Interoperability
Clearing House
IT Acquisition Advisory Council
CASE STUDIES:
Dedicated to maximizing the utilization of COTS/Open Solutions and
leveraging of existing implementation/testing best practices. “Assuring
the business value of technology”
Robert Babiskin, Chief Engineer
robert@ICHnet.org 301 717 9929
John Weiler, Co-Founder and CTO
john@ichnet.org 703 863 3766
703 768 0400
www.ICHnet.org
This document is confidential and is intended solely for the use and
information of the client to whom it is addressed.
ICH Mission
to advance collaborative mechanisms that
assure successful implementation of commercial
IT solutions aligned with business needs
in a collaborative and conflict free environment
The Need, Concept and Vision
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
AAM Use Cases
Assuring Transparency and Implementation success
“The unique work you’ve done to frame issues about Interoperability effects on IA
of systems is particularly encouraging. I believe it can contribute to ongoing work in
the field of IA metrics and composition ongoing at DARPA and other agencies.” “I
was pleasantly surprised at the effective and efficient use of funding I was able to
invest in this effort as well as your ability to leverage other funding sources. You
guys came through!”
DARPA PM regarding ICH Information Assurance Modeling Project
2
Case Study: Streamlining the IT Acquisition process
SAF XC/AQ; AF Solution Assessment Process (ASAP)
Challenge: Establish a common and repeatable AF Wide COTS assessment/acquisition process
 Integrated ICH Architecture Assurance Method into all major AF IT components
–
Developed root cause of analysis of current weaknesses and deficiencies
–
Identified and integrated both AF and industry best practices into a common framework
–
Developed series of templates and input/exist criteria for each stage of the SDLC process
 Outcomes
–
Provided a common, enterprise wide process designed for leveraging COTS
–
Augmented architecture process to address legacy and COTS capabilities
–
Reduce market research and analysis in a fraction of the cost and time by leveraging existing
expertise and lessons learned of the market
–
Provided mechanisms for forcing adoption of 80% solution.
“We have put to practice the AF Solution Assessment Process (ASAP) at the Air Force Communications Agency
(AFCA) with some well documented success. It was developed with Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH) and provides
a structured and measurable IT assessment process with the agility to provide decision-quality assessments ranging
from quick-looks to more in-depth capability-focused technology assessments and lightweight business case analysis.”
General Mike Peterson, AF CIO
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: Validating SOA and Cross Domain Solutions
Navy PMW 160 CANES Program
Challenge: Establish a enterprise ship board infrastructure for CANES

Establish an actionable solution architecture that leverages SOA & COTS implementation best practices
– Provide a standardized Solution Assessment Methodology to leverage best practices and mitigate deployment risk
(compliment NESI).
– Establishes a Solution Architecture standard and public/private research partnership that maximizes use of
commercial trends (COTS/Open Source solutions) via an actionable Open Architecture (OA)
– Enable Capability Based Acquisitions. Reveal Gaps in both requirement and industry offerings (define realm of the
possible).
– Establish SOA performance metrics and SLAs that reflect real world limitations and hold suppliers accountable.

Outcomes of ICH engagement;
– Proved out as a standardized IT Assessment & Solution Architecture process that will mitigate deployment risk.
– AAM assessment products used:
Capability Determination and Metrics
Service Component Prioritization and Alignment and
Feasibility/Risk Assessment
– Demonstrated the feasibility and viability of using GOTS/COTS/Open Source products within the CANES
Architecture
– Demonstrated a method and a plan to:
Assess SOA Service Components for CANES
Assess migration to Netcentric “need-to-share” systems
Produced a large body of artifacts that are important for the architecture phase
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: Streamlining the DoD Business IT Acquisition Process
Challenge: Establish OSD BTA’s Capability Assessment Method
 Applied ICH new Acquisition Assurance Method
– Developed IT Business Systems lifecycle entry/exit criteria for great transparency
– Established enhanced Clinger Cohen Act process guide for OSD BTA CIO
– Developed Value Chain Capability Assessment Methodology (CAM)
– Established IT Acquisition Advisory Council to overcome cultural impediments.
