The Basis for Interoperability
Abstract
Interoperability among command and control (C2) systems has been a longstanding problem ever since President Kennedy discovered during the Cuban missile crisis that the agencies of the executive department couldn't rapidly and accurately exchange information among themselves. Efforts to achieve true interoperability across the board have been futile. This is especially evident within the Department of Defense (DOD). In fact, information management responsibilities within the DOD are so fragmented, it is difficult to define the problem, let alone solve it. Recently, serious attempts by the Defense community have been successful in pinpointing a root cause of the interoperability problem. Hidden among the many symptoms of this problem was the critical fact that the basis for interoperability rests on the adherence of system components to common standards. The question is, who coordinates, sets, maintains, and enforces the information (data), information processing, and communication (information exchange) standards to meet user requirements? This paper highlights the ongoing efforts to harness control of the root cause of interoperability problems; information standards. It provides an overview of the problem, the findings of recent efforts to pinpoint the systemic bureaucratic barriers to achieving interoperability, and the realization that only a top-down authority can apply the centralized management structure needed to guide user- technical groups when collaborating on information requirements (ends), procedures (ways) and computing/communications processes (means).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 14, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA233608
Entities
People
- Mark K. Hayden
Organizations
- United States Army War College