SDL User Guide

Welcome to the SDL User Guide. This documentation is for end-users, analysts, and operators who need to understand and interact with the SOF Data Layer.

What is SDL?

SDL is a modular, container-native data platform that enables defense and intelligence organizations to collect, process, fuse, query, and disseminate mission-critical data — from cloud data centers to disconnected tactical edge nodes. A single software baseline adapts its runtime behavior to the deployment environment, ensuring operators work with an identical interface whether running at scale in the cloud or on a ruggedized server in a forward operating base.

Operators use SDL to connect mission data sources, create datasets, run data onboarding pipelines, transform data between operational formats, and publish outputs to downstream systems. Common workflows include discovering live feeds, consuming tactical data streams, storing data in platform-managed storage, and routing processed data to systems such as COPs, TAK servers, and mission services.

For a detailed overview of the platform’s architecture and capabilities, see the Platform Overview.

For specific pipeline examples, see the SDL Examples.

Core Capabilities

SDL provides a comprehensive set of capabilities organized around operational needs:

Capability Description

Federated Query & VKG

"Zero ETL" queries across heterogeneous data sources via virtual knowledge graph

Streaming & Processing

Real-time event streaming and transformation hub supporting 14+ tactical formats

Policy Engine

Data-policy-as-code with row/column-level obfuscation and classification enforcement

Data Tiering & Storage

Hot/warm/cold storage tiers with metadata lake (Bronze, Silver, Gold)

Maps

Layer inventory and preview for local and federated GeoServer and tile-backed map sources

DDIL & Edge Operations

Bandwidth-aware streaming with priority queues and automatic reconnection sync

Semantic Interoperability

BFO/CCO-compliant ontology layer with OBDA virtual mappings and SPARQL query

Getting Started

If you are new to SDL, start here:

  1. Platform Overview — Understand the platform architecture and deployment model

  2. Data Pipelines — Learn how to work with data transformation workflows

  3. SDL Examples — Hands-on demonstrations and demo scripts

Operational Guides

For day-to-day platform operations:

  • Data Pipelines — Configure and manage data transformation workflows

  • SDK — Programmatic access via the platform SDK

Video Demonstrations

See SDL capabilities in action with video demonstrations covering mesh synchronization, federated query, streaming pipelines, cross-domain transfer, and more.

Need Developer Documentation?

If you need to install, configure, or deploy SDL, refer to the SDL Developer Guide.