Open Systems: The Promises and the Pitfalls
What's Happening?
Promises for Open Systems
But There May Be Pitfalls
What Is an Open System?
The Paradigm Shift
In Other Words ...
A Reality Check
Implications
What Does This Mean to You?
Open Systems Approach
Special Concerns for Managers: Cost
Special Concerns for Managers:
Schedule
Special Concerns for Managers: People
Special Concerns for Managers: Processes
Open Systems and You
SEI Open Systems Work
What's Happening?
Budgets are going down.
Everyone is downsizing.
There's new technology you would like in your systems.
They are telling you to make more use of what is commercially available.
Perhaps you would like to make your systems "open," or maybe that's what they are telling you to do.
But WHY and HOW?
Promises for Open Systems
Some of the claimed promises include
- less reliance on proprietary products
- more competition leading to lower cost
- decreased probability of schedule delay
- better tested products (more users)
- portable applications
- interoperability
- faster technology insertion
Open systems can also serve as a foundation for system evolution.
But...There May Be Pitfalls
Some of the claimed pitfalls of open systems include
- excessive cost
- high risk (loss of control)
- failure to meet performance requirements, environment requirements, etc.
- conformance and certification problems
- supportability problems
- continual investment
- need for new management style ("We never did it that way before!")
What Is an Open System?
The Paradigm Shift
In Other Words ...
Your organization changes from a producer of components to a consumer of components based on interfaces.
Open systems will also change acquisition processes.
A Reality Check
But not all systems will be constructed solely from open components.
Implications
Consequences of the paradigm shift include
- critical importance of the interfaces
- preference for the use of standards
- change in control over implementation
The change in paradigm may allow you to
- insert technology faster
- obtain products at lower cost
- eliminate reliance on proprietary point solutions
Bottom line: Experience in other realms (e.g., various kinds of manufacturing) gives us reason to believe that using an open systems approach may decrease system cost while providing acceptable levels of quality, performance, etc.
What Does This Mean to You?
The world is moving to open systems.
- There is no choice politically.
- There is probably no choice economically.
Try to make the transition to open systems work to your advantage.
Open Systems Approach
Special Concerns for Managers: Cost
Total cost may be less; shape of cost curve will surely change.
New items in your budget may include
- training for open systems
- market analyses
- selection of standards and profile development
- licenses, basic ordering agreements (BOAs), and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreements
- flexibility to allow for upgrades, etc.
- ongoing test and evaluation
- "color of money" funding issues
Special Concerns for Managers: Schedule
The movement is strengthening, even though the tools to support an open systems approach are not all ready yet:
- regulations
- changes in procurement attitudes
- standards and standards-based implementations
"Reality" of open systems for you depends on the readiness of your system and your people.
Allow time for new activities, such as
- market analyses
- prototyping
- selection of standards and profiling
Special Concerns for Managers: People
The paradigm shift is not just technical; it is also
- sociological
- organizational
The paradigm shift affects
- people's jobs (and their job security)
- training and education
- people's comfort and stress levels
- organizational reconfigurations
- bases of power and influence
It extends to all levels, both above and below yours.
Special Concerns for Managers: Processes
Many things will affect how you deal with the transition to open systems.
- policies
- other related disciplines
- rapidity of technological change
- new sources of change
- procurement
- conformance and qualification
- vendor hype
You seek the best balance you can find between the benefits of commonality and the liabilities of loss of control.
Open Systems and You
Open systems: a tool, not a silver bullet.
An open systems approach changes some of the things you do, but you still build systems. You still must
- plan and manage your system
- engineer your system
- manage your risks
You may need help in getting there, and there are many sources.
SEI Open Systems Work
Courses
Book and other alternate delivery means
Consulting
Technology development
- risk management
- security implications
- migration plans
- cost studies
- ...
Related Web site:
http://www.acq.osd.mil/osjtf/