Services Detail

As an IT Solutions Provider, we specialize in solutions for unique and challenging IT concepts or issues. If there is an IT-related concept, we can implement it; from ConOps to a production-ready product. We will conduct a complete and thorough Concept of Operations, proof of concept, rapidly prototype your concept, produce a Minimally Viable Product (MVP), and deliver your concept as a fully operational system.

1        Software Crises Mitigation

Software development is difficult and so frequently unsuccessful to the extent that the problem has a label ”Software Crisis”. According to Gartner, 80% of software projects fail. If your project or program is in jeopardy, The GDA Group can help. We have rescued eight () major U.S. Government programs from failure. Solutions have ranged from hardware migration, virtualized software, cloud infrastructure, wrapping or encapsulating lower-level software, and integrating new components.

 

The use of 5th and 6thGeneration Language software products is another successful strategy that has been used by us to mitigate the software crises and is described thoroughly here.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is perceived by the public as a possible solution, however, many AI Experts see AI as contributing in a big way to the software crises.

 

The following successes demonstrate our capabilities in software crisis mitigation.

·         NRO

·         NGA

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         JSOC

 

2        Providing Open Ended Solutions

With over forty years of experience in software development, we provide solutions for difficult IT-related problems. Because we are outside-of-the-box thinkers, we have provided solutions to difficult open-ended problems using the latest leading-edge technologies. We are not just consultants or solution architects. We don’t just tell you what is wrong. We will make it right including a new or modified architecture or infrastructure.

 

The main difference between a solution provider and a solutions architect is that a solution provider offers a comprehensive solution to a customer’s needs, while a solutions architect designs the technical vision for a solution to a business problem.

 

Examples of our successes in this area:

·         NGA

·         Army IT Agency

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         JSOC

·         Vricon

3        Economical, Low, and even Firm Fixed Price (FFP) costing

We offer several contracting strategies including Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Cost plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), Level of Effort, and Hourly. With detailed specifications, we will perform FFP contracts. We work smart, not hard. We use proven technologies and low-risk techniques wherever possible.

We have learned from the Software Costing Experts and have utilized COCOMO II. We perform most work remotely, which saves considerable overhead costs and is highly advantageous for recruiting skilled talent. We tend to use small, lean multidisciplinary teams but back them up with very highly skilled Program Managers and Software Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who have a proven track record in solving major IT program-level technical and non-technical issues.

 

See our Costing and Scheduling information for many more details.

4        Custom Software Development

We have done extensive traditional software development with many 3^rd Generation Languages (3GL) including but not limited to Java, JavaScript, C#, C++, and C. We have also performed significant SW development using 4GL languages such as Perl, Python, and SQL. Visual Basic and *nix scripting languages. We are a language-agnostic shop and can adapt to what you have or need quickly and easily. We have developed with many APIs, Toolkits, and JavaScript frameworks such as React, AngularJS, and Vue.js. We prefer using 5GL RAD-type tools for reasons explained in detail below.

 

Custom software development success examples:

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         FBI

·         Air Force Intelligence Agency

·         NGA

·         DISA

 

4.1      Low Level 3GL and 4GL Code

Traditional approaches to software development may rely on extensive codings in 3GL such as Java, JavaScript, C#, C++, and C to implement the necessary functionality. Development using these types of languages is very tedious, error-prone, and costly. 4GL like Python, Perl, Visual Basic, and Oracle PL-SQL may be used but requires an interpreter on the operational system as part of the solution, which is a major disadvantage in a lot of systems and architectures. We recommend 3GL only as a last resort.

4.2      5GL No Code, Low Code, and Rapid Application Development Tools

Modern software development relies heavily on 5GL which utilizes visual development tools and drag-and-drop interfaces.

We developed several products using 5GL RAD-type tools and products including Microsoft Access, Oracle Forms and Reports, PowerBuilder, and SIB VisionX.

 

These types of Tools generally provide GUI capabilities to design first the back-end data storage capabilities. Once the back end is designed RAD tools automatically produce front-end functionality in a highly automated manner using database schema as the primary input. Users (not just developers) can modify the database and web forms including layouts, data editing, and data restrictions.

 

Such 5GL products fall into the category of no code or low code tools. While a detailed comparison of these tool types can be found here, the following is a summary.

