What must be consulted prior to purchasing a system or product to be deployed on a DoD network?

The Approved Products List (APL) is a critical resource that must be consulted before making any purchases for systems or products intended to be deployed on a Department of Defense (DoD) network. The APL includes a compilation of products that have been assessed and meet the security requirements mandated by the DoD. By using the APL, decision-makers can ensure that the products they are considering align with the stringent security protocols and policies established for the DoD environment.

Consulting the APL helps prevent the procurement of systems that could pose security vulnerabilities or compliance issues. It streamlines the purchasing process by guiding users to products that are already vetted, thereby reducing risks associated with integrating unapproved or insecure technologies into the network.

The other resources mentioned, while valuable in their contexts, do not specifically serve the same purpose when it comes to security compliance for DoD networks. Technical manuals provide operational guidelines, network infrastructure guides elaborate on technical configurations, and the Risk Management Framework offers a broad approach to security risk assessment but does not list approved products. The APL is unique in its focused intent to ensure that the right products are selected for secure operations within the DoD.