蘑菇视频

Four months ago, Brigadier General Jeth Rey led a鈥� 700-member team in Afghanistan to deconstruct a鈥� 20-year-old听network architecture established for听the U.S. military. As director of the Network Cross-Function Team, Army Futures Command, Rey recounted听his experiences at 鈥淲inning with the Network: Securing Data in Motion to the Tactical Edge,鈥� an online panel sponsored by 蘑菇视频 Allen, which I had the honor of moderating.听

Rey听explained听that his biggest听challenge听was听to maintain听data flow听across the joint forces听as his听team dismantled the听infrastructure听which, for two decades, supported听that听information exchange.听Rey听conquered the听challenge听by听replacing听the听legacy IT infrastructure听with听a cloud-native听network.听Free of physical data center constraints,听the cloud-native听approach offered听increased data听storage, resilience to听server crashes,听increased flexibility in听data access, and听faster听data transmission.

There听is听much to听learn from Rey鈥檚 success, particularly as听the听U.S. Indo-Pacific听Command 鈥痑ims to听deliver听a听Mission Partner Environment听(MPE)听by the summer听of听2022. The aim of an MPE is to听support听rapid,听secure information transfer听among听the joint forces and听trusted听international听allies.听To听maximize听speed to insight, data optimization, and听scalability,听the MPE should eschew听traditional听IT听infrastructure听in favor of a data-centric, cloud-native听network.听As the Department of Defense builds toward听this future state, there are two factors听that stand out as critical to听MPE success: 1) establishing zero-trust security and 2)听building with听an听open听architecture approach.

First, let鈥檚 explore听the question of security.听Legacy network infrastructure has traditionally relied on cross-domain鈥� security solutions that transfer data between two systems with a physical network cable. This approach has drawbacks, especially for an MPE: log-in delays, crashes, and no access for users in remote locations. Another common security solution is a firewall, a network security device that filters network traffic. The problem with a firewall? If an adversary manages to hack it, they鈥檝e crossed the moat into your data kingdom and can wreak havoc as they wish.

Zero-trust security overcomes these drawbacks by securing data at multiple checkpoints. You can liken it to Revolutionary听War couriers sending longhand intelligence. Spies and informants developed a code for their intelligence, wrote it in invisible ink, sealed it with a wax signet, and used a key to decode the cipher. Zero trust doesn鈥檛 just build a wall. It continuously verifies a user鈥檚 attributes: identity, device, behavior patterns, endpoint hardware, geolocation, and more, before granting access to the data. This approach is vital for MPE. It eliminates the prerequisite of access to a secure mission enclave in order to share data. Zero trust enables coalition members, interagency partners,听non-governmental organizations, and other trusted partners to 鈥痑ccess information from a single interface, such as a laptop or mobile phone, making the information-sharing process more flexible.鈥�鈥�

鈥疦ow,听let鈥檚 consider the benefits of听building听the MPE with听an open architecture听approach.听An听open architecture听system听utilizes听solutions from multiple vendors.听You can liken the process of launching an 鈥痮pen architecture 鈥痚nvironment to 鈥痷pdating a听1940s brick-and-mortar home to an AI-powered smart house. 鈥疶he first step is to 鈥痵tart with the听home鈥檚听network:鈥� Upgrade the connectivity from a landline to 5G router. Next, collect data with 鈥痵ensors, actuators, and鈥� cameras. From there, automate temperature, water use, and security. Instead of building an expensive home from the ground up, modernize along the way with technology that is affordable, modular, and augments the infrastructure.鈥�鈥�

鈥疉n open architecture approach to a joint forces MPE begins similarly, with a shift in the network from a hardware-based infrastructure to a cloud-based听data fabric.听Instead of purchasing a billion-dollar proprietary solution that could be obsolete in 5 years, the MPE鈥� can听evolve with open-source鈥� solutions that are 鈥痶ailored to fit the听network. This enables the phased rollout of 鈥痑 scalable, context-aware environment鈥� that integrates new technology and adapts over time.鈥�鈥�

Utilizing the cloud is key to reducing reliance on data centers and听increasing听speed to insight in a mission partner environment. Secret mission enclaves and cross-domain solutions will still play a critical role in the MPE. But cloud-native networking听developed with open architecture principles and听secured with zero-trust offers an effective alternative when international allies need a rapid and flexible means of sharing intelligence from remote locations.