DoD ARCHITECTURE FRAMEWORK (VER. 1.5, VOLUME II: PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS (23 APR 2007)

DoD ARCHITECTURE FRAMEWORK (VER. 1.5, VOLUME II: PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS (23 APR 2007)., Architectures within the Department of Defense (DoD) are created for a number of reasons. From a compliance perspective, the DoD is compelled by law and policy (i.e., Clinger-Cohen Act, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130) to develop architectures. From a practical perspective, experience has demonstrated that the management of large organizations employing sophisticated systems and technologies in pursuit of joint missions demands a structured, repeatable method for evaluating investments and investment alternatives, implementing organizational change, creating new systems, and deploying new technologies. Towards this end, the DoD Architecture Framework (DoDAF) was established as a guide for the development of architectures. The DoDAF provides the guidance and rules for developing, representing, and understanding architectures based on a common denominator across DoD, Joint, and multinational boundaries. It provides external stakeholders with insight into how the DoD develops architectures. The DoDAF ensures that architecture descriptions can be compared and related across programs, mission areas, and ultimately, the enterprise, thus, establishing the foundation for analyses that supports decision-making processes throughout the DoD. As the Department takes appropriate strides to ensure advancement of the Information Technology (IT) environment, it becomes essential for the DoDAF to transform to sufficiently support new technologies. A significant evolution occurring today is the Department’s transformation to a new type of information intensive warfare known as Net-Centric Warfare (NCW). NCW focuses on generating combat power from the effective linking or networking of the warfighting enterprise, and making essential information available to authenticated, authorized users when and where they need it. This ability is at the heart of net-centricity and essential to achieving Net-Centric Operations (NCO). DoDAF v1.5 is a transitional version that responds to the DoD’s migration towards NCW. It applies essential net-centric concepts1 in transforming the DoDAF and acknowledges that the advances in enabling technologies – such as services within a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) – are fundamental to realizing the Department’s Net-Centric Vision2. DoDAF v1.5 addresses the immediate net-centric architecture development needs of the Department while maintaining backward compatibility with DoDAF v1.0. In addition to net-centric guidance, DoDAF v1.5 places more emphasis on architecture data, rather than the products, introduces the concept of federated architectures, and incorporates the Core Architecture Data Model (CADM) as an integral component of the DoDAF. These aspects prepare the way for more efficient and flexible use and reuse of architecture data, enabling broader utility for decision makers and process3 owners. The DoDAF is a three-volume set that inclusively covers the concept of the architecture framework, development of architecture descriptions, and management of architecture data. • Volume I introduces the DoDAF framework and addresses the development, use, governance, and maintenance of architecture data. • Volume II outlines the essential aspects of architecture development and applies the net-centric concepts to the DoDAF products. • Volume III introduces the architecture data management strategy and describes the pre-release CADM v1.5, which includes the data elements and business rules for the relationships that enable consistent data representation across architectures. An Online Journal, hosted on the DoD Architecture Registry System (DARS) website (https://dars1.army.mil), replaces the DoDAF v1.0 Desk Book and is designed to capture development best practices, architecture analytical techniques, and showcase exemplar architectures. The DoDAF will continue to evolve to meet the growing needs of decision makers in the Net-Centric Environment (NCE). Going forward, architectures will need to capture the development of a new generation of net-centric capabilities stemming from operational insights gained in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the maturation of the Global Information Grid (GIG) continues through GIG Capability Increments (an incremental time frame approach to the delivery of GIG-enabling capabilities), architectures will be a factor in evaluating increment investments, development, and performance at the mission portfolio levels. As the DoD increases its use of architecture data for decision-making processes, architects will need to understand how to aggregate the data for presentation purposes at the enterprise level. The DoDAF plays a critical role in the development of architectures and will continue to improve its support for the increasing uses of architecture data.