IRIS/DEF is a comprehensive information exchange standards management application that provides essential functionality to any standards management organisation. It is designed to enable organisations to define, manage and publish a standard set of information exchange documents that, when implemented between communicating applications and systems, will ensure the information being exchanged is meaningful to both sender and recipient.

IRIS/DEF supports, and ensures that developed structured documents conform, to one of a wide range of different military information exchange standards (ADatP-3, USMTF, ASMTF, XML-MTF, VMF), such that structured information can be sent and received without misinterpretation.



Each standard can be implemented in a number of different structured document formats, including: military character based Message Text Formats (MTFs), bit-oriented Variable Message Formats (VMF) and XML Document Formats.

Document designers design structured documents that eliminate the risk of misinterpretation. With a fast, intuitive user interface that enables users to query, view and update the Database repository efficiently, IRIS/DEF aims to ensure that document designers have time to devote maximum attention to the task of document designing. Thus IRIS/DEF minimises Message Text Format development and maintenance effort.

The risk of errors creeping into standards and the management effort required is reduced with IRIS/DEF. By providing the tools necessary to implement, monitor and document a range of efficient control processes, IRIS/DEF ensures all changes can be tracked through an audit trail back to officially approved Change Proposals.

The development of an Information Exchange Standard requires involvement from a number of different organisations. IRIS/DEF provides the ability to import and export standards and Data Elements between different systems by supporting a range of remote working capabilities.

IRIS/DEF is capable of producing error-free official publications which enable all interested organisations and users, whether operational or technical, to fully understand the specification. Such publications include the official NATO and US MTF and User Format Reports.

In order for software applications, such as the IRIS Body Editor, to make use of and implement the standards accurately, IRIS/DEF makes the standards available in a highly structured electronic format that such applications can utilise.

• Allows the definition of structured documents for information exchange
• Supports a wide variety of standards, including MTF, VMF and XML
• Provides quality and integrity verification for large information exchange standards
• Provides Change Control and Analysis tools to allow Database Administrators to track structured document development
• Publishes and distributes information exchange standards for operational use
• Provides the ability to mix and match different standards and versions of standards for use in a combined operation

IRIS/DEF 4.0 (Desktop and Professional) is primarily supported on Windows 2000. Until June 2004 it will also be supported on Windows NT SP6, when support for this operating system will cease.

IRIS/DEF 4.0 uses Oracle 8i (8.1.7) which is configured for use with IRIS/DEF. A pre-configured version of Oracle is distributed with IRIS/DEF, including the latest patches and service packs. It is essential that any existing version of Oracle that may exist on the system has been completely un-installed, prior to the installation of Oracle supplied with IRIS/DEF.