 

4.2.1     Low-code RAD tools

Low-code tools do their magic usually by generating either 3GL or 4GL code to implement the needed functionality. The code can usually be modified or enhanced by a developer with the requisite 3GL or 4GL skills to provide different functionality. Thus, there is a lot of freedom to change the default functionality provided by the RAD tool.

 

Microsoft Access and Oracle Forms and Reports were the earliest forms of low-code platforms but have not kept pace with either web-based capabilities or more modern RAD products.

4.2.2     No Code RAD Tools

No code tools do not produce any significant code that could be changed by a developer. Such products cannot be tailored or modified by developers in any significant way. We recommend that they be avoided in favor of low-code RAD tools.

 

4.2.3     Gartner Forecasts for RAD tool use

 

·         Gartner’s latest review of low-code platforms is here.

·         Gartner projects that by 2025, 70% of new applications developed by enterprises will utilize low-code or no-code technologies

·         Gartner projects that developers from outside formal IT departments are expected to make up at least 80% of the user base for low-code tools.

·         Gartner’s research shows that low-code platforms can cut development time by up to 50%, enabling businesses to launch new products and services faster.

·          

5        System and Software Architectures (including Concept of Operations)

We develop cost-effective architectures and solutions.  As Experts, we have saved costs for the Air Force and FBI by using Cloud Infrastructures.

 

A comparison of the top five Software Architecture tools is here.

Examples of our successes in developing system and software architectures:

• Enterprise Architect

• IBM Rational Software Architect

 

We are experts with The Department of Defense (DoD) Architecture Framework (DoDAF) which has multiple levels. The full framework includes over 50 models and views, but, at least 3 views and models are required for any software system.

 

With software architectures, the most difficult part is mapping functional capabilities to an actual existing Commercial Off The Shelf Software (COTS) product or a software component to be developed (Custom Software Development). This requires considerable Market Research, Software Tradeoff studies, and Software testing.

 

Costing is highly dependent on the System Architecture. Cost analysis includes infrastructure, software licensing costs, and the total cost for any custom software development.

 

Software architectures use a combination of SaaS, COTS products, Open-Source software, and custom software development. We know how to maximize system capabilities by blending the above cohesively and cost-effectively.

 

For more details, see our architectural-related success stories:

• Air Force Logistics Command
• FBI
• NGA
• JSOC

6        Proof of Concept

The GDA Group focuses on POCs for IT systems or software-related efforts.

 

A Proof of Concept (POC) is a critical tool in successfully deploying new technologies and implementing policies. With a properly executed POC, you can both evaluate the viability of a technology and can also demonstrate how it can be properly deployed, and provide what policies to build around it for long-term use. A POC tests and exercises the most technically challenging and risky part of a program or project. It is critical before investing time and energy into a new business or organization. It is usually done before any prototyping efforts.

 

The following are examples of our successful Proof of Concepts for our clients:

·         The NGA to ensure the capability of communicating ASCII characters over an IBM 3270 EBCDIC-based network

·         JSOC to ensure critical security goals were still achievable when using the Sequoia AWS SC2S and C2S simulators

·         The FBI to ensure SOLR data could be successfully migrated to AWS Elastic Search

·         DISA to intercept and re-route cryptographic keys before TLS authentication.

7        Rapid Prototyping

We perform rapid prototyping using the same architecture and development tools that are proposed in the architecture, instead of using throw-away prototyping.

 

Prototyping a system serves several purposes.

·         The customer will get a very clear understanding of the product they need.

·         This proves the intended architecture is workable.

·         Implements and proves any risky functionality.

 

Prototyping can be performed using wireframes and mockup-type products. Such products provide good visual detail; however, these visual details usually look quite different when using modern software development tools. And there is very little functionality that can be demonstrated by such tools. Thus, these types of prototypes can be very misleading and are largely ineffective.

 

Rapid Prototypes require RAD tools. A good prototype should validate:

·         Requirements

·         The architecture

·         Real data functionality

·         The intended infrastructure

·         Any cost analysis is done.

 

We have provided Prototypes for many different systems. Here are applicable success stories:

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         JSOC

·         Vricon

8        Minimally Viable Product (MVP)

 

The GDA Group very strongly recommends producing an MVP before full-scale product development commences.

