The architecture of an information and control system merges hardware and software considerations into a coordinated and integrated system view. The system architecture is a high level abstraction, or model, of the system. A system architecture should embrace both today's applications and the applications that are expected in the future. Architecture begins with the definition of the conceptual services (e.g. Part 1 - TICS fundamental services). There are several identifiable stages of system architecture development.

• Reference architecture
• Logical architecture
• Physical architecture

The reference architecture is generic and non-prescriptive and captures the concepts of the system. A logical architecture elaborates the functions that will provide the conceptual behaviour, and in so doing it provides some detail about the modularity. A physical architecture is reached when the actual distribution of the system modules is defined, thus leading to important implications for communications.

This technical report develops a TICS Reference Architecture. The objective in defining a TICS Reference Architecture is to provide a concise reference point which is both educational and a framework for the standards process. The Reference Architecture will be used by the Working Groups to develop their own logical and physical architectures in a cohesive manner.

This Part introduces the model that is applied in developing the Reference Architecture in Parts 2 and 3. A tutorial on the application of the model is provided using examples from the TICS sector.