Providing an Enterprise Service Architecture to the Net-Centric Warfighter

To meet the challenges of the future the Department of Defense (DoD) must have a strategy to ensure that the joint forces of tomorrow will be able to achieve full-spectrum dominance through the use of networks and access to enterprise data services that provide true interoperability, seamless integration, and available-on-demand collaboration. Joint procedures for the implementation of deployed collaboration capabilities on DoD networks within local enclaves or domain-wide must be synchronized to achieve the greatest efficiencies at home station and when deployed. The objective is to provide a capability for the near-term implementation of an Active Directory (AD) environment capable of support in Generating Force (GF) environments while maintaining the ability to seamlessly deploy and integrate into Deployed Force (DF) architectures. A Joint directory and enterprise service strategy provides the potential for significantly enhanced interoperability, seamless integration, and collaboration capabilities through which these objectives can be achieved. This paper will examine existing AD deployment policies and guidance and how a joint strategy using the concept of Theater Resource Forest (TRF) architecture will greatly enhance interoperability and collaboration across the force.