Implementing the DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy -- Making SOA Work

ENDORSMENT

The dominant feature of the 21st Century is the value of information, both as a strategic asset and as an agent of transformation. As information continues to become more and more important to the success of everything we do in the Department of Defense, what are we doing to manage it in a way that will maximize its effectiveness?  With the coming of the Information Age, there is an opportunity to provide widespread access to information-related services and capabilities only dreamed about in previous eras.  The vision of the DoD CIO is to deliver the power of information by enabling net-centric information sharing and to achieve an information advantage for our people and mission partners.   AFCEA giving this course goes a long way in realizing this vision.   (Office of the DoD CIO)

SUMMARY

The DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy provides a key enabler for DoD transformation by establishing the foundation for managing the Department’s data in a net-centric environment: ensuring data is visible, accessible, and understandable via community-defined vocabularies and services.  The strategy recommends that data management occur within a Communities of Interest (COI) construct since COIs are able to rapidly and effectively solve critical information sharing problems.  This detailed training is a toolkit for COI practitioners.  It explains the key drivers for a COI, the enabling technologies of a COI, the process and procedures within a COI, and a how to advocate a COI for solving our critical information sharing problems.

OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of the course is to help implement the DoD Net-Centric Data Strategy by training people to establish Communities of Interest to solve information sharing problems. The objectives for the students, after participating in this course, are:

• Understand how DoD Net-Centric Strategies enable enterprise transformation to Net-Centric operations
• Actionable understanding of how to implement these strategies, focusing initially on making data and services visible, accessible, and understandable both within and outside the COI construct
• Practical understanding of how to stand up a COI and use it solve information sharing problems
• Help identify and address challenges
• Be prepared to take action within the home organizations

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The course is designed for professionals who will be leading and implementing the transforming the DoD to net-centric operations.  These professionals may be involved in the governance, the development of services, or the development of information exchanges.  AFCEA 502 is a "hands-on" course; all participants are expected to join one of the teams for the workshop part of the course.

COURSE TOPICS:  

Introduction

• Course overview and schedule

Agile Information Sharing - Characterizing the Problem

• Drivers for why the DoD must adopt agile information sharing
• The approach used to implement agile information sharing
• Commercial and Military examples

DoD Transformation to Net-Centric Operations via Net-Centric Strategies

• Characterizing the need for and the tenets of net-centric operations
• The vision, purpose and key components of the DoD net-centric strategies
• Community of Interest (COI) introduction

COI Basics

• COI definition, relationship to the Enterprise, and a description of what they do
• OSD facilitated COIs (purpose, metrics, lessons)
• Tools COIs (and programs) may use
• Suggested steps to establish a COI and characteristics of a successful COI
• The strategic rhythm of a COI

COI Template & Example

• A tour of a sample template of the COI kickoff and what’s needed for presentation to the steering committee
• An example of a MDA’s kickoff

SOA Implementation

• The components of a SOA
• Motivators for adoption of SOA
• Identifying potential services for a pilot
• Mashup definition and examples
• SOA implementation challenges

NCES Capabilities Overview

• A walk through of NCES services and capabilities

COI Case Study – Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) COI

• Drivers for the creation of the MDA COI
• Pilot description and demonstration
• Successes and Challenges

Pilot Development and Deployment

• The value of a pilot
• Governance structure
• The pilot development and deployment process

COI Vocabulary

• An overview of the Universal Core
• The need, benefits and the process for developing Information Exchange Vocabularies (IEV)
• Best practices and challenges 

COI Team Workshop

• Mock development of a COI and a COI kickoff brief to address real information sharing need
• Team presentations of their COI kickoff
• Feedback on presentation and group discussion     

Conclusions & Available Resources

• Key course conclusions
• Tour of available resources
• Next steps

Lecturers

Mr. David Allen, Lecturer and Course Coordinator

M. David Allen is a senior consultant with the MITRE Corporation, focusing on data interoperability issues in federal government.  Mr. Allen has over 10 years experience in many areas of data management.  He co-authored "XML in Data Management", and participates in DoD information sharing Communities of Interest as well as IT policy work.  Currently, Mr. Allen is working on MITRE sponsored research on data lineage and uncertainty and how it can be applied to the defense sector.  In 2000, he started a data management services company focusing on text extraction, data quality, and ERP transiton work.  Mr. Allen holds an M.S. in Information Systems, which included thesis work on data management process maturity.

Mr. John Castleberry, Lecturer

Mr. Castleberry is a Principle Information Systems Engineer for MITRE.  He has received a BS in from Western Michigan University and an MS from The Johns Hopkins University.  Mr. Castleberry has 10 years of operational experience in the USN and USNR and over 15 years engineering experience with the commercial industry, DoD, and the IC communities.

Mr. John McNamara, Lecturer

Mr. McNamara is the Department Head for the Tactical Edge Solutions organization within MITRE.  He has received an BS and an MS from Boston University.  Mr. McNamara has over 20 years of experience developing award-winning products for both commercial industry and the DoD.

Senior lecturers from government, industry and academia will present lectures on specific topics.