AFEI Net-Centric Ops forum to serve as industry catalyst.

• Author: Chesebrough, David
• Position: NDIA News - Association for Enterprise Integration - Brief Article

The Association for Enterprise Integration (AFEI) has taken on the role of facilitating the exchange of ideas concerning the convergence of standards in the area of "net-centricity" amongst business consortia and the organizations that set standards for industry.

In 2003, AFEI--an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association--established the Net-Centric Operations Industry Forum to provide a neutral platform for helping to develop compatible open-architecture standards for net-centric defense programs.

Priscilla Guthrie, deputy chief information officer for the Department of Defense, has endorsed the forum. The concept of net-centric defense is applicable to all of government, not just the Defense Department, she told a recent meeting of AFEI's board of directors. "The idea of having a forum where we can exchange ideas, push against them and move forward is a big deal for us."

Guthrie asked AFEI to act as a conduit to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on standards. "The department has envisioned an environment, but knows it can't afford the...