The Boundary Between Module Interface and the SCA in the GRA

This paper describes a view of the boundary between the GRA specification (terminal level) and the module specification (module level) and its relationship to the use of Software Communications Architecture (SCA) Framework. The primary goals of the GRA are to foster competition by enabling 3rd party development of GRA modules, to use future technology innovatively in those modules, to enable the use of COTS and GOTS products and to realize an efficient terminal implementation using those modules. The architecture must be specified as a set of independent modules that have low coupling and high cohesion to achieve these goals. This allows modules with varying implementations to be used in the system with no or minimal changes. Partitioning of the modules must assure that internal module implementations are free to use the most efficient design and technology to provide the best performance and cost benefits. The view is presented that the SCA is a mechanism that provides the framework for a set of independent modules to use to work together to implement a High Capacity Communications Capability (HC3) system. The use of the SCA internal to the modules should be left up to the module implementer and hidden (decoupled) from the rest of the system