Interoperability and a Standard Joint Logistics Data Exchange with the Department of Defense

Abstract

As the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to transform into a more efficient and coordinated fighting force, the elements of logistics support will continue to become more complex and will require more efficient ways of communication. The component Services currently have a myriad of logistics systems available to support their individual Service members. Many of these systems are not interoperable even within the same Service. The DoD has initiated the development of the Global Combat Support System (GCSS) to expand logistical information to operational levels. In recent years, private industry has been using the extensible Mark-up Language (XML) to promote interoperability among related industry partners via common or standard XML-based data exchanges. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) also has recently selected the XML registry for the Defense Information Infrastructure (DII) Common Operating Environment (COE). The development of this registry provides a platform for enabling the standardization of DoD logistics data elements. If the DoD could develop a standard XML-based data exchange for logistics support, all of those systems that are currently in use could be mapped to the new standard exchange to provide an exchange of information between computer systems that currently do not have that capability. The standard logistics data definitions within GCSS could be used as a starting point to augment existing data element definitions in the DISA XML registry. By cross-referencing and augmenting the existing logistics data definitions in the DISA XML registry with the standard definitions within GCSS, the DoD could begin to manage the myriad of logistics data definitions and move forward in developing a standard joint logistics data exchange. (3 figures, 24 refs.)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 07, 2003
Accession Number
ADA420103

Entities

People

  • Edward L. Kirkpatrick

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Application Software
  • Business Administration
  • Combat Support
  • Command And Control
  • Commerce
  • Computers
  • Electronic Commerce
  • Government Procurement
  • Information Exchange
  • Information Systems
  • Logistics
  • Procurement
  • Standards
  • Supply Chain
  • Supply Chain Management
  • War Colleges
  • Xml

Readers

  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.