MBSE Model Versioning for Secure Vendor Collaboration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional model-based systems engineering (MBSE) software lacks the ability to selectively share proprietary information across organizational boundaries, limiting collaboration due to the inability to hide sensitive portions of an MBSE model from external organizations, even when strict confidentiality agreements are in place.
Innovation Solution
The creation of restricted and unrestricted versions of an MBSE model, where the restricted version includes all engineering elements, both shareable and unshareable, and the unrestricted version only includes shareable elements, determined by analyzing metadata tags, allowing outside vendors to collaborate on shareable data while keeping proprietary information within the organization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional MBSE software allows complete access to all project elements for collaboration, then collaboration ease is improved, but information security deteriorates as sensitive proprietary information becomes exposed to external organizations
Solution Approach 1:
The MBSE model is segmented into multiple versions: a restricted version containing all engineering elements for internal use, and one or more unrestricted versions containing only selected shareable elements for external collaboration. This segmentation allows different access levels for different user groups, enabling external organizations to collaborate on appropriate portions without accessing sensitive proprietary information.
Solution Approach 2:
The unrestricted version of the MBSE model serves as an intermediary between the complete restricted model and external organizations. It acts as a controlled interface that exposes only approved shareable engineering elements while filtering out sensitive information, thus enabling collaboration without direct access to the full proprietary model.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a completely separate environment is created outside the MBSE application for restricted sharing, then information security is improved, but modeling capability deteriorates due to limited access and inability to contribute to larger systems
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a completely separate environment, the system segments the single MBSE model into multiple versions (restricted and unrestricted) that coexist within the same application. This allows external organizations to work with unrestricted versions while maintaining the ability to contribute changes back to the parent model, preserving full modeling capabilities without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The unrestricted version of the MBSE model provides multi-functionality by serving both as a secure collaboration interface for external organizations and as an integrated part of the larger system. External users can perform full MBSE modeling operations on shareable elements without needing a separate environment, while the model remains connected to the parent restricted model for contributions and updates.
Data Source
AI summary
A model-based engineering system (MBSE) tool includes functionality for sharing an MBSE model with multiple outside vendors using multiple versions of the MBSE model. A restricted version of the MBSE model is managed by a model maker (or other user with access rights) inside of an organization includes all of the model's engineering elements. The engineering elements are tagged with metadata that is analyzed to determine which elements are shareable and which are unshareable outside of the organization. An unrestricted version of the MBSE model is then created, either directly from the restricted version or through an intermediary version (referred to as the “stripped version”), to include only shareable engineering elements. This unrestricted version may then be shared with the outside vendors, and changes made by either in the restricted or unrestricted versions may be incorporated in the other versions, providing a truly collaborative MBSE experience.