Reference Architecture for NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Richard Ullman ES-DSWG-SPG Chair NASA/GSFC Code 586

What is a Reference Architecture? An abstraction of solution architectures that have been designed and successfully deployed to address the same types of business problems. Incorporate knowledge, patterns, and best practices gained from those implementations. Describes the major foundational components. Includes multiple “views.” Business, Information, Services,, Technology, Engineering. Provides common vocabulary. Reference architecture as a PROVEN SOLUTION or PATTERN for design. Reference Architectures are used to identify the common enterprise primitives under a line of business. – Reference Architecture as a TEMPLATE

Reference Architecture Benefits Reduce risk: Provide a common framework such that solutions can be repeatedly designed and deployed in a consistent, high- quality, supportable fashion. Flexible and extensible infrastructure: Because reference architectures naturally lead to modularity and separation of concerns projects can change out components with little impact on other components. Product mapping and reuse: Components can be either built or can be taken of the shelf (reused) depending on the needs of the project. Well defined interfaces mean that best in class components can be selected. Simplified decision making and improved deployment speed: Critical architectural decisions require time, several rounds of requirement discussion, alternative consideration, and the like. A lot of this time can be saved by using a reference architecture as guidance.

Conclusion Goals of ES-DSWG Reference Architecture: Provide articulation of the NASA domain context and implementation of the Earth Science Data System component of NASA environmental remote sensing satellite missions “well enough” to insure successful use of the pattern by decadal survey missions. Enable evolution of the present architecture to reduce cost and improve interoperability and flexibility. Every project will have its own unique set of challenges and risks that need to be considered for the implementation strategy solution. Selecting the right elements to meet both the tactical and strategic objectives is critical for achieving both the immediate project solution and long-term NASA value. The Reference Architecture provides the basis for developing a project solution that is consistent with architecture patterns and best practices within the NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems “enterprise”.

Next Steps – WORK PLAN - Roadmap Who – volunteers to write? volunteers to review? What – particular views, diagrams, glossary of terms? How – wiki? Google Docs? TWG? When – A substantial draft must be available for explanation and discussion and review before the ESDS-WG meeting October , New Orleans.