High Level Architecture (HLA) Interface.

An architecture can be extended to a simulation by adding environmental condi-
tions, realistic scenarios and adversarial actions. Often validated programs exist that provide these conditions. In such cases, a VSO architecture can interface with these programs through its HLA interface. The federation of a VSO executable architecture and one or more simulations executes seamlessly within VSO.

Architecture Framework (AF).

Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) products can be integrated with the architecture so that changes to the architecture automatically re-generate a set of DODAF products. This ensures that the DODAF products and the architecture are consistent.

Colored Petri Nets (CPNs).

The executable architecture is a CPN and, as such, it inherits the formal definition, mathematical rigor and verification capability of CPNs.

Architecture Openness.

VSO architectures can be saved as either binary or tagged-data (XML) files. This allows them to be used with other applications. Additionally, VSO architectures can be executed from other tools using a library of functions provided with the tool.

Data Logging.

Data generated by VSO during execution is saved in XML format for post-execution analysis
by other tools.