AGILE SOFTWARE DEPLOYMENT


Historically, these software deliveries required physical media (i.e., compact discs, Blu-ray) shipments to theater, taking days and often weeks for media to arrive, risking media damage and loss. Te direct release of digitized software to the warfighter greatly reduces the time and cost to get software updates to the field, putting new capabilities into the hands of our Soldiers in as little as half an hour.


Te IFMC Project Office has leveraged the digitization and deployment of Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control software upgrades and information- assurance vulnerability alert updates to the warfighter both inside and outside the continental United States, including both the U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility via Windchill PLM.


A NEED FOR SPEED


MATCHING CADENCE Software media created for and by the IFMC Project Office is digitized. Te digi- tization of tangible software media enables both a permanent archive in Windchill PLM and provides transmission capabil- ity to external partners. Once the media is digitized, it is uploaded to IFMC’s Wind- chill PLM-controlled product data library, which serves as the permanent software repository for the IFMC Project Office. When directed by leadership, the digi- tized software can be copied to external, access-controlled project folders accessi- ble to partners, such as the fielded units, who will receive notifications once new software is added to their inbox. Tese project folders also serve as a permanent data library cloud, enabling the warfighter to download additional copies as needed, eliminating the requirement to keep hard copies.


“[Tis] has enabled me to quickly receive updates to operational software,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Bearth, 3rd


56 Army AL&T Magazine Winter 2023


Physically transferring the digital data slowed down the entire process. Engineers at IFMC used Windchill PLM to securely deliver software to Soldiers. (Graphic by IFMC)


Combat Aviation Brigade. “[It] improves timeliness and availability by electroni- cally delivering software, security updates and patches to unit-level system adminis- trators to help increase software readiness and protect against cybersecurity threats.”


Currently the IFMC Project Office is using Windchill PLM for unclassified software; however, digitization and transmission capability exist for classified software as well. Te Secure Internet Protocol Router


Network (SIPRNet), Army Research Lab Safe Site, and Secret Defense Research and Engineering Network are currently being used to disseminate classified software to support ongoing software deployments, but each distribution method has its limi- tations. In order to better support ongoing and future IFMC software deployments, Windchill PLM and other classified deployment capabilities are in the process of implementation across as many areas of operation as possible.


Existing, traditional methods of software delivery were not keeping up with the faster development.


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