The Universal Core Information Exchange Framework

Assessing Its Implications for Acquisition Programs

Daniel Gonzales, Chad J. R. Ohlandt, Eric Landree, Carolyn Wong, Rima Bitar, John S. Hollywood

ResearchPublished Jun 1, 2011

Universal Core (UCore) 2.0 is a DoD and intelligence community information exchange framework that may be able to significantly improve interoperability between Department of Defense (DoD) information systems. UCore can support a broad range of data models with its data wrapping and extensibility capabilities. Before the Navy and DoD accelerate adoption of UCore, however, several issues must be addressed, including bandwidth, implementation option guidance, and implementation costs. The authors identify unanswered questions in each of these areas. To date, UCore pilot projects and related testing have not produced sufficient data on UCore bandwidth demands and cost implications, two factors that are very important to program managers. Furthermore, current DoD policy does not provide clear policy direction on UCore.

To realize UCore's benefits, the Navy and DoD should continue to develop the UCore data exchange framework; encourage program experimentation with UCore; and capture detailed performance and cost data from future UCore pilot efforts to ensure that bandwidth, implementation, and cost issues are addressed.

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Gonzales, Daniel, Chad J. R. Ohlandt, Eric Landree, Carolyn Wong, Rima Bitar, and John S. Hollywood, The Universal Core Information Exchange Framework: Assessing Its Implications for Acquisition Programs. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2011. https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR885.html.
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The research described in this report was prepared for the United States Navy. The research was conducted within the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community.

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