Simulation of Enterprise and Network Architectures

The Clinger-Cohen Act mandates the use of architectures to document Information Technology (IT) acquisition requirements. DoD and other Federal Agencies have developed architecture Frameworks to meet this act's requirement. The Architecture Framework provides the rules, guidance, and product descriptions for presenting architecture descriptions that ensure a common denominator for understanding, comparing, and integrating architectures. The application of the Architecture Framework enables architectures to contribute most effectively to building interoperable and cost-effective military systems. In a large modern enterprise, a rigorously defined Architecture Framework is necessity to be able to capture a vision of the "entire system" in all it's dimensions and complexity. This includes all aspects of a "system of systems". It involves the integration of the executable operational architecture model of processes and organizations with an executable network and communications model of system exchanges and information flow into single "virtual" mission thread model. Simulation of the Enterprise and Network Architectures is achieved through the use of commercially available COTS tools into a seamless virtual tool suite. (Popkin's Systems Architecture, Professional Bonapart, and open source network simulator Ns-2) This paper provides a methodology for developing a "system of systems" executable specification of the enterprise, and the impact of the communication and network interconnection. To appropriately assess the performance of a system of system in an operational environment, an executable architecture will be developed. This methodology will translate the operational requirements of static Army framework products into C4ISR/DoD Operational Architecture and Systems Architecture products and implement them as executable architectures. In this manner the integrated executable operational architecture model will be brought together into one virtual seamless model. This would enable the achievement of a total dynamic model of process, organization, doctrine, the exchange of information across various networks and exchange media. The combined "Force" model of process, organization and communication will be linked to "Force" operational context model of combat simulation. This enables us to examine a total "Force-on-Force" simulation environment and measure the value of C4ISR. In summary, this methodology, presented in this paper, will allow users to identify measures of performance and effectiveness (MOPs & MOEs). A dynamic analysis of these models the enables the user to: 1. Assess impact of change and determine measures of performance and effectiveness 2. Assess the scalability of the overall approach for practical application to a fullscale architecture. 3. Examine the ability of the communication network architecture to support the Operational Architecture 4. Measure process, system performance, individual person/ organizational work efforts and equipment resource utilization over time