The migration of command and control into the digital realm in recent years has been described as a crucial advance, but military leaders say that\u2019s only half the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople think that because we have gone from wires and cables to software-based systems, that is modernization,\u201d said Capt. Patrick Herring, deputy program executive officer and military deputy at the Defense Information System Agency\u2019s services development directorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moving to digital was an important first step, but true modernization goes deeper, he said. Instead, it\u2019s about the processes and systems driving command and control, the way in which systems interconnect, the means by which new capabilities are evolved and added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To that end, DISA is looking to industry best-practice methodologies such as agile development and DevOps to get better software solutions into play more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agile software development refers to a collaborative approach by which end users and developers repeatedly test, re-think and redeploy new capabilities. DevOps describes a development culture that emphasizes shorter development cycles to get new capabilities fielded faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The use of these methodologies has been key to leveraging the promise of digital C2. \u201cThe most important thing is the speed at which we can deliver decision-quality data to commanders,\u201d Herring said. That\u2019s what this is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Searching for improvements <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other military organizations also have looked to agile and DevOps for process improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leaders from the Army\u2019s Network Cross-Functional Team, for instance, said recently that it would adopt a \u201chalt, fix, pivot\u201d network modernization strategy, employing agile development strategies to break down stovepipes and integrate communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Marine Corps Strategy for Assured Command and Control document lays out a similar approach. \u201cMany of our management practices and processes are antiquated and will not deliver the results we need. Too many are outdated and obsolete. [IT organizations] must evolve the way they manage, deliver, and C2 the network,\u201d the report states. \u201cWe must develop innovative ways to procure equipment that is ready now and adaptable to future missions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s just what DISA aims to do as it leverages agile and DevOps in the service of C2 modernization. The agency reports a couple of recent wins with this approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Making progress<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take for instance the logistics applications known as Global Combat Support System – Joint. \u201cDISA has been using an Agile development process that has incorporated the automation of a number of previously manual development tasks \u2015 build, test, scan \u2015 in the contractor\u2019s development environment,\u201d Herring said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new methodology aims to drive command and control improvements from the ground up, by continuously seeking feedback from the end user, and using that as the spur for iterative development efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While DISA has not yet formulated a DevOps process that encompasses the entire software development lifecycle in logistics, \u201cthat will be part of future modernization efforts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DISA likewise is looking to implement industry-standard development strategies around the modernization of its Joint Planning and Execution Services, a portfolio of capabilities that supports C2 around joint operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here, too, frequent engagement with the user community \u201chas provided insight into any potential issues with the product, allowing DISA and the software developers to intervene early in the development lifecycle,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within the digital C2 environment, DISA views this emphasis on the development process as being of critical importance. While there has been no end of innovation around the flow of information and data available to commanders, \u201cnot every change is a good change,\u201d Herring said. The military needs reliable methodologies for rapidly vetting and deploying C2 enhancements, without disrupting systems that are already working well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DISA describes the move toward modernized C2 developed strategies as a work in progress. Those pushing for change must contend with the vast complexity of military systems, as we as with decades-old methodologies that are anything but agile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s easy to just say, \u2018Let\u2019s move everything to the cloud!\u2019 But that doesn\u2019t solve every challenge,\u201d Herring said. \u201cThere is so much information that a commander needs to know, so much information to ingest, aggregate and visualize across multiple services, multiple mediums.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, \u201cthe hardest thing to do in any organization is to change the culture, to change the mindset,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re learning a different way to do business, and we need to adapt to that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As it moves toward digital command and control, DISA is looking to industry best practices such as agile development and DevOps to get better software solutions into play more quickly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":62008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":11,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[8,106,11,29,32],"tags":[],"coauthors":[2063],"class_list":["post-28977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-c2-comms","category-daily-brief","category-disa","category-home","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"4C2K2OUBLFFDRDU7SF5VHUIENA","arc_canonical_url":"\/c2-comms\/2018\/04\/03\/the-next-step-toward-digital-command-and-control\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n