Spectrum management using network management concepts

As military communications has evolved over the decades, spectrum management technique development has kept pace. A large portion of spectrum management technology involves spectrum planning, which is the process of cataloging the current use of the spectrum and the assignment of new frequencies within that environment to minimize interference while maximizing spectrum reuse. Spectrum planning has received considerable attention in previous years and today there are many state-of-the-art tools available. Another, less known aspect of spectrum management, the identification and resolution of interference, has not developed at a commensurate rate. As the available frequency resource decreases, and demand for that limited resource increases, interference is bound to occur, and the ability to identify and control occurrences of interference on the battlefield will present the next spectrum management challenge. This paper outlines an approach for the identification and resolution of interference events involving software-based radios in near-real time using principles and standards found in network management.