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'''COTS''' (an acronym for '''C'''ommercial '''O'''ff-'''T'''he-'''S'''helf) refers to commercially available, ready to use products that require no [[customization]] in order to meet performance requirements. |
'''COTS''' (an acronym for '''C'''ommercial '''O'''ff-'''T'''he-'''S'''helf) refers to commercially available, ready to use products that require no [[customization]] in order to meet performance requirements. |
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+ | == Software == |
| + | "COTS [[software]] is used 'as-is.' COTS products are designed to be easily [[install]]ed and [[configure]]d to [[interoperate]] with existing [[system component]]s. Almost all [[software]] bought by the average [[computer user]] and much of the [[software]] used by the U.S. Government and the [[DoD]] is COTS. Examples include [[operating system]]s, [[database management system]]s, [[email server]]s, [[application server]]s, and office product suites. Because it is mass-produced, one of the major advantages of COTS [[software]] is the relatively low cost of [[acquiring]], [[maintain]]ing and achieving [[technology refresh]]. Given these low costs and the competitive forces at work, COTS [[software]] producers may or may not know, manage or track the provenance of their [[software]], except to the extent needed to ensure that the necessary [[license]]s are obtained for [[embed]]ded [[component]]s. In addition, they generally do not make [[source code]] available, so supplier identity and [[software]] [[content]] is often blurred by the reuse of [[legacy]] [[code]], [[subcontract]]ing, [[outsourcing]], and use of [[Open Source Software]] ([[OSS]])."<ref>[[Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Mission Impact of Foreign Influence on DOD Software]], at 18.</ref> |
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| − | COTS products designed and built to satisfy the “least common denominator” requirements of many [[customer]]s may satisfy none of the [[customer]]s. |
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| + | == References == |
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| + | <references /> |
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[[Category:Acronyms]] |
[[Category:Acronyms]] |
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[[Category:Technology]] |
[[Category:Technology]] |
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Revision as of 17:23, 31 August 2012
Definition
COTS (an acronym for Commercial Off-The-Shelf) refers to commercially available, ready to use products that require no customization in order to meet performance requirements.
Software
"COTS software is used 'as-is.' COTS products are designed to be easily installed and configured to interoperate with existing system components. Almost all software bought by the average computer user and much of the software used by the U.S. Government and the DoD is COTS. Examples include operating systems, database management systems, email servers, application servers, and office product suites. Because it is mass-produced, one of the major advantages of COTS software is the relatively low cost of acquiring, maintaining and achieving technology refresh. Given these low costs and the competitive forces at work, COTS software producers may or may not know, manage or track the provenance of their software, except to the extent needed to ensure that the necessary licenses are obtained for embedded components. In addition, they generally do not make source code available, so supplier identity and software content is often blurred by the reuse of legacy code, subcontracting, outsourcing, and use of Open Source Software (OSS)."[1]