future multi-mission satellite operations centers...

© The Aerospace Corporation 2013

Future Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Centers Based on an Open System Architecture and Compatible Framework

GSAW 2014

Thomas J. Sullivan, Aerospace Ground Systems Lab

Rico Espindola, MMSOC Flight Operations & IntegrationThe Aerospace Corporation

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DoD Open Systems Architecture

DoD Open Systems Architecture, Contract Guidebook for Program Managers. May 2013

“Background: An open architecture is defined as a technical architecture that adopts open standards supporting a modular, loosely coupled and highly cohesive system structure that includes publishing of key interfaces within the system and full design disclosure. The key enabler for open architecture is the adoption of an open business model which requires doing business in a transparent way that leverages the collaborative innovation of numerous participants across the enterprise permitting shared risk, maximized asset reuse and reduced total ownership costs. The combination of open architecture and an open business model permits the acquisition of Open Systems Architectures that yield modular, interoperable systems allowing components to be added, modified, replaced, removed and/or supported by different vendors throughout the life cycle in order to drive opportunities for enhanced competition and innovation.”

Achievement of open architecture principles requires an affirmative answer to a fundamental question:Can one or more qualified third parties add, modify, replace, remove, or provide support for a component of a system, based on open standards and published interfaces for the component of the system?

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What is Framework?

“Framework: An implementation of the foundation portion of the overall system architecture. It is a structured set of software components and standards, and possibly hardware, upon which to build additional functionality.”

- NASA

The term “Compatible Framework” was coined to combine the NASA GMSEC framework foundations with the information assurance features added by the DOD used in conjunction with

mature virtual processing infrastructures that are the foundation of Cloud Computing “Infrastructure as a Service” (ISP) concepts used in modern data centers.

Standard Communications Infrastructure(Standard C&C Interfaces, Messaging, Data Formats)

Program 1 Program 2

Group A Group B

Common Services Common Tools

Group C

P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9

P10

EnterpriseFramework

Mission-Specific Frameworks

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Objectives of Compatible FrameworkSupporting creation of Open Architectures

• A framework for integration of legacy and future ground systems that if properly implemented could:– Integrate existing stovepipes into a cohesive enterprise– Make available satellite data from various disparate legacy sources to

authorized users– Be the foundation for creating an “open system” that future sensors and

systems can build upon or into– Easily provide enterprise situational awareness– Easily integrate existing sensors and systems with little to no

modification of the original system– Create architectures/systems that protect against cyber attacks– Enable the development of common tools and services that can be

shared across the enterprise

Enabling evolution from proprietary stove pipes is a key goal of the compatible framework approach!

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Ground System

Facility Infrastructure (Space, Power, Cooling)

Server

OS

Database(s)

Typical Legacy Ground Systems

Circa 1990’s through 2010+

Server

Network Infrastructure (Routers, Switches, Firewalls, etc)

Server

OS OS

Application/ Services(s) Application(s)

Special Processing Hardware

• Integrated CPU, Storage, RAM, Network Cards, Graphics• Ex: HP DL-360; IMB x3550,

Dell Poweredge 2950

• Windows • LINUX• Solaris

• Spacecraft C2 Processing• Flight Dynamics Processing• Mission Planning & Scheduling• Ground Equipment Control• Mission Specific Processing

• Serial Data IF cards, FPGA cards in standard servers• Front End Processing (FEP)• Crypto logic Equipment• Wideband Data Distribution & Processing

COTS SW Dev Framework (.NET, CORBA)

Contractor Proprietary SW Dev Framework

Domain Application

Contractor proprietary applications built on COTS SW Development Frameworks

Storage

COTS Database with local or attached storage

Animated Chart

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Ground System



Server

OS

Application(s)

OSVirtual Server

Leveraging a Compatible FrameworkTransitioning to an Open Architecture

Many Ground Systems are already implementing portions of the Virtual Server Infrastructure in Major Upgrades

Server Server

OS OS

Application(s) Application(s)


OSVirtual Server

OSVirtual Server

MiddlewareNode(s)

API

Application(s)

API

Service(s)

• Virtual CPU, RAM, Storage• Virtual Network Cards• Also called “Virtual Machines”

Compatible / GMSEC API(Standard Message Formats)

• COTS Middleware• Ex: ActiveMQ, IBM MQ

StorageVirtual Server & Storage Infrastructure

Virtual Infrastructure Management Layer

• Blade Systems for Servers• Consolidated Storage Systems replace server hard drives and dedicated storage• Ex: HP Blade System; DELL Poweredge, IBM BladeCenter; SAN

• Virtual/Cloud Management Software• Blade/SAN Management Software• Ex: VMWare Vcenter, vCloud, HP Insight Control

Animated Chart

Loosely coupled application layer communication

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Ground System

Server

OS

Application(s)

OSVirtual Server

Server

TCP/IP Network

Server

OS OS

Application(s) Application(s)


Virtual Server Infrastructure


OSVirtual Server

OSVirtual Server

MiddlewareNode(s)

API

Application(s)

API

Application(s)

Scaling to an Enterprise Ground Architecture

Many Ground Systems are already implementing portions of the Virtual Server Infrastructure in Major Upgrades

Animated Chart


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Scaling to an Enterprise Ground Architecture

Enterprise Middleware

Enterprise Services

Enterprise Management

Enterprise Data Center(s)

Enterprise Network

Animated Chart

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Open Ground System Architecture

