SwRI: COTS Integration, commercial off the shelf integrated communications solutions.

Specific problems call for specific solutions, but when the most elegant solution to a problem is beyond the budget and schedule requirements, consider implementing a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) integrated solution. A COTS solution, which may satisfy most of the system requirements, will use existing technology and components to address different aspects of the problem.

 

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) engineers have experience working with many technologies in new and innovative ways and helping clients analyze requirements so that they may decide if a commercial off-the-shelf integrated solution will fulfill their requirements.

 

image of examples of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) integrated solutions developed by SwRI

Examples of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) integrated solutions developed by SwRI
 

The table below summarizes some of the tradeoffs associated with the two different system development techniques.

 

 

COTS
Development 

Custom System
Development 

  Development Cost

 Lower Higher

  Development Time

 Shorter Longer

  Availability of a Complete Solution

 Not Guaranteed High

  Production Cost (low quantity)

 Lower Higher

  Production Cost (high quantity)

 Higher Lower

 

SwRI has significant experience with developing both types of systems, but the following links provide brief descriptions of systems that utilize COTS integration techniques to varying levels.

 

Examples of COTS Integration Projects

Infrastructure and Network Systems Radar Systems

 

For more information about COTS integration capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Tom Untermeyer at tuntermeyer@swri.org or (210) 522-5040. We can offer you the best approach for solving your COTS integration problem.

 

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