ITAC -- Cyber Meeting
April 18, 2003 -- 11:00am -- 1:00pm ET

Audio Port number, call:  509-353-3193 -- No password or code required.
For connection problems, contact Sandy Williamson on (253) 428-3600 X2683

Attendees:

The following members attended today's conference call:

The following members were unable to attend today's conference call:

Tentative Agenda:

• Review of Outstanding action items -- McCallum
• DRGS issue:   Update on DRGS/satellite feed failure -- McCallum
• Training Management System -- Grady Moore

Discussion Notes:

1. Review of Outstanding ITAC action items -- Brian McCallum

• Mar2003.Cyber.1 -- In Progress. Since Greg is at this meeting, Nelson will take the initiative to have a couple of districts write-up an evaluation on GoLive and Dreamweaver. We need a justification and a matrix to send to the districts as an evaluation on these tools.

New   (Apr2003.Cyber.7)   Nelson -- will contact Howard Perlman and John Parks to do an evaluation and a write-up on the Adobe Go-Live and Macromedia Dreamweaver Web design packages.
-- Sandy volunteered 1-days funding for Howard and John to work on this evaluation and write-up.
• Feb2003.PR.1 -- Pending. Until email notification from Jessie Alvarez has been sent to the field.
• Feb2003.PR.4 -- In Progress. Nelson is working on getting a headcount on NTEs -- but waiting on hard numbers to be more stable to figure out the unit costs.

New   (Apr2003.Cyber.1)   Tom Wood -- will get the numbers from Paul Exter (unit cost on DOI Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft) and send to Nelson, Grady, Scott, and Sandy so they can completed their work on the "Puerto Rico (Feb2003.PR.4) action item.
• Feb2003.PR.5 -- In Progress. Greg Allord not available to comment.
• Feb2003.PR.8 -- In Progress. Tom Wood commented that Garry Neverdon is involved in consolidating ftp server. Jessie commented that she has been charged with heading up a team to write a Project Plan for the Bureau on the ftp server consolidating. Jessie is to state in this plan who will be on the team, among other things; then the IT SOT (Security Operations Team) is to review the plan. In a meeting scheduled for the week of April 21, many issues on the ftp server consolidation and this project plan will be hashed out (such as, whose role will do what, etc).
• Feb2003.PR.9 -- In Progress. This action item is dependent on the previous action item (Feb2003.PR.8.)
• Feb2003.PR.11 -- Mark this action as completed, as it was merged with Feb2003.PR.8 at the last conference call meeting.
• Feb2003.PR.12 -- Pending. Katherine commented that Greg Allord is working on developing a cost savings plan and it is to be done by June -- and this action item is dependent on Greg's cost savings plan.
• Feb2003.PR.14 -- In Progress. Sandy will continue to follow up with Kevin Gallagher and/or Alan Davidson on this action item (to explore Oracle solutions).
• Feb2003.PR.16 -- In Progress. Debra Tracey sent emails to all Water Admin Officers and continues to receive questions from the field AOs; Debra will consolidate this list of questions to be presented to Sherry Smith at headquarters. Sherry will be asked to attend the June meeting to discuss the AOs questions and to provide some response to their concerns. Scott will invite Sherry Smith to the June meeting.
• Feb2003.PR.19 -- In Progress. Graig McHendrie has not responded to Margaret on setting the Lotus notes abbrevs for ER and WR studies chief group. The studies chiefs' names are needed to populate the list.

ADD-ON   New AI (Apr2003.Cyber.2)   Jessica - will follow-up with Graig about the issue, and to have Graig send out an email.
• Feb2003.PR.23 -- In Progress. Jessica is working at finalizing the answers to the 6 questions from the Puerto Rico district employees; and will get back to the PR district asap.
• Feb2003.PR.25 -- In Progress and tabled for the June meeting in Pennsylvania. Tom Wood reported this is still ongoing; he also mentioned that the SQL-server is to be pulled out of the Enterprise Agreement.

It was brought up that Water might need a DB TAC group to say when to do what -- guidelines on meda-data, etc. -- Katherine recommended that this be put on the agenda for the June meeting (discussion of the formation of a Database TAC group).
New   (Apr2003.Cyber.3)   Scott, Katherine, and Colleen Babcock -- will write up a draft charter for this new DB TAC group.

• Jan2003.Cyber.2 -- Tabled, pending deployment of NWIS-RT.
• Jan2003.Cyber.5 -- Mark as Complete -- this is not an ITAC action item.
• Sep2002.AL.8 -- In Progress. Joel reported that he'd spoken with Colleen Babcock who said that there are NWIS folks working on for data base training for each discipline (Dorrie on QW / Lynn Taylor on GW / Joel on SW).

New   (Apr2003.Cyber.4)   Joel -- will set up a conference call with these folks and Colleen to prepare an agenda for this training. Right now it looks like the training could be in August 2003 at the NTC.

