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Introduction to

Network Centric Operations

John C. Hsu,Ph.D.,P.E.

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Net-Centric Operations (NCO)

• This is now and future.

• This is the technology and product in this century and beyond.

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We are in the Midst of Massive Change– Cyber, Information, Physical, Identity, Asset

Security– Information as a Weapon/Competitive

Advantage– Universal “Need-to-Share”– Knowledge Empowerment– New Threats & New Opportunities– New Ways of Thinking About Information– New Structures in SW Industry

New Era Adaptation to a New Environment

New “Paradigms” of OperatingNew “Paradigms” of Operating

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Information Age

• We are:– drowning in information– immersed in data– surrounded by standalone information

systems– starving for knowledge

• Communication is as effective as the weakest link.

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Information Dominance

• The power of information dominance has been shown both in the battlefield and in the business world.

• The organization with the right information at the right time will prevail, whether it’s in the military arena or in industry.

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NCO is massive, complex and NCO is massive, complex and evolvingevolving

• Industry feels the “Winds of Change”

– direction?

• Legacy “Stovepipe” system companies are fearful of business reduction and searching for their future

– reduce uncertainty

• New companies sense opportunities

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Net-Centric Operations (1)

• Net-Centric Operations (NCO) is an environment where collaboration between networks, systems (such as satellites, aircraft, or ships) or elements within systems (devices or components such as PDAs) is possible.

• Systems are linked or networked by a common infrastructure, share information across geographic borders, and dynamically reallocate resources based on operational needs. Video

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Net-Centric Operations (2)

• Net-Centric is not just Network Technology: includes all elements of the network (technologies, infrastructures, nodes, systems,…..)

• Network-Centric entails only infrastructure (LAN, routers, Cables, NIC cards,…..)

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• If one plus one equals three because of teamwork, then one plus one equals five when using teamwork supported by network-centric operations.

• The power of the network is increased exponentially with each additional node. This is known as Metcalf's Law.

NCO Quotations

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Benefits

• Enhanced situational awareness enables speed of command

• Increase mission effectiveness• Time and agility

– Rapid access to crucial information– Rapid and appropriate decisions

• Location independence without knowing the physical location of nodes

• Collaboration– Allow multiple participants; independent,

interdependent or hierachical– Tightly-coupled or loosely-coupled– People/systems working together

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Applications

• Assist the global Air Traffic Management.

• E-Enabled Airline: Integration of airplanes, people and operations in a System-of-Systems environment.

• Create Global Communications, Global Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance System Navigation, and Surveillance System (GCNSS) that can be used for Tsunami (GCNSS) that can be used for Tsunami warning and other applications.warning and other applications.

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Application for NCO:Application for NCO:Tsunami Early WARNING!Tsunami Early WARNING!

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Supporting the Battlefield

Video

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• Information-enabled enterprise can maximize value creation and enable people to realize their potential

• It will lead to lean infrastructure

• It will be decentralized leading to efficient decision making

• It will increase employee productivity

•Employees can work anywhere/anytime

•Employees can design anywhere / build anywhere

• It will be 7 x 24 global operation

Net-Centric Company

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Robustly networked via digital data links with the following capabilities

SensingCommandingControllingEngaging

NCO Capabilities

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• Like the Internet, network centric nodes depend on each other to provide multiple streams of connectivity for the movement of information from point to point.

• This enables them to interoperate and collaborate, even across domains

• In real time, we collect and share data, turn that data into information and turn the information into knowledge.

Network

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• Key to moving data through the network are software intelligent agents.

• Software intelligent agents continually mine the network for information, piecing together clues and connecting the dots in all events.

• Software intelligent agents act like a continually running search engine—like Google—with its engine revved all the time.

Move Data

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• The interoperability between networks and nodes results in an increase in situational awareness allowing decision makers to make better, more informed decisions quicker and more accurately.

• The nodes on a network share data and the resources that comprise the network to ensure that the right information gets to the right place at the right time.

Interoperability

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Common Architecture

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• Systems Engineering–Focuses upon the design of a complex

platform that involves many individual systems.

