Achieving Information Dominance: Unleashing the Ozone Widget Framework

Abstract

One of the key lessons learned from analysis of Joint operations is the information that was available to operations planners was not discovered and therefore not utilized ? impeding the flow from data, to information, to knowledge, and typically leading to suboptimal results. This challenge is exacerbated when information could ? and should ? be drawn from multiple enclaves from NIPRNET, to SIPRNET, to JWICS. Sharing this information DoD- and agency-wide has been an ongoing challenge. We will share details of emerging research currently underway in a collaboration between the Naval Postgraduate School and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific to make essential information residing in multiple classification enclaves discoverable, accessible, widely shared, and understandable by those who need the information. The current approach utilizes SWIF (Secure Web Integration Framework) and employs OWF ? utilizing widgets for data input and retrieval ? to make products viewable and retrievable by the DoD community, and ultimately the interagency community, both on the high and low side. The design approach creates an accredited software program for NIPRNET, to SIPRNET, to JWICS and a web-based approach that enables users to access multiple databases. This approach is being beta-tested at the Naval Postgraduate School and involves a process to make classified student theses and other Naval Postgraduate School research products available to a wide-range of users who previously did not have access to these products. Once this small beta-test is complete, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific engineers will expand the use case to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff, ultimately making tailored information more discoverable, accessible, widely shared, and understandable by the end-users.