Channel CAT : a tactical link analysis tool

104 Pages·1.6 MB·English

by  Coleman, Michael Glenn

NPS ARCHIVE
1997.Q(b
COLEMAN, M.
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
Monterey, California
THESIS
CHANNEL CAT
:
A TACTICAL LINK ANALYSIS TOOL
by
Michael Glenn Coleman
September 1997
Thesis Advisor: Luqi
S
Thesis
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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1. AGENCYUSEONLY(Leaveblank) 2. REPORT DATE REPORTTYPEANDDATES COVERED
September 1997 Master's Thesis
4. TITLEAND SUBTITLE CHANNELCAT: ATACTICALLINK ANALYSISTOOL 5. FUNDINGNUMBERS
AUTHOR(S)
6.
Coleman,MichaelG.
7. PERFORMINGORGANIZATIONNAME(S) ANDADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
NavalPostgraduateSchool REPORTNUMBER
MontereyCA93943-5000
9. SPONSORING/MONITORINGAGENCYNAME(S)ANDADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONrTORING
MarineCorpsTacticalSystems SupportActivity AGENCYREPORTNUMBER
CampPendleton,California N/A
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positionoftheDepartmentofDefenseortheU.S. Government.
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13. ABSTRACT(maximum200words)
The Tri-Service Tactical (TRI-TAC) standards for tactical data links mandate a terminal data rate of 32,000 bits per second. As
greater demands fordatathroughputareplacedupon tacticalnetworks,itwillbecome imperative thatthedesignoffuture client/server
architecturesdonotexceedthecapacityoftheTRI-TACnetworks. This thesisproducedananalysistool,theChannelCapacityAnalysis
Tool(ChannelCAT),designedtoprovideanautomatedtoolfortheanlysisofdesigndecisionsindevelopingclient-serversoftware.
The analysis tool, built using the Computer Aided Prototyping System (CAPS), provides designers the ability to input TRI-TAC
channelparameters and view the results ofthe simulated channel traffic in graphical format. The sizeofdata,period oftransmission,
andchannel transmissionrate can besetby the user, with theresults displayedas apercent utilization ofthe maximum capacity ofthe
channel.
.Designed using fieldedequipmentspecifications, thedetails ofthenetworkmechanisms closely simulatethe behavioroftheactual
tactical links. Testing has shown Channel CAT to be stable and accurate. As aresult ofthis effort, Channel CATprovides software
engineers anabilitytotestdesigndecisionsforclient-serversoftwareinarapid,low-costmanner.
14. SUBJECTTERMS UnitedStatesMarineCorps,command,control,network,timedivision 15. NUMBEROFPAGES
multiplex,links, analysis,modeling,prototyping. 101
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:
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
CHANNEL CAT
A TACTICAL LINK ANALYSIS TOOL
Michael Glenn Coleman
Captain, United States Marine Corps
B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1988
Submitted in partial fulfillment
ofthe requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
fromthe
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
September 1997

DUDLEY KNOX LIBRARY jOAQW
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MONTEREY, CA 93943-5101 JAVAi »>OSTG*A0UATfcSCH0O<
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ABSTRACT
The Tri-Service Tactical (TRI-TAC) standards for tactical data links mandate a terminal
data rate of32,000 bits per second. As greater demands for data throughput are placed
upon tactical networks, it will become imperative that the design of future client/server
architectures do not exceed the capacity ofthe TRI-TAC networks. This thesis produced
an analysis tool, the Channel Capacity Analysis Tool (Channel CAT), designed to provide
an automated tool for the anlysis ofdesign decisions in developing client-server software.
The analysis tool, built using the Computer Aided Prototyping System (CAPS),
provides designers the ability to input TRI-TAC channel parameterand view the results
of the simulated channel traffic in graphical format. The size of data, period of
transmission, and channel transmission rate can be set by the user, with the results
displayed as a percent utilization ofthe maximum capacity ofthe channel.
Designed using fielded equipment specifications, the details of the network
mechanisms closely simulate the behavior ofthe actual tactical links. Testing has shown
Channel CAT to be stable and accurate. As a result ofthis effort, Channel CAT provides
software engineers an ability to test design decisions for client-server software in a rapid,
low-cost manner.
VI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. 1
BACKGROUND
A.
1
MOTIVATION
B.
1
C. SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 4
THE TRI-SERVICE TACTICAL NETWORK
II. '. 5
BACKGROUND
A. 5
1. Time Division Multiplexing 5
2. Necessity 5
:
3. Solution 7
B. SPECIFICATIONS 7
1. Data Rate 8
2. Error Rates 8
CHAPTER SUMMARY
C. 9
CHANNEL CAT DESIGN AND USE
III. 11
A. COMPUTER AIDED PROTOTYPING SYSTEM 11
1. Overview 11
2. Prototyping Process 11
3. Prototype System Description Language .12
a. Operators 12
b. Streams 12
c. Types 13
d. Timing Constraints 13
e. Triggers 13
Execution Guards 14
f.
g. State Variables 14
B. ASSUMPTIONS 14
C. SYSTEM DECOMPOSITION 15
vu
1. Parameters 16
a. Constant 16
b. Run Time 16
2. User Interface 17
a. Input Panel 17
b. Results Panel 21
3.. TRI-TAC Link Operators 23
a. Transmitter 25
b. Receiver 27
c. Channel 29
d. Utilization Calculator 30
D. OPERATION 31
1. User Input 31
2. Results 31
a. Text-based 31
b. Graphics-based 32
E. CHAPTER SUMMARY 32
IV. TESTING AND VALIDATION 35
A. TESTING 35
1. Plan 35
2. Criteria 35
B. RESULTS 35
Accuracy 36
1.
2. Boundary Conditions 36
3. Fidelity 36
C. CHAPTER SUMMARY 38
V. CONCLUSIONS 39
A.. STRENGTHS OF CHANNEL CAT 39
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