Examination of a Capabilities-based Prioritization Scheme for Service-Oriented Architecture Afloat

Abstract : The Navy has mandated that fielded computer systems be network-centric, service-based, and support open architectures. However, this competency is limited by network resources-namely radio frequency bandwidth-which the Navy has at its disposal. This forces decisions to be made in which some network applications take priority over others. We apply the Capabilities-based Competency Assessment process developed by Suttie and Potter to create a prioritization model for this problem of limited bandwidth. DoD Architectural Framework Version 1.5 products are used to construct an architectural description for a carrier strike-group underway, capturing each of the operational nodes working within an air detect-to-engage scenario. By linking the tasking assigned to each of these nodes and the services required for their completion, resources may be aligned to support warfare commander's intent and develop a prioritization which optimizes network performance for this tasking. Through network simulation, a comparison is made between the proposed prioritization scheme and traditional schemes. Results show our prioritization scheme consistently reduced latency and increased throughput for mission relevant applications. These improvements translate directly to more relevant information getting to decision makers at a quickened pace. Such information richness leads to information dominance, ultimately providing superior warfighting capability.