An Exploration of Professional Culture Differentials And Their Potential Impact on the Information Assurance Component Of Optical Transmission Networks Design

Optical transmission networks are an integral component of the critical infrastructures for many nations. Many people believe that optical transmission networks are impenetrable. In actuality, these networks possess weaknesses that can be exploited to bring about harm.;An emerging Information Assurance (IA) industry has as its goals: to maintain the confidentially, integrity, and availability of information as it is transmitted, stored and processed by computers and communications networks. Achieving this goal relies on the skills and expertise of practitioners from three primary industries, Telecommunications, Information Technology/Information Systems (IT/IS) and Information Assurance.;This qualitative study employs in-depth interviews to explore whether or not professional cultural differentials and perceptional differentials might exist among optical networking practitioners regarding the information security component of optical transmission network designs. The presence of professional cultural and perceptional differentials among members of a multidiscipline optical network design team can jeopardize the integrity and functionality of the resultant network.;The research participants included in this study are from the Telecommunications, IT/IS and Information Assurance industries. They all have extensive experience in their respective industries. My analysis of the participant data collected in this study identifies three cultural differentials and six perceptional differentials among the three groups of optical transmission networking professionals. My analysis culminates by highlighting some principal areas of consideration for assembling a multidiscipline optical transmission network design team and by suggesting several areas for further research.