Powerful,Targeted Solutions

In 2005, IR Tech responded to a Program Manager GCSS-MC requirement to develop a small scale operational model to enable the Marine Corps to face challenges with the Oracle 11i Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System deployment to the Operating Forces. The challenge was to ensure that current and future business systems are accessible to users in austere expeditionary environments. By collecting empirical data from model results, IR Tech was requested to determine architecture and cost tradeoffs for deploying information technology (IT) systems to forward areas. The MCTWL initiative provided a test bed for validating GCSS-MC systems hypotheses and introduces critical change management challenges. Over a series of tests, IR Tech provided three distinct capabilities. The first capability was rapid development of a representative IT system optimized for deployed environments with integrated bandwidth and latency saving technologies. The second capability was planning, resourcing, and accomplishing tests that involved Navy and Marine Corps agencies and the Oracle 11i eSuite providing technical consulting, software, load testing and representative hardware. Finally, IR Tech provided an analysis of test data integrating technical knowledge of tactical communications, IT architecture, and cost analytics. This process concluded and validated cost effective approaches to expeditionary environment deployments. Tests were organized by IR Tech and conducted on-time and on-budget using MCTSSA resources and 1MLG Marines.

The products of the MCTWL efforts were extensive. The optimized technologies were implemented in a program of record that was fielded Marine Corps wide. Analysis outcomes were used to justify the employment and increased fielding of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) communications systems throughout the Marine Corps Logistics Community. The cost benefit recommendations allowed the Program Manager of the Marine Corps’ only ACAT 1A M program to avoid unexpected technology costs and schedule slips prior to deployed operations.

The top 5 MCTWL benefits were:

1. Expanded tactical data networks capacity with satellite communications.

2. Marine Corps Business System successfully deployed in expeditionary environments.

3. Achieved cost avoidance for deploying business systems.

4. Defined realistic cost data for IT system deployments.

5. Provided tactical network optimized system architectures, techniques, and technology.

Most importantly, MCTWL identified a number of valuable lessons learned regarding ERP implementation. Among the most important were: Web-based, tactical operations are feasible; system responsiveness is highly dependent on many network and system variables; complex topologies (particularly multiple satellite hops) will not be effective for web-based, remote server solutions; and user resistance and confidence levels are major hurdles inhibiting a successful ERP implementation.