DIGITAL MODULARITY
technologies driven by artificial intelligence (AI). To that end, the Army must be able to develop and deploy digital capabilities at speed and at scale:
• At speed: agility and accelerated development and deliv- ery of software upgrades and innovative solutions.
• At scale: rapidly and seamlessly integrate and compose disparate software solutions and orchestrate them into larger, end-to-end capabilities, even across system and program boundaries.
Just as modularity has facilitated incredible advances in hard- ware, the Army must now apply the principles of modularity in the burgeoning digital space.
INTEROPERABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE Before we explore the nuts and bolts of digital modularity, it’s valuable to consider two guiding concepts: interoperability and interchangeability.
Te Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard Computer Dictionary defines interoperability as “the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information exchanged.” Tis is achieved through the adoption of open standards for networking protocols, messaging formats and application programming interfaces (APIs). Such standards enable disparate software systems, possibly developed by different vendors using varied technologies, to connect and communicate effectively.
However, the mere exchange of data is not sufficient by itself. In an enterprise context, the real value is often realized by integrat- ing two or more systems or components to form a bigger, more powerful capability—for example, the ability to plug one sensor device into multiple weapon system platforms, or the option to deploy one machine learning algorithm in multiple system environments and have it function as expected. As the Army continues to expand its capabilities, the concept of interchange- ability becomes equally vital. Tis involves seamless substitution of one system or component with another, enhancing the effec- tiveness of the overall solution while mitigating risks associated with vendor-lock, supply chain vulnerabilities and scheduling pressures. It also reduces costs and facilitates upgrades.
Embracing interoperability and interchangeability in software allows us to enjoy the benefits of MOSA in the digital realm, ensuring that our technological infrastructure is robust, versa- tile and future-ready.
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BUILDING BLOCKS FOR DIGITAL MODULARITY Building for interoperability and interchangeability starts with open APIs, which enable software applications to communi- cate and share data across various platforms. More importantly, open APIs are platform-agnostic; they are not confined to any proprietary system, which broadens their utility across different software products. By standardizing how solutions interact and exchange data, open APIs facilitate the seamless integration of new products into an existing framework. Tis standardization ensures that introducing new products or replacing old ones can be accomplished without disrupting the underlying system archi- tecture. Te result is a flexible, robust digital infrastructure that supports easy upgrades and enhancements.
For example, the Enterprise Business Systems – Convergence (EBS-C)—the Army’s new flagship business system—will replace five other large legacy business systems. Te program is applying MOSA concepts by separating the underlying operating platform from a new “agility layer.” Te agility layer provides a separate software layer that hosts an ecosystem of applications and data products to enable interoperability and interchangeability. Using open APIs in this layer makes it easy to incorporate solutions from third-party vendors, ensuring the Army can continue deliv- ering the best capabilities cost-effectively and rapidly.
While exposing open APIs is a critical first step toward modu- larity, it is not sufficient on its own. Many vendor solutions, despite boasting open APIs and adherence to open standards, suffer from proprietary and tightly coupled implementations that lurk beneath the surface of the open facade. As a result, these solutions are not truly interchangeable and fail to meet MOSA objectives.
Tis is where reference architectures come into play. A reference architecture provides a collection of architecture design arti- facts and templates that outline recommended components and patterns. Tese invaluable guides instruct development teams on how to effectively realize their specific implementations of the solution and ensure that all implementations adhere to broader standards and principles for true modularity.
Reference architectures encompass design patterns that offer proven, repeatable abstractions for implementing a targeted mission functionality. By applying the right design patterns, substituting products for replacements is relatively painless.
Army AL&T Magazine
Summer 2024
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