Ruth needs to modify the Sep2002.AL.8 action item to remove the first paragraph in the description -- and only mention the DB Training class. -- Done, 4/18/03

• Sep2002.AL.20 -- Pending.
• Jul2002.Cyber.2-4 -- In Progress. Loren will be invited to attend the the next cyber conference in May to give us an update on SLEDS.

New   (Apr2003.Cyber.5)   Brian -- will contact Loren and invite him to the May conference call for a SLEDS status report.
• Jan2002.NV.1 -- Complete.
• Jan2002.NV.2 -- Complete. -- This action is old, and should have been done by active directory -- ITAC maybe should still keep the pressure on! But is appropriate to go ahead and drop from the action item listing due to it being an old action item.

Katherine commented that Paul Exter wrote a recommendation on a pilot of centralized AD Structure -- Paul's issues were:

1. getting a memo out to WRD asking they not joint in the pilot because it's unsupported.
2. and to support those sites that had already made the switch.
• Jan2002.NV.6 -- Pending Action. This depends on the action of senior staff on new guidelines (NARA can't do anything on this yet). Hopefully senior staff will committ knowledgeable folks on "how to, and what to do to address science records". -- Pending the senior staff plans on the Archival Program Committee.
2. DRGS issue:   update on the progress from NESDIS since the crash -- Brian McCallum

• Issue: Wallops Island was hit by lightening which knocked out satellite transmission of data.
• Susan reported that Ernie Dreyer is on a group (SEWIG, Corps, & BLM -- alot of important players in this group). Decision made that this group come up with requirements to get a backup satellite system for relaying data. Ernie will lead this group in the effort and will be reporting back to Susan on progress and status. Susan will relay the status to the ITAC.

New   (Apr2003.Cyber.6)   Susan Trapanese -- will invite Ernest to call in during the June meeting to report on the status of the interagency "Wallops backup site" group's requirements to get a backup satellite system for relaying data.
3. Training Management System (TMS) -- Grady Moore

• Deferred this discussion until the June (Pennsylvania) meeting -- since Grady is not in attendance today.
• New   (Apr2003.Cyber.9) Debra Tracey -- will consolidate the list of issues she has received from the AOs (as a result of her email to all Water AOs asking for their input), and forward to Sherry Smith (Headquarters Training Officer / Contact).
• New   (Apr2003.Cyber.10) Scott McEwen -- will invite Sherry Smith to the June meeting re the TMS discussion and to provide some answers to our AOs questions/concerns.
4. Real-time Hazards Focus Group -- Scott McEwen

• This interdiscipline group was assembled to define network and information delivery requirements for Karen Siderelis to use to convey our Internet connectivity/access needs to Hord Tipton (DOI).
• Carol is the lead on the team. WRD representatives are: Brian McCallum (GA), Larry Smith (CA), Harry House (WI), Robert Mason (OSW), and Scott McEwen (CR)
• This focus group needs to write requirements defining USGS's needs for Internet access to USGS real-time hazards information. Requirements will include bandwidth, uptime, accessibility, etc.
5. Next Cyber meeting -- May 16 cyber conference call at 11:00 ET

• Brian can't make this particular call unless it's moved to May 23.
• Sonya could lead the meeting is on May 16.
• New   (Apr2003.Cyber.8a)   Brian -- will send out email polling on the two dates for the next conference call.
• Sandy has recommended that the next cyber call we use "Sametime" vs "Raindance" for viewing.
  New   (Apr2003.Cyber.8b)   Sandy -- will handle the technical details of using Sametime.
• New   (Apr2003.Cyber.8c)   Sandy -- will set up the audio bridge once a definite meeting date is decided.
6. June ITAC meeting -- on schedule in New Cumberland, PA.
   • Hotel reservations at Holiday Inn -- Exit 18 of the PA Turnpike & Interstate 83 Exit 40A in New Cumberland, PA (717-774-2721)
     can now be made for June 9-11, checking out on the June 12.
   • Brian is flying to Baltimore and driving up to New Cumberland.
   • Send your itineraries made and sent in to Ruth for posting on the web and coordinating on travel plans, etc.

New Action Items:

Legend for AI Identifier:   Apr2003.Cyber.1 = month, year, location, & action item number for each ITAC meeting.


