Oct 12, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Envistacom Joins the Digital IF Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium

Envistacom, LLC, a leading technology company that delivers advanced communications, cyber and other related technologies, solutions, and services to customers in the aerospace, defense, and intelligence communities, today announced that it has joined the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium, an independent space industry group formed to advance interoperability in satellite and ground system networks.

Envistacom joins leading commercial space companies HawkEye360, Intelsat, Kratos, Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (KSAT), Kymeta, and Microsoft as well as the U.S. Navy and others in the DIFI Consortium. DIFI will drive the digital transformation of ground networks through the development of an interoperable digital IF standard. Standardized digital IF is the first step in the digital transformation of SATCOM to provide network operators and service providers with increased innovation speed, network/terminal agility and resilience while reducing total cost of ownership.

According to DIFI’s chairman Stuart Daughtridge, SVP of Advanced Technology at Kratos, “Framework standards exist today for digital IF, but they do not assure interoperability between vendor systems. DIFI’s goal is to create and promote easy-to-implement standards for digital IF systems that will enable satellite operators, including commercial and government operators, to confidently design, build, operate and evolve multi-vendor satellite networks and ground systems. We welcome Envistacom as our newest member supporting this goal.”

A digital IF standard will transform the industry by removing market barriers and allow new entrants for virtualization appliances, virtualized applications (i.e., virtual modems) and edge devices. In this new paradigm, existing purpose-built business strategies relying on vendor lock-in will become obsolete, paving the way for the development of new emerging technologies and systems such as Envistacom’s Transport Virtualization Ecosystem (TVE).

The IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability 1.0 Standard was released by DIFI on August 18, 2021, as the beginning to standardized interoperable digital IF. The Consortium invites all interested companies and organizations to join and contribute to efforts that encourage interoperability and digital transformation in the space industry. Membership information is available on the Consortium’s website.

“The DIFI Consortium is an essential step in the digital transformation of commercial and military SATCOM systems that will lead to more flexible ground terminal architectures and thereafter more resilient connectivity,” said Dr. Juan Deaton, Senior Research Scientist at Envistacom. “We are looking forward to collaborating with members of the DIFI Consortium and solidifying our role as a leader in SATCOM digital transformation.”

Dr. Deaton recently outlined the benefits of the digital transformation in his white paper: “Digitization and Virtualization of SATCOM Networks: What does it all mean?” that was the basis of a panel at SATCOM 2021.

About Envistacom LLC
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Envistacom provides communications, cyber, and intelligence solutions, support services and technology to the U.S. DoD and coalition partners in aerospace, defense, and intelligence communities. Customers rely on Envistacom for rapid-response, secure technology solutions and subject-matter expertise to support mission critical operations. With an elite team of former military leaders and domain experts located around the world, and multiple indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicles worth over $62B, Envistacom is a trusted partner in protecting military, civilians, and critical infrastructure around the world. Envistacom is a Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (DWOSB). For more information on solutions or contract vehicles, please visit www.envistacom.com, and follow @Envistacom on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About The Digital IF Interoperability Consortium
The Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI) is an independent, international group of companies, organizations and government agencies that have an interest in the interoperability of networks and ground systems supporting space-based operations. Launched in coordination with the IEEE-ISTO, DIFI’s mission is to enable the digital transformation of space, satellite and related industries through a simple, interoperable Digital IF/RF standard that accelerates industry transformation from L-Band IF to Digital IF, while discouraging vendor lock-in. DIFI promotes standards in all satellite application areas where systems interoperability is needed or beneficial, including satcom, earth observation, remote sensing, TT&C, and more. The founding members of DIFI include Hawkeye 360, Intelsat Corp., Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (KSAT), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., Microsoft, and the U.S. Navy. The DIFI board has approved version 1.0 of an interoperability standard based upon VITA 49, entitled IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability Standard which can be downloaded at the Consortium’s website https://dificonsortium.org/.