. The inherent demands of the battlespace include the availability and reliability of information systems, with appropriate and available bandwidth for data transference, and total security. The emergence of service oriented architectures (SOA) and web services present a means of bringing a high degree of standardisation to the fore. Such an approach can deliver long-term benefits and enable defence forces to embrace and utilise new functionality rapidly and as cost-effectively as possible. Responding to the increasing dynamics of the modern battlespace is more complex and demands a faster response than ever before: As defence forces seek information superiority in the battlespace, there is a consequential demand for a far broader linkage of information systems than previously considered technically possible. There is now the expectation that platforms and individual soldiers are linked to increase situational awareness, improve inclusive decision-making and, most importantly, respond to the demand for increasing speed and accuracy in the application of force. SOA provides the best means of doing this, bringing existing systems and new functional components together in a secure manner such that data resources can be rapidly accessed and acted on. Solutions need to scale down to the battlespace itself: New technology solutions that only scale down to an existing portable computer format, such as a hardened laptop, are no longer sufficient for battlespace situations. The need to scale down to monitors and actuators, and to provide direct information to individuals on the ground through highly specialised equipment means that information has to be able to be exchanged with far smaller devices than in the past. Whereas full SOA capabilities may not be appropriate in certain operational scenarios the architectural approach allows network scalability through rapid and flexible topology adaption: The enterprise service bus (ESB) provides a core capability within a SOA, maintaining connectivity and data transport across the various components. By "trimming" an ESB to provide specific capabilities, rapid scalability to respond to low-bandwidth or to discrete devices deployed across the battlespace becomes possible. A federated approach to ESB design ensures optimal data fidelity: Maintaining completely disparate ESBs is no better than maintaining completely separate applications. Therefore, each ESB must be able to integrate with other ESBs in a completely transparent and contextual manner using open architectures and open standards wherever applicable. Solutions need to be rapidly ... [download for more]