 

MVPs

• Are generally produced after a successful prototype.
• It contains most, but not all, needed functionality and can be used by real users.
• Are a key methodology to ensure that the system users are getting most of the capabilities they need
• Can be used to refine or change the architecture and/or the specifications of most of the product’s features.

 

We have done MVPs for many different systems. Here are applicable success stories:

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         Air Force Intelligence Agency

·         JSOC

9        Full-Scale Development (FSD)

·         usually performed as part of custom software development.

·         Contains all specified functionality

·         meets all user requirements

·         has been thoroughly tested

·         The product should be

o   scalable to meet flexible demands

o   robust enough to recover from a data center failure.

We have performed Full Scale Software Development on a number of large Government Projects including:

·         NGA

·         NRO

·         DISA

·         Air Force Intelligence Agency

10 Migrations

We have conducted many different types of migrations. See the following applicable success stories:

10.1From legacy apps to modern cloud apps

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         Air Force Intelligence Agency

10.2From non-containerized solutions to containerized solutions

·         FBI

·         JSOC

10.3From on-premise applications to cloud-based applications

·         FBI

·         JSOC

·         Vricon

10.4From a database or search engine to another

·         FBI

·         Air Force Intelligence Agency

11 Automation and Integrations

We have developed (or conducted) many automation and integration-type efforts. If you want to add an integration (e.g. AWS Elastic Search), to your system, we can do it. We developed software for a classified government robotics system that required remote and unattended 24/7 operations. For another classified government system, we developed AI software to automate the tasking of intelligence satellites.

 

Our automation and integration-related successes include:

·         NRO

·         NGA

·         Vricon

 

12 Infrastructure – Commercial Cloud Providers (CCPs)

We have developed and delivered scalable, robust, and secure solutions on AWS including the U.S. Government specific AWS Regions: GovCloud, SC2S, and C2S.

12.1CCP Overview

CCPs consist primarily of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft’s Azure. A comparison of the 3 major CCPs can be found here.

 

The Commercial Cloud Services (CCS) offered by CCPs generally fall into the category of proprietary software; they also fall into the category of virtualized data centers and virtualized infrastructure since all the hardware they physically have in their cloud data centers is presented virtually to customers. Hence you must use the CCS as is.

 

12.2IaC

Each CCP provides a custom front end to use and integrate with the rest of the ecosystem. They also provide a way of using their product so it can be driven via high-level type code called Infrastructure as Code (IaC). IaC can automate the deployment and setup of a customer’s complete IT environments with the only exception being customer end user devices on customers’ premises. Migration of a corporate data center to the cloud is done mostly by using IaC.

 

While there are attempts using products like Terraform to develop agnostic IaC that works across multiple CCPs, agnostic IaC can never take advantage of the full capabilities of a service offered by a CCP. In effect, by using a product such as Terraform, you are reduced to using the lowest common denominator of all the CCPs and are therefore diminishing the value of the additional services provided by your specific CCP. Multiple cloud solutions that span one or more CCPs are possible. Hosting SharePoint on Azure but with all other services and software running on AWS would be a valid CCP architecture.

 

12.3AWS Overview

For the above reasons, The GDA Group specializes in using the most well-known and best CCP, AWS, which is the first CCP that provided both classified and unclassified cloud services to the U.S. Government. AWS now offers more than 200 fully featured services to millions of users.

12.4AWS Security

Security for enterprise-level services transcends simple software security and encompasses hardware, networking devices and even cabling. When such physical resources are virtualized by CCPs, they are easy to make more secure. AWS has been certified for secure operations at the highest security classification levels including those classifications used by the U.S. Intelligence Community.

 

We have worked in critical and secure environments such as those used by the DoD and Intelligence Agencies. We have done RMF artifacts including Authority To Test (ATT), Authority To Operate (ATO), Security Control Matrices (SCM), Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M), and have included Zero Trust (ZT) security features.

12.5AWS Availability and Scalability

AWS provides significant capabilities for availability and scalability. Even if a specific AWS Availability Zone (AZ) fails (examples include disaster or war), other AZs within the same AWS Region can quickly assume all the functions and data of the failed AZ.

12.6Successes

Our CCP infrastructure-related successes include:

·         Air Force Logistics Command

·         FBI

·         JSOC

·         Vricon