Systems Engineering Glossary
Agile Software
A methodology focused on iterative development, collaboration, and adaptability, ensuring rapid and efficient delivery of functional software.
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Architecture
The fundamental organization of a system, embodied in its components, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, as well as the principles guiding its design and evolution.
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AWS (Amazon Web Services)
A comprehensive cloud platform that provides compute power, storage, and other services to facilitate scalable and robust application development.
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Big Data
The vast volumes of structured and unstructured data that require advanced processing and analytics techniques to uncover insights and inform decision-making.
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C2S (Commercial Cloud Services)
A secure cloud computing environment designed to meet the specific needs of government and intelligence agencies.
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Cloud-Native
A software development approach that leverages cloud computing architectures and services to build scalable, resilient, and dynamic applications, optimizing for distributed infrastructure.
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Configuration Management
A systematic process for maintaining consistency of a system's attributes and its performance, design, and functionality throughout its lifecycle.
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COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf)
Refers to ready-made products or technologies that are commercially available for purchase and integration into systems, reducing development cost and time.
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Deep Learning
A specialized area of machine learning that uses neural networks with many layers to model and analyze complex patterns in high-dimensional data.
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DevOps
A collaborative approach to software development and IT operations aimed at shortening the system development lifecycle and delivering high-quality software through continuous integration and delivery.
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GEOINT (Geospatial Intelligence)
Intelligence derived from the analysis of imagery, geospatial data, and other information, providing critical insights into physical locations and geographic contexts.
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Ground Terminal
A physical or virtual facility that facilitates communication with satellites, processing and distributing data to support a variety of missions and operations.
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Interface
The shared boundary or connection point between two systems, subsystems, or components, where communication or interaction occurs.
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Lifecycle
The entire duration of a system, from initial conception through development, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning or disposal.
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Machine Learning
A subset of artificial intelligence that involves training algorithms to identify patterns and make predictions or decisions based on data.
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Microservice
An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of small, independently deployable, and loosely coupled services, enhancing flexibility and scalability.
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Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
An approach to systems engineering that uses models to support the specification, design, analysis, verification, and validation of a system.
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Multi-Int (Multi-Intelligence)
An integrative approach to intelligence gathering that combines data from multiple intelligence disciplines, such as SIGINT, GEOINT, and HUMINT, to create a comprehensive understanding.
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Reliability Engineering
An aspect of systems engineering focused on ensuring that a system performs its intended function under specified conditions for a desired duration without failure.
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Requirements Engineering
The process of defining, documenting, and maintaining the functional and non-functional needs or constraints of a system to ensure that it fulfills stakeholder expectations.
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Sensor Processing
The analysis and transformation of data collected by sensors into actionable information, often requiring real-time processing and advanced algorithms for effective application.
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SIGINT (Signals Intelligence)
The interception and analysis of signals, such as communications and electronic emissions, to gather valuable intelligence on activities and operations.
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System Integration
The process of bringing together different subsystems or components into one unified system and ensuring that they function together as intended.
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Trade-off Analysis
An evaluation process used to compare different design alternatives or solutions, assessing their impacts on performance, cost, schedule, and other key factors to select the most balanced option.
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Verification and Validation (V&V)
Verification ensures the system is built correctly according to specifications, while validation ensures the system fulfills its intended purpose and stakeholder needs.