skip navigation

Architecture

DoD Architecture Background

At its highest level, architecture is β€œthe structure of components, their relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time.” In the Department of Defense (DoD),” the term architecture is used both to refer to an architecture description and an architecture implementation. An architecture description is a representation of a current or postulated real world configuration of resources, rules, and relationships. Once the representation enters the design, development, and acquisition portion of the systems development lifecycle process, the architecture description is then transformed into a real implementation of capabilities and assets in the field.”

DoD Architecture Framework v1.5, Volume II: Product Descriptions - 23 April 2007 http://www.defenselink.mil/cio-nii/docs/DoDAF_Volume_II.pdf

Architectures in the DoD are created for many reasons, such as complying with the Clinger Cohen Act (1996) and OMB Circular A-130. However, DoD needs a repeatable method/procedure for ensuring information technology, systems, organizational change, and capabilities are properly resources and understood throughout DoD.

For more information see: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a130/a130trans4.html


What is the benefit of Enterprise Architecture for biometrics?

Through collaborative and authoritative decision-making bodies, the enterprise architecture for DoD Biometrics seeks to integrate efforts such as:

  • Alignment: EA defines an organization's desired level of integration and standardization
  • Operational Strategy: EA is the organizing logic for operational processes and supporting infrastructure, reflecting the integration and standardization requirement of the organization's operating model
  • Process Engineering: EA development must be based on organizational needs
  • Investment Decisions: EA defines future-state guidance for leveraging year-over-year investment in biometric solutions

DoD Biometric Enterprise Architecture (EA) Focus

The DoD Biometric Enterprise Architecture (DBEA) supports the DoD Biometric Enterprise Strategic Plan and will be implemented through specified guidance in a DoDI to ensure the U.S. government and our allies can share biometric data and interoperate within a common information structure environment. The DBEA will guide the insertion of and facilitate the use of biometric technologies into DoD warfighter and business operations and resolve biometric capability gaps, guide biometric system-of-systems development, and align DoD biometric resources.

Biometric Enterprise Architecture Effort

The biometric architectures will reflect the end-to-end flow of biometric data from the collection, match, store, and analysis process, biometric system applications, storage facility, and the routing of the results to the end user supporting the identity missions of dominance, protection, and management across DoD, U.S. government, Coalition partners, and allies alike.

Accomplishments

The Biometrics Identity Management Agency sponsors a Biometrics Data Sharing Community of interest (BDS COI) in accordance with DoD Directive for (DoDD 8320.02) http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/832002p.pdf and following DoD Guidance (DoD 8320.02-G) http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/832002g.pdf on Net-Centric Data-Sharing. The BDS COI has members from across the DoD and partners from the US Government, Academia and Industry. The BDS COI meets quarterly to jointly refine and verify the Biometrics Enterprise data architecture products: The Core Logical Data Model, the Integrated Data Dictionary, the Biometrics Glossary and the Biometrics Ontology.