The Delay Tolerant Network Management Protocol (also known as DTNMP) provides an extremely robust management framework for space and ground segment applications. The protocol provides a set of Abstract Data Models (ADM's), representing various state parameters which can be gathered from capable client nodes. Edward Birrane, Embedded Applications Group Supervisor for the Space Exploration Sector of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory developed a DTNMP reference implementation (under contract to NASA) that has already proven the design of the protocol, and provides reference implementations of the ADM's. While DTNMP provides a well-rounded set of monitoring parameters, it leaves much to be desired in terms of management To these ends, the DLR DTN working group implemented commanding capability for the ION DTN stack. This implementation comprises major changes to the reference DTNMP implementation, including a strong-typing system, a RPC system, a middleware system, and a prototype implementation of the ADM's which are responsible for network contact management. In this paper, the authors will provide a technical overview of the implementation, as well as the challenges which were faced in creating a broadly applicable system. It will also focus on the issues faced in advancing the system from a research topic to an operational system.
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