The Web-Enabled Navy: Made possible through XML

Topics What is the Vision for the Web-Enabled Navy? How do we get there? How is XML different from HTML?

Web Enabled Navy (WEN) Operational and business processes are conducted worldwide via interconnected and interoperable web- based IT systems. TFW Mission: “To provide integrated and transformational information exchange for both the ashore and afloat navy to take full advantage of Navy’s IT21 and NMCI infrastructure investments.”

Current State of the World Wide Web Numerous Web Sites Increasing Every Day

Portals vs. Vortals Portal -- A Web site or service that offers a broad array of resources and services, such as , forums, search engines, and on-line shopping malls. The first Web portals were online services, such as AOL, that provided access to the Web, but by now most of the traditional search engines have transformed themselves into Web portals to attract and keep a larger audience. Vortal -- Vertical Industry Portal is a portal Web site that provides information and resources for a particular industry. Vortals are the Internet's way of catering to consumers' focused-environment preferences. Vortals typically provide news, research and statistics, discussions, newsletters, online tools, and many other services that educate users about a specific industry. As the Web becomes a standard tool for business, vortals will join and maybe replace general portal sites like AOL and Yahoo! as common gateways to the Internet. Source:

Service-Centric View Databases and Repositories and Applications Operations C2 Chat Weather ATO Calendar Logistics RMP/COP Business Purchasing Education Telecommunications Personnel Medical MWR Finance NAVY PORTAL

Architectural Framework Accessible via Business and Warfare Operations Fleet & USMC Deployed Forces Clinic HQ Industry Partners Extranet SYSCOM Training Center Pier Connections Navy Learning Network “.edu” Research Network TELEPORT Network Operations Center (DISN Interface) Navy Marine Corps Intranet IT21 Marine Corps Tactical Network Defense Information System Network (DISN)/ Global Information Grid (GIG) Authoritative Data Sources and Data Consolidation Common User Access Between Afloat and Shore Replicated Data Bases Per Mission Requirements

Web Evolution XML HTML XML Applications Relational Data Hierarchical Data Application Server Portal Server HTTP Server Browser Client Evolution XML XML or Native API XML or Native API HTTP Request HTML Browser Client HTTP Server Today Document Request

One Enterprise Portal Notional Data; Unclassified

Application/ Data Integration

How Do We Get There? Current state – no enterprise approach –Each ship and Echelon II is on their own IT-21 (Afloat) and NMCI (Ashore) both bring some, but not all, components to the enterprise solution Need to make concurrent changes to IT-21 and NMCI and converge paths –Engineering for enterprise architecture –Hardware, software infrastructure changes –Migration of applications to web services

WEN Architecture: Architecture is XML centric –Technically Feasible at little risk –Leverages commercial evolution –Future Web languages will incorporate XML Standards based –Hardware independent Facilitates interoperability Navy wide, Joint/Allied and Coalition

Emerging Technologies From Proprietary systems Wired HTML Limited browser use Manual use Limited specific use Diverse message formats Diverse database exchanges Low bandwidth Desktop MHz computers To Internet standard based systems Wireless XML Universal portal use Automation Service Centric Usage Common message format (XML) XML based database exchanges More efficient use of bandwidth Network appliance / Handheld GHz computers and PDAs HTMLHTML XMLXML Next Gen XML?? XML??

Extensible Markup Language - XML Method for Putting Structured Data into Text File –Set of rules, guidelines, conventions for structured data –Cross-platform, software and hardware independent standard for transmitting information Looks Similar to HTML, But….. –XML Describes Information; HTML Displays Information Text based, but not Meant to be read (machine readable) –Text files allow ease of debugging –Way to structure, store, and send information Conglomeration of Technologies –XML Specification, stylesheets, schemas, etc. XML was designed to store, carry and exchange data

XML vs HTML Both are a subset of SGML -Standard General Markup Language. SGML is too complex. It is used for describing different document types, from ancient Irish manuscripts to musical notation. HTML doesn’t enforce a strict structure, and is not implemented by all browsers the same. Can’t handle data rich pages well. HTML is limited to displaying documents and information with some hypertext and multimedia. XML describes information while HTML displays it. XML is a “metalanguage” - a language for describing other other languages. Can design your own markup language (e.g. MetocML).

Rules for XML Coding: Begin with the XML Declaration: All tags must have an end tag: Hello, world! All tags must be in matched case: Document title or List item All tags must be properly nested: you must do it this way, not this way.

WEN Benefits More ubiquitous access to information services –Afloat/Ashore –Via web browsers Improved interoperability –Extensive use of XML –Separation of data from presentation layer enables support for multiple display devices Improved quality of information –Establishment of authoritative, central databases supporting similar services across multiple locations –Ability to aggregate data from multiple sources Reduced Total Costs –Software support & hardware costs reduced –Configuration management simplified