A8 – Standards

The A8 Standards View specifies the standards, rules, policy and guidance that are applicable to aspects of the architecture. These standards may be traced to elements elsewhere in the architecture to indicate that those elements conform to the applicable NATO and/or international standards.

Concerns Addressed

  • Project Strategy.
  • Project Governance.

Background

The A8 View encompasses both technical and non-technical standards. The standards specified in the A8 view can be applied across the architecture to a variety of structural and behavioural elements. Standards are essential to the coherent running of businesses and to the delivery of reliable, interoperable systems.

Usage

  • Application of standards (informing project strategy).
  • Standards compliance.
  • Forecasting future changes in standards (informing project strategy).
  • Specifying standards that will have an impact on the architecture and the capability it is to deliver.

Representation

  • Tables.

Detailed View Description

The A8 View lists all the currently ratified standards that have been used throughout the architecture, and so acts as a checklist to help the architect ensure conformance. The A8 View is typically a table showing the standards used throughout the architecture. Apart from the standard itself, the table may optionally show:

  • The version identifier of the standard (in accordance with AAP-03(J) for NATO standards).
  • The ratification body responsible for the standard (e.g. NATO, ISO, other external military or civilian authority).
  • The ratification date of the standard.
  • The URI of the website where the standard can be found (NSA websitel http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/71191.htm for all NATO standards).
  • The publisher of the standard, if different to the ratification body (non-NATO standards only, as applicable).
  • The elements in the architecture which conform to the standard.
  • Any other supporting information.

The standards need not be technical, and may be related to business or military doctrine, best practice, or even legislation.

Figure 3-803: Example A8 Standards Profile

The time from initial concept to fielded capability may be very long. It is, therefore, necessary to be able to refer to standards which, although not ratified at the time of producing the architecture, will have an impact on the capability. This could be anything from expected changes in legislation around spectrum management to future environment and safety standards. Being able to refer to emerging standards also enables the architect to mitigate the risk of outmoded specifications - so called “designed obsolescence”. The A8 View may therefore also specify standards that are not currently ratified but are expected to have an impact on the fielded capability.

Key Elements and Their Relationships

Meta-Model

The detailed meta-model and element list for A8, Standards, is at paragraph 4.7.8.