AC Summer 08 WIN-T Online - United States Army Signal Center of ...

done in an integrated, harmonious
fashion. Changes to the
settings or behaviors of an information
assurance component, for
example, can be addressed in the
larger context of the overall network,
and implications or changes to the
other parts of the network can be
made without tedious data re-entry
by an operator. In addition, the
operator has a single, intuitive user
interface for all aspects of the
NetOps process, to include spectrum
management. This simplifies new
equipment training, sustainment
training, and resident training for
the operators and trainers alike.
The WIN-T Increment 2
network is a mobile, ad-hoc network.
As such, it creates some interesting
NetOps challenges, that themselves
represent a second paradigm shift
from classical network operations
thinking.
In a mobile, ad-hoc network,
the up/down status of an individual
link is secondary to the connectivity
of nodes. As the various network
elements move as a function of the
flow of battle, it is natural for any
number of links to be “down,” but
the important question is whether
the various network elements, and
the battle command systems they
connect, can pass data with the
requisite speeds of service. This
requires a fundamental shift in user
perspective, from a link-based, static
view of the network to a connectivity-based,
dynamic view of the
network. TCM N&S is working with
PM WIN-T and the user community
to address user interface and training
associated with this paradigm
shift.
With a mobile, ad-hoc network
operating in a multi-tier transmission
environment (terrestrial air,
space), it is important to be able to
predict a priori how the network will
behave spatially and temporally as
an operation or exercise progresses.
This prediction needs to account for
geographical features, the variations
in traffic volume offered to the
network as a function of battle phase
and unit position, and spectral
interference and its attending
bandwidth effects, both within the
The WIN-T Increment
2 network is a mobile,
ad-hoc network. As
such, it creates some
interesting NetOps
challenges, that
themselves represent
a second paradigm
shift from classical
network operations
thinking.
network and between the network
and the background environment.
All this must be accomplished in a
time frame that is relevant tactically.
With this information, a network
operator can see where, both in
space and time, the network fails to
meet commanders’ delivery priorities,
and can then allocate or reallocate
resources from the terrestrial,
air, or space layer to meet the
commander’s operational needs.
U.S. Army Training and
Doctrine Command has mandated
that the WIN-T program follow netcentric
principles, and has prescribed
the Net-Centric KPP for the
program. The WIN-T NetOps
system is built upon net-centric
principles and follows the Network-
Centric Operations and Warfare
reference model and Network-
Centric Enterprise Services guidance.
The software is designed
around a service-oriented concept,
with functions or tasks represented
by services. This enhances the
ability to “expose” or export services
to other NetOps solutions (e.g.,
Future Combat Systems Network
Management Systems)or conversely
import or subscribe to externally
provided services (e.g., Joint Tactical
Radio Systems Wideband Networking
Waveform management services,
Theater Network Operations and
Securities Center trouble ticketing
services).
Based upon guidance from the
Army and Department of Defense,
WIN-T NetOps is being built in an
incremental fashion, following the
incremental development of the
network. Increment 1 will involve
the deployment of stand-alone
government off-the-shelf and
commercial off-the-shelf-based
products for network operations
akin to those being used for the JNN
network. Increment 2 introduces the
WIN-T net-centric NetOps architecture,
introduces capabilities required
for effective management and
control of a mobile-ad-hoc network,
and begins the integration of the
stand-alone COTS and GOTS
products. Increment 3 refines the
mobile, ad-hoc functions, provides
additional capability for the planning
and management of battle
command applications and services,
and continues the integration of the
GOTS and COTS solutions. Increment
4 completes the NetOps
development with refinements of
previous functions and completes
replacement of COTS and GOTS
stand-alone packages.
WIN-T provides an integrated
NetOps solution as part of an overall
network design that meets the
performance based operational
requirements set forth by the Army.
This integration provides a unified
NetOps approach that is harmonized
with other critical network elements
to provide positive control of a
mobile, ad-hoc network, and a
simultaneous providing of the
required bandwidth and speed of
service to the commander, the
command staff, and their respective
battle command applications.
Editor’s Note: Paul Wein
contributed to this report.
Mr. Wagner is a systems engineer
in the Network Operations area of the
Project Manager, Warfighter Information
Network-Tactical office. He received a
B.S. in electrical engineering in 1979
from West Virginia University, and
masters in engineering administration in
1988 from George Washington University,
an M.S. in electrical engineering in
1992 from The Johns Hopkins University,
and a Ph.D in Information Systems in
2003 from Kennedy Western University.
Army Communicator 51