Facility 1


Server

Mission Specific

Applications

Leveraging a Compatible FrameworkAn Open System Architecture End State

End State Architecture is Built to Evolve to Support New Missions


Storage Virtual Processing & Storage


Facility 2 Facility N

Mission Specific

Applications

Mission A Application

Servers

Mission Specific

Applications

Mission Specific

Applications

Common ServiceServers

Mission Specific

Applications

Mission Specific

Applications

MiddlewareInfrastructure

Servers

Mission Specific

Applications

Mission Specific

Applications

Mission ZApplication

Servers

Standard Application Communication Interface

Animated Chart

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Architecture Evolution Enabled by Compatible Framework

Today

Build Infrastructure(Enable Evolution)

Share Data

Build Common Services

Automate

Improve SituationalAwareness

Expose Legacy InterfacesIn Standard Messages

Consolidate Functions

Enhance Ops Concept

OPERATIONA

LTRAN

SFOR

MATION

ARCHITECTUREEVOLUTION

• Assess value of change (cost-benefit and mission end-of-life). • Consider value of enabling new capabilities (e.g. SSA)•Define transition plan • Leverage major upgrades to start migration• Identify recapitalization opportunities to insert change• Adapt organization to open architecture acquisition approach

• Acquire infrastructure independent of legacy system• Select initial data to expose & new services to build• Adapt Legacy Contracts to expose interfaces• Begin transition of organizational processes and structure

• Mature open architecture business processes• Delineate roles of infrastructure provider, integrator, developers. • Merge and/or simplify operations concepts • Acquire/Develop common services and tools•Mission contractors deliver on and to the common infrastructure

Animated Chart

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System Operational Paradigm Shifts

Operations Concepts Legacy Systems(heritage in 1990’s)

Modern Frameworks(e.g. Compatible Framework)

Personnel Skills Needed to Support 24hr Ops

• Mission Specific Satellite Operations• C2 Application Software O&M• OS System Administration• Special Purpose HW O&M (FEP, Crypto)• Complex Physical Network Equipment Configuration• Commodity Hardware/LRU O&M• Simple Middleware System Administration (based on system design)

• Mission Specific Satellite Operations• C2 Application Software O&M• OS System Administration• Special Purpose HW O&M (FEP, Crypto)• Complex Physical and Virtual Networking Configuration• Commodity Hardware/LRU O&M• Virtual Environment System Administration• Blade Center System Administration• More complex Middleware System Administration (based on enterprise infrastructure design)

Backup Operations•Duplicate infrastructure, processing hardware and software in a separate location

• Separate location with minimal special hardware (e.g. Crypto)

• Virtual Servers representing all SOC processing capabilities stored in generic IT infrastructure ready to activate

Ground System Situational Awareness

• Physical heath & status of HW –based functions provides situational awareness for ground system• Network Management Software provided by ground system developer monitors HW & SW (e.g. Telemetry Processing Server)

• Multiple-levels of situational awareness1. Physical Infrastructure (i.e. SAN,

Blades, Network)2. Dynamic Virtual Deployment3. Middleware traffic4. Software processes and threads\

• COTS management systems provide status of each level

• Other software needed to pull together a complete system view.

Legacy to Modern Framework Transformation

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Transformation in System O&M Characteristics

Operations Concepts Legacy Systems(heritage in 1990’s)

Modern Frameworks(e.g. Compatible Framework)

Ground System Maintenance

• 1:1 relationship between hardware and SW functions (e.g. LRU)• Maintenance of HW & SW tied together

• Hardware maintenance separate from SW maintenance, except for special processing hardware• Multiple levels of maintenance that are loosely coupled (i.e. Physical, Virtual , Network, Middleware, VMs, SW Applications)

Ground System Redundancy & Failover CONOPS

• A set of physical servers provides redundancy (i.e. spare strings of HW)• Failover to physical hardware stings

• HW redundancy separate from SW redundancy• Spare physical servers and storage provide spare capacity in case of HW failures• RAID redundancy for data storage• Logical redundancy of SW functions provided by virtualization high availability and failover concepts• Application level redundancy for infrastructure software (e.g. middleware)

Scaling for Simultaneous, Multiple Satellite Contacts

• Multiple physical servers forming processing threads• Thick Client-server architecture enables sharing of workstations across processing threads.

• On demand activation of logical servers providing processing threads on the fly• Limited only by SW licensing • Any thin client can access a virtual server from anywhere in network

Legacy to Modern Framework Transformation

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Governance of Compatible Framework Implementations

• Need for Governance– Reduce individual implementation costs– Maintain openness of framework – Prevent proprietary one-off implementations– Share lessons learned and best practices– Enable the sharing of data between missions (i.e. NSS SATOPS Enterprise)

• Status– SMC Space Development and Test Director (SDTD) is blazing the trail for

DOD application of framework in multi-mission environments– NASA GSFC Funded to Maintain GMSEC Spec & API supporting SMC– Joint SATOPS Compatibility Committee (JSCC) Facilitating Creation of

Governance Documentation & Practices– Individual programs can choose to participate

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Summary

• A Open Architecture based on a Compatible Framework is a good tool for evolving legacy systems or building new systems– Creates common infrastructures & services, open interfaces– Leverages and sustains legacy investments – Promotes competition and innovation– Enables lifecycle cost savings & creation of new capabilities at lower cost

• This approach is mature and is starting to be leveraged by government organizations:– SMC/SDTD MMSOC (transitioning to Operation in 2014)

• Program offices will need to change system architecting and acquisition approach to take full advantage of this approach– “DOD Open System Architecture Program Managers Guide” gives practical

advice and tools for acquisitions

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