AI Identifier	Person(s) Assigned / Description of Action Item / Status of AI/Comment
Apr2003.Cyber.1 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Tom Wood Description of Action Item:   Tom will get the (unit cost on DOI Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft) numbers from Paul Exter and send to the four persons working on the Feb2003.PR.4 action item (Nelson, Grady, Scott, and Sandy). Status of AI/Comment:   Done, 4/18/03 -- Reference the information Paul gave Tom on the unit cost for the MS EA packages as discussed in our ITAC call earlier today. Unit pricing is the far right column.
Apr2003.Cyber.2 add-on to Feb2003.PR.19	Person(s) Assigned:  Jessica Alvarez Description of Action Item:   Jessica will follow-up with Graig McHendrie about responsing to Margaret's request for a new Lotus notes abbrev for ER and WR studies chief group. The studies chiefs' names are needed to populate the last out an email. Jessie will also ask Graig to send out a email re the studies chiefs names. Status of AI/Comment:   updated information added onto previous Feb2003.PR.19 action item
Apr2003.Cyber.3 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Scott McEwen, Katherine Lins, and Colleen Babcock Description of Action Item:   It was brought up that Water might need a DB TAC group to say when to do what -- guidelines on meda-data, etc. -- Katherine recommended that this be put on the agenda for the June meeting (discussion of the formation of a Database TAC group). (Apr2003.3)   Scott, Katherine, and Colleen Babcock -- will write-up a draft charter for this new DB TAC group. Status of AI/Comment:     Done, 6/11/03
Apr2003.Cyber.4 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Joel Johnson Description of Action Item:   Joel will set up a conference call with Dorrie Gellenbeck (QW), Lynn Taylor (GW), and Colleen to prepare an agenda for the DBA training. Right now it looks like the training could be in August 2003 at the NTC. Status of AI/Comment:   Done, 6/6/03 -- Per Joel's email message: I met with Dorrie, Lynn, Colleen, Linda Geiger and Sonya Vasques last week. The results are that we have reserved NTC for two, one-week sessions: Nov 17-21, 2003 & Jan 26-30, 2004. Depending on demand, a third could be added later on in 2004. Attached is the proposed class outline/schedule, for your review.
Apr2003.Cyber.5 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Brian McCallum Description of Action Item:   Scott will contact Loren to invite him to the May conference call for a SLEDS status report. Status of AI/Comment:   Done, Brian contacted Loren on 4/18.
Apr2003.Cyber.6 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Susan Trapanese Description of Action Item:   Susan will invite Ernest to conference call into the June meeting to report on the status of the interagency "Wallops backup site" group's requirements to get a backup satellite system for relaying data. Status of AI/Comment:     Done, Susan contacted Ernest 5/7/03
Apr2003.Cyber.7 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Nelson Description of Action Item:   Nelson will contact Howard Perlman (Atlanta, GA) and John Parks (Guaynabo, PR) to do an evaluation and a write-up on GoLive and Dreamweaver Web design packages. -- Sandy volunteered 1-days funding for Howard and John to work on this evaluation and write-up. Status of AI/Comment:   Done, 6/8/03 update-- Howard Perlman (GA) and Jeremy Floyd (TN) were unable to write-up a comparison of various HTML editors for this action item, due to other demands on their time. John Parks (PR) was willing and able to do a comparison of Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, and Microsoft FrontPage. GoLive was purchased for John. He received the CD"s on Thursday, May 29. He has installed the software, and is rapidly coming up to speed. I am also doing a comparison of Dreamweaver and GoLive. Because it took so long to get the GoLive software, it will be late this week before an evaluation can be completed, and a recommendation made. Expected outcome -- Following a brief discussion of the recommendation developed by John and me, ITAC will be asked to vote on whether or not to endorse the recommended HTML editor as a standard for WRD. If Dreamweaver is recommended, then DIS will be asked to negotiate a better price than that negotiated by DOI.
Apr2003.Cyber.8a COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Brian Description of Action Item:   Brian will send out email polling which dates (May 16 or May 23 both at 11:00 ET) for the next conference call. Status of AI/Comment:   Done, and the meeting will be rescheduled to May 23 at 11:00.
Apr2003.Cyber.8b COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Sandy Description of Action Item:  Sandy will handle the technical details of using Sametime vs Raindance for the cyber transmission. Status of AI/Comment:
Apr2003.Cyber.8c COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Sandy Description of Action Item:  Sandy will set up the audio bridge for the May cyber conference meeting -- once a definite meeting date is decided. Status of AI/Comment:
Apr2003.Cyber.9 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Debra Tracey Description of Action Item:   Debra will consolidate the Total Management System (TMS) issues she has received from the AOs (in response to her email to all Water AOs asking for their input on TMS), and forward to Sherry Smith (Headquarters Training Officer / Contact) -- for a discussion at the June ITAC meeting. Status of AI/Comment:     ATTACHMENT
Apr2003.Cyber.10 COMPLETED	Person(s) Assigned:  Scott McEwen Description of Action Item:   Scott will invite Sherry Smith to the June ITAC meeting to present ITAC with responses to the AOs list of questions. Status of AI/Comment:   DONE -- 5/22/03 update -- Brian, Grady, and Debra:   Regarding the following AI, I've invited Sherry, and she accepted. Then, we suggested that she conference call. Given that we need her for only a few minutes or an hour and given travel restrictions, the latter makes the most sense to me, at this point. Are we all in agreement?

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Address questions or comments to:

Kym Burns, ITAC Executive Secretary
(703) 648-5609