DoD EBTS v2.0 Scheduled for Mandated Use Across DoD by mid-2010

By mid-2010, version 2.0 of the DoD Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification (EBTS) is scheduled for mandated use in all biometric-enabled collection devices and matching engines developed for the DoD. The BTF plans to meet this deadline by nominating and championing the DoD EBTS v2.0 through the Defense Information Systems Registry, the Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA) registry of standards. To further promote standardization on a broader, government-wide scale, the BTF will also propose DoD EBTS v2.0 for inclusion in the Registry of U.S. Government Recommended Biometric Standards.

An implementation of the American National Standards Institute/National Institute of Standards and Technology Information Technology Lab biometric standard (ANSI/NISTITL1-2007), the DoD EBTS is a transmission specification that enables the DoD to share and leverage information across the DoD Biometric Enterprise. The specification helps to ensure that data collected by DoD devices is interoperable with DoD biometric matching engines, like the Automated Biometric Identification System. By providing a common format and vocabulary for exchanging biometric and other DoD-relevant data, the DoD EBTS meets both internal business processes and warfighter needs. To this end, the biometric integrated data dictionary defines the data elements that a DoD EBTS v2.0 transaction may carry, serving as a critical component of DoD EBTS v2.0.

As DoD EBTS v2.0 is individually deployed, unique rules for the construction of scenario-dependent transmissions may be required. These unique requirements will be captured in a construct called an application profile. The use of application profiles provides a level of flexibility unavailable in previous versions of the DoD EBTS.

A detailed configuration management plan and a conformance testing capability will be required for the development of a comprehensive DoD EBTS standardization program. Configuration management will be coordinated across the data dictionary, the base DoD EBTS, and any application profiles. Because each component is interrelated, a DoD EBTS conformance testing capability will be critical to ensuring the interoperability of vendor products. The BTF is currently working to develop an effective conformance testing mechanism.

Looking beyond DoD EBTS v2.0, the BTF is also preparing for eventual migration of the DoD Biometrics Enterprise to eXtensible Markup Language (XML). Over the past several years, many data interchange and processing applications have converted to or are in the process of migrating toward an XML format for processing data. The ANSI/NIST has provided the ability to directly interface with such applications by developing an XML version of the standard (ANSI/NIST-ITL 2-2008). Based upon this effort, the DoD will develop an alternative XML representation of DoD EBTS that conforms to the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) – a partnership between DHS and the U.S. Department of Justice designed to develop, disseminate, and support Enterprise-wide information exchange standards.