Context Aware Network Routing Optimizer with Understanding of Topology Evolution (CAN-ROUTE) Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-098 Topic Title: Context Aware Network Routing Optimizer with Understanding of Topology Evolution (CAN-ROUTE) Proposal No.: N121-098-0465 Firm: Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. 1670 South Amphlett Blvd. Suite 310 San Mateo, California 94402-2513 Contact: Robert Richards Phone: (650) 931-2700 Web Site: www.stottlerhenke.com Abstract: We propose the development of an innovative software tool that will automatically enhance network routing and management by leveraging known network priorities per Commander's Intent and then plan how best to assure the delivery of mission-critical traffic; then via an intelligent awareness of the network state, the tool will robustly react to emerging and unforeseen conditions; so that network policies meet the Commander's prioritization. We have already developed an innovative networking and planning/scheduling framework that facilitates the development of more intelligent network optimization with a mixed-initiative architecture. The tool will build upon this framework and OPNET Technologies' COTS networking tools. This combination will be augmented to handle the complex and diverse conditions found in tactical networks in order to robustly react to emerging/unforeseen conditions. Phase I goals include furthering our understanding of the current and future tactical networking domain, including user interactions and collaboration, investigating integration requirements with Navy/military systems, elaborating the heuristics, algorithms and techniques for improved tactical networking, and analyzing them as to their feasibility. Other goals include developing an initial Phase II system design, proving our approach through development of a prototype, and then revising and enhancing the Phase II system design based on prototype feedback. Benefits: The most direct target for the results of this effort is the military tactical networking community, including the US Navy. The proposed system will, in both demonstrating significantly improved performance during Phase II and ensuring that the ultimate results can be integrated into the operational systems, provide the Navy and other military branches with a strong incentive to operationalize the Phase II development of the proposed solution. We are already marketing Aurora, our general intelligent planning and scheduling framework, and customizing it for a variety of domains. The additional capabilities developed for tactical networking can be synergistically marketed to the same clients. For example, the mixed-initiative conflict resolution assistant proposed here would be applicable to many Aurora customers. Moreover, we anticipate that this effort will result in additional planning/scheduling algorithms that we will be able to incorporate into our existing products, thus increasing the benefits they provide as well as their value. There is great potential in this effort because it represents an opportunity to build on our previous networking solutions and leverage our and OPNET's customer bases, both of whom can potentially benefit from this effort's enhancements. Return