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 C53434 AVA^OSTGRWATBSCHOU O lONTEREN J394W101 DUDLEYKNOXLIBRARY NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CA93943-5101 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704 Publicreporting burden forthis collectionofinformationis estimatedto average 1 hourperresponse,including thetimeforreviewing instruction,searchingexistingdatasources,gatheringandmaintainingthedataneeded, andcompleting andreviewing thecollectionof information. Sendcommentsregarding this burdenestimateor anyother aspectofthiscollectionofinformation, including suggestions forreducing this burden, toWashington headquarters Services, DirectorateforInformationOperations andReports, 1215 Jefferson DavisHighway,Suite 1204,Arlington,VA22202-4302,andtotheOfficeofManagementandBudget,PaperworkReduction Project (0704-0188)WashingtonDC 20503. 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 11. SUPPLEMENTARYNOTES Theviewsexpressedinthis thesis arethoseoftheauthoranddonotreflecttheofficialpolicyor positionoftheDepartmentofDefenseortheU.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITYSTATEMENT Approvedforpublicrelease; 12b. DISTRIBUTIONCODE distributionis unlimited 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 16. PRICECODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATIONOF CLASSIFICATIONOF CLASSIFICATIONOFTHIS CLASSIFICATIONOF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT UL Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified NSN7540-01-280-5500 StandardForm 298 (Rev.2-89) PrescribedbyANSIStd.239-18 11 : 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 NAVAL POSTGRADUATESCHOOL 'U^LfcV WMU .OKAKY MONTEREY, CA 93943-5101 JAVAi »>OSTG*A0UATfcSCH0O< 10NTERE> > ^943*5101 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 vui