 Outcomes; IT Acquisition Reform we can believe in
– Complemented Business Capability Lifecycle (BCL), providing analytical tools for framing decisions
– Enabled actionable Clinger Cohen Act compliance that goes beyond check list
– Enabled Component Acquisition Executive with means of judging business value of IT investments
– Provided OSD BTA with alternative approach to DoD weapons systems style processes
Office of the Secretary of Defense, DCIO (2001) ”Since the value of the ICH to our programs
increases rapidly through results sharing, we encourage the defense community and IT industry to
participate directly in the public service initiative in terms of sponsorship and lessons learned"
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: Digitizing the Worlds Largest Printer
Government Printing Office Future Digital System Project
Challenge:
Structure requirements process to acquire a COTS based digital content management system
 Applied ICH Architecture Assurance Method to GPO Future Digital System
– Normalized and aligned requirements with market best practices
– Provided strategy for cutting integration cost and managing risk
– Leveraged industry best practices to avoid common failure patterns
 Outcomes
– Validated requirements against marketplace offerings
– Developed contextual evaluation metrics derived from best practices
– Improved confidence in technology decisions via business driven assessment
framework
– Significantly reduced time/cost/risk of acquisition process
– Guided evolution of emerging Electronic Content Management Standards that drive
interoperability (iECM
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: Most innovative Media Company
Discovery Channel’s Enterprise Multi-media Web Services Project
Challenge: Architect an enterprise web infrastructure to enable multi-media information sharing
 Applied ICH Solutions Validation Program
– Performed architecture baseline assessment
– Provided guidance and selection support for Web-app server, VPN, portal, last-mile
wireless connectivity
 Outcomes
– Validated requirements against marketplace offerings
– Developed contextual evaluation metrics derived from best practices
– Improved confidence in technology decisions via business driven assessment
framework
– Significantly reduced time/cost/risk of global implementation
– Assured successful implementation of world wide, web based, multi-media solution by
vetting interoperability issues prior to acquisition.
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: World Largest Healthcare Agency
OSD HA’s Government Wide e-Healthcare program
Challenge: Define information sharing architecture for patient record integration
 Applied ICH Architecture Immersion Program
–
Developed architecture validation criteria to GCPR Program Office
–
Developed product selection guidelines for Prime Contractor
–
Applied ICH Architecture Assurance Method
 Outcomes
–
Enabled award based on unambiguous design specs
–
Augmented architecture process to address legacy and COTS capabilities
–
Was able to cycle through market research and analysis in a fraction of the cost and
time of traditional efforts.
–
Ensured viability of Solution Architecture in terms of; meeting HIPPA, security, and
interoperability requirements
“The ICH repository data and analysis methodologies was very helpful in
supporting a quick turn around for [Information Assurance] section of COTS
security products. Highly detailed ICH technology domain and product evaluation
data comprised over 60% of this urgently needed [architecture] report”.
Northrop Grumman on ICH’s GCPR support
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: World’s Largest Research Agency
DARPA’s Information Assurance Architecture Project
Challenge: model and simulate information assurance and interoperability attributes
 Develop a method for represent EA heuristics, and use AI tools to model solution
– Developed common criteria to represent each major IT class (DB, OS, Middleware)
– Create profiles and templates that can represent complexity of market
– Apply Java Expert System Shells (JESS) to build rules based AI tool
– Take existing system specifications from DII COE to make decisions
 Outcomes
– Developed approach for modeling complex solutions based on rules based engine
– Developed means of representing security attributes into a solution architecture
– Developed a tool that could do “what if analysis” on the fly based on partial and incomplete
data.
– Demonstrated how component-based architectures could be applied to improve the
richness of our planning and EA processes as a means of managing risk
“The unique work you’ve done to frame issues about Interoperability effects on IA of systems is particularly
encouraging. I believe it can contribute to ongoing work in the field of IA metrics and composition ongoing at
DARPA and other agencies.” “I was pleasantly surprised at the effective and efficient use of funding I was able
to invest in this effort as well as your ability to leverage other funding sources. You guys came through!”
DARPA PM regarding ICH Information Assurance Modeling Project
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance
Case Study: Managing Successful ERP
GSA FMS Project
Challenge: making EA actionable, eliminate redundant Financial Mgt. Systems
 Outcomes
– Enhanced and normalized existing EA products
– Identified key business processes required for implementation
– Enabled senior management to interact with EA process for the first time.
– Helped GSA go from “red” to “green” Applied Value Chain Analysis
– Developed metrics for FMS implementation success
– Evaluated current EA products
– Developed Value Chain assessment model
– Moved EA effort into CFO office
– based on Value Chain effort
– Identified over $100 M in potential savings via ICH Value Chain Approach
OMB Report on ICH Architecture Assurance Method: The Road Map contains information on a
variety of interrelated topics including, but not limited to, software and vendor performance,
best practices, and lessons learned. The Road Map provides a web-based library to directly
support those implementing financial management systems. The modernized program must
continue to provide information and communication using current technology trends and tools.
ICHnet.org Company Confidential - Copyright 02-01-07
Past Performance