L3 – Node Interactions

The L3 Node Interactions View addresses logical flows between nodes.

Concerns Addressed

• Interoperability Requirements

Background

L3 is used to provide further detail of the interoperability requirements associated with the operational capability of interest. The focus is on logical flows that cross the capability boundary. Although the primary purpose of the L3 View is to specify information exchanges, the L3 may also list flows of materiel, energy and human resources.

Usage

• Definition of interoperability requirements.

Representation

• Tabulation.

Detailed View Description

The L3 View identifies the flows that are necessary to enable the nodes to achieve a mission objective. This view is initially constructed from the information contained in the L2, Logical Scenario, and L4, Logical Activities, views; however, the L3 View provides a more detailed definition of the logical flows between nodes.

The L3 view details logical flows by identifying which nodes exchange what information / resources, with whom, why the flow is necessary, and the key attributes of the flows – e.g. “timeliness”, “availability”, “protective marking”, “non-repudiation”. It also maps information elements, defined in the L7, Logical Data Model View, to the producing and consuming nodes, the needlines between them, and the activities that they support.

Multiple logical flows may be bundled into one needline and captured in tabular form.

Fig 3-301

The emphasis in this view is on the logical and operational characteristics of the information or resources being exchanged. It is important to note that L3 is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the details contained in every logical flow between every node associated with the architecture in question. Rather, this view is intended to capture the most important flows in a logical, solution-independent manner.

Key Elements and Their Relationships

Meta-Model

The detailed meta-model and element list for L3, Node Interactions, is at paragraph 4.4.3.