User talk:Mcdonar/System Wide Information Management

Currently, computer systems and networks used by aviation authorities worldwide (the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Eurocontrol, civil aviation authorities the military, and air traffic management) are over-complex and share few standards.

In order to better connect the various networks that use or provide aviation-related information, the FAA has initiated the System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) program. SWIM will provide a consistent and standardized information flow to and from all authorized aviation information users.

Description
SWIM will manage surveillance, weather, flight data, aeronautical and National Airspace System (NAS) status information. It will provide the information securely to NAS customers in a well-understood and usable format. SWIM will enable increased operational efficiency by allowing NAS customers to concurrently access the same data, in the same format. This is a key element of the Next Generation Air Transportation System.

The SWIM program will develop the policies and standards to enable migration from current data communications systems to a network-centric operation. SWIM should result in significant savings in development and maintenance costs associated with current computer systems and networks. SWIM will be designed to use commercially available equipment and will be based on accepted industry standards and recommended practices. Comprehensive security rules will define who can publish data to the system and who can access it.

Benefits
SWIM will reduce the costs of maintaining and accessing its data, and improve its security.