White Paper

WHITE PAPER Cross-domain solutions for an evolving battlefield mrcy.com 4 mrcy.com 4 Along with communications flexibility, the explosion of intelligent sensor nodes is generating a torrent of high-bandwidth data streams that must be monitored, analyzed and stored for varying timeframes. Secure access to this data often requires a centralized CDS to control both system cache and long-term storage. Soon, 5G networks will support our cities and be deployed on battlefields, opening opportunities to connect even more edge devices, each one adding to the data flood. Expanding implementations of artificial intelligence (AI) is adding further pressure to CDS performance. AI-based systems are assisting decision makers by doing real-time analysis of situations; the nature of this AI activity requires rapid access to all types of data, often extending across multiple security domains. A centralized model CDS is not architected to handle flexible network connections and even the most powerful centralized system finds its communications bandwidth overwhelmed by the sheer number of sensor data streams and AI demands for complex data movements. Systems using racks of servers clearly cannot be deployed to the edge, while real- time response is impossible if data must be moved to a command location for security processing, then back to edge for response control. For example, many defense systems already need a CDS that can pass properly filtered data and metadata to augmented-reality warfighter displays in real time; this is not feasible with a centralized model CDS. Beyond bandwidth and response time challenges, a practical issue with today 's CDS is the time required to certify the secure operation of these complex, multi-rack systems, resulting in delayed service upgrades. Sometimes warfighters simply cannot access some information because a CDS is not in place, while in other instances the access to information is slowed by designs with a human in the loop. Not a New Challenge for Mercury While bookend model FPGA endpoints are a new type of CDS solution, Mercury Systems already has a track record of CDS success. A recent example involves a centralized model CDS for RF communications; this 6-node system deals with unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret data, restricting all data transfers to the appropriate security domains. Another vendor was responsible for the software, integration and certification. Mercury's focus was on the physical isolation and emissions suppression aspects of packaging the solution into a rugged rackmount server. Even after a complex solution was developed and tested, significant difficulties remained. The final system design consists of three processor cards and specialized cabling; these components had to be deployable to harsh environments within a severely SWaP-constrained enclosure. While the design performed well in a lab setting, the initial field units failed to achieve acceptable levels of reliability. Mercury went to work, bringing a broad spectrum of experiences with deployable defense electronics, and discovered a set of interrelated cable management issues were affecting manufacturing quality, resulting in system failures. The solution involved extreme attention to the smallest details, such as connector placement, and precise repeatability for all steps in the assembly process. With consistent attention to these and other details, Mercury achieved highly reliable system deliveries for this still-ongoing program.

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