–The skills that have to be developed System-of-Systems EngineeringArchitecture FrameworkRequirements and Functional ModelingOther pertinent systems engineering skills

Specific Skills Required for NCO (1)

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• Large-scale Systems Integration– Organizational competency beyond design-

oriented aspects and includes production and supplier management, etc.

– Ability to manage many tasks that are needed to produce a solution that meets a customer’s needs

• Networking Technologies– Network theory– Communication technology– Hardware

Specific Skills Required for NCO (2)

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• Software Development– Software intelligent agents– Continually mining the network for

information and instantly recognizing patterns and correlation

Specific Skills Required for NCO (3)

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System-of-Systems Engineering (SoSE) Process – Understand the existing System-of Systems Engineering

(SoSE) process. – Develop a robust SoSE Process that will be best supportable

to network system development.– There is a need for more and better “synthesis” techniques

that can produce more robust and balanced SoS solutions.– Integration of systems engineering and software.

– SoSE Management Develop SoSE Risk Management Develop SoSE Trade Study mothodology Develop SoSE Technical Performance Measurement Develop SoSE verification and validation strategy

Scope/Tasks (1)

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• Architecture Development Guidance (ADG) Architecture Development Guidance (ADG) – Study the DoDAF, MODAF, etc.– Identify the insufficient areas in DoDAF, MODAF, etc. – Develop a robust ADG – A need to better-understood architectural principles and

practices – Enterprise Architect considers hardware/software systems,

political, economic, social, technological, ecological, and legal aspects.

– Services Oriented ArchitectureFocus on usability rather just on performance.Users may be people and/or other systems.Flexible enough to be not used by original architects and

designers.

Scope/Tasks (2)

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System Architecture Reference Model (SARM)System Architecture Reference Model (SARM)– On which architecture(s) a set of information and

communication standards/interfaces can be built on the desired level of interpretability

– Understand the existing SARM– Develop a robust SARM– Develop architecture building blocks to be reusable from one

architecture to another Systems development methods

– Systems Engineering needs to become more model-driven. Collaborate with OMG and INCOSE OOSEM WG to support the robust modeling mothod that is best supportable to network centric systems engineering requirements development, functional analysis and allocation, system architecture development and specification generation.

– Language enabling information exchange, such as, XML.

Scope/Tasks (3)

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Simulation and Modeling– Explore and develop the robust SoS modeling and simulation

mothod that is best supportable to network centric systems engineering requirements development, functional analysis and allocation, system architecture development and specification generation.

– In collaboration with other Simulation and Modeling Societies and Working Groups to develop the best yet SoS simulation and modeling to support the NCO performance analysis.

Operational Analysis/Concept of Operations– Collaborate with Operational Analysis Societies and Working

Groups to explore and develop SoSE Concept of Operations.

Scope/Tasks (4)

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SoSE Standards – Be a leader in developing SoSE standards.– He who fails to set the standards first is doomed to eventually

follow standards set by others.

SoSE Research and Education– Focus on SoSE Process– Architecture modeling– International standardized educational methods and

terminology

Scope/Tasks (5)

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Network Centric Systems Engineering Tools– SoSE Process tools– Systems Engineering work bench (suite of tools) with

integrated database– Architecture modeling tools– Modeling and simulation tools– SoS life cycle cost estimating tool

SoSE Life Cycle Methodology– Develop SoS life cycle cost assessment method.

Scope/Tasks (6)

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• Different Approaches to Realizing Net-Centric Solutions

– The Performance-Centric approach by UK MOD

– The Architecture-Centric approach by Swedish Defence

– The Information-Centric by UK DoD– The commercial approach by CISCO– The best net-centric system

NCO Panel 1.6

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• 3.3.1 Network Centric Operations Implementations in Several Domains

• 3.4.3 Systems Engineering Net-Centric Solutions: An Analysis of Different Perspectives

• 4.3.3 Applying Systems Modeling Language to A Simple Hardware System

NCO Papers