A system in which the components and their composition are specified in a non-proprietary environment, enabling competing organizations to use these standard components to build competitive systems. There are three perspectives on open systems: portability - the degree to which a system component can be used in various environments, interoperability - the ability of individual components to exchange information, and integration - the consistency of the various human- machine interfaces between an individual and all hardware and software in the system. [AFI 16-102; DSMC 1]
Yinkqubo apho amalungu kunye noko kuwenzayo kuchaziwe kokusingqongileyo okungafanelekanga, nto leyo ebangela imibutho ekhuphisanayo isebenzise lamalungu asemgangathweni ukwakha iinkqubo ezikhuphisekayo. Kukho izimvo ezintathu malunga neenkqubo ezivulekileyo: okunokwenzeka - liqondo apho ilungu lenkqubo linokuthi lisetyenziswe kokusingqongileyo okwahlukeneyo, kokunokwenzeka kwangaphakathi - ngamandla okukwazi kwelungu ngalinye ukutshintsha ulwazi, kunye nodityaniso - ukungaguquguquki kwezixhobo ezisebenzisanayo zomatshini abanxulumana nabantu phakathi kwe-hadware ne-software nganye kunye nazo zonke ezikwinkqubo. [AFI 16-102; DSMC 1]