From: |
Katherine Lins/WRD/USGS/DOI@USGS 07/30/2004 2:37 PM |
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GS-W A |
cc: | GS-W ITAC |
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Latest ITAC minutes highlights |
Appended are the minutes form the latest ITAC meeting in Anchorage. Of note is the information on moving to Active Directory, the requirement for certain positions related to NWIS database administration or management to have a position sensitivity background check, and the current freeze on new web page development. Also, at the end to this year the Data Section Chief, Studies Section Chief & Database Chief positions will need to be replaced. Jeff Stoner will rotate into Chair. I am requesting that the Regional Hydrologists suggest nominees which I will then report at the next ITAC teleconference call (August 20). Currently the Data Section Chief, Brian McCallum, is from SE Region, the Studies Section Chief, Sonya Jones, from CR, and the Database Chief, Joel Johnson from WR. We want to continue to have regional representation if possible.
Alaska Science Center (ASC) overview by Steve Frenzel (Acting Center Chief at that time of ITAC meeting) and IT overview by Carla Simpson:
Carla is team leader for IT support under GIO; will answer to Leslie Holland-Bartells (new ASC Chief in August). 11 staff members on GIO Team — 7.5 FTEs; rest are contractors; supporting about 215 FTEs (250 people). Team — "really great" -- They integrate philosophy of mission statement into everyday work within constantly evolving environment. IT has been 3 years now.
The projects are not as integrated; however the Science Center's Philosophy is that “Different disciplines should be able to access each other's data. There is still a need to get scientists to collaborate and work more as a team. Lack of actual co-location is an issue.”
There had been some conversation with the University for co-location. This has become complicated because of relationships with more than one university in Alaska, so no real progress has been made to date.
TRAINING needs for IT people:
Terri has been asked to identify what type of training should be planned for IT staff during IT technical reviews. She suggested adding this to the IT Review Checklist. Many SAs and supervisors need assistance in identifying training for the IT staff's IDP's.
Can training be prioritized? RCSers will prioritize list of courses needed and request recommendations from ITSOT, SUN TAC, BWTST. (Terri Moore, WR; Scott, CR; Tim McElhone, ER)
Windows Office 2003 — Streaming video will be made on how to create Word template for creating reports before being put into InDesign. Phil Redman, CAPP, teaches these. This will be done by August 2004. 90% of people would not be using InDesign. Sandy suggested cutting course down to an hour from two. One DVD and online for streaming. E-mail should go out to everyone individually (not just via Bulletin Board).
For further reading, suggest you check out notes on:
AD (Active Directory) deployment plans for the entire Bureau and associated transfer to Windows 2000 and XP mandate by Paul Exter:
Requirements of WRD offices
Summary
DOI Website moratorium by Karen Klima:
Will be a freeze on Web-related software and hardware. One-year limit on this freeze. Web hardware and software have not been identified; will be by end of this fiscal year. Karen Siderelis has ultimate responsibility — not DOI.
Discussion:
The number of Web sites is being restricted - not necessarily the content of
the Web pages. Web pages may be updated, but new domains cannot be set up without
a waiver through the GIO from the Department. The Dept. has over 55,000 Web
sites (some redundant and some out-of-date) and only 70,000 employees. They
wanted to push a lot of clean-up and better monitor new Web sites. Will stress
having all Web sites registered. Enterprise Web Team is given challenge
to come up with a plan in next 180 days. Detailee from EPA working with them;
will be working with Communications Office and Enterprise Web group (Web Advisory
Group).
Wireless waiver process by Tim Quinn:
For those with wireless in their home, it is possible to control environment of Gov't computer used at home by installing certain encrypted package on system and building VPN network. (Tim does not see this environment any different than airport or hotel.) Wireless Team will be determining what that software will be to do this.
Non-Gov't computer for Gov't work: Negatives — Viruses; have to meet specific minimum standards; total cost of ownership is cheaper for Gov't to put a Gov't PC in someone's hands instead of dealing with liabilities, etc.; still may require encryption, firewall, etc.
Futures of Temporary DMZs by Kevin Gallagher and Lester North:
Basically, DMZs are servers put outside the firewall for public file transfers where the activity is more heavily monitored. A lot in the job of the ITSOT falls out of perimeter standards document. The more we proliferate DMZs, the more the potential for risk. Ideal would be only four DMZs for USGS. This is still the goal, using tools like reverse proxy.
Q: If a cost center has a temporary DMZ, what should ITAC members advise? Something will be put out later by the Dept. about this. Will be like Windows Support Team, where they can help and design solutions. Real-time delivery issues need to be kept in mind. Temporary DMZs are needed and they will stay until there is an alternative solution in place.
FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) update by Kevin Gallagher:
Sensitivity-level assignments (about 200 positions are “sensitive” –will require background investigations (some IT Specialists and system owners included and District Chiefs). No funding came with this; just a mandate. FISMA corrective action team is trying to figure out how to address the funding for these investigations. Can’t do all this by 7/31/04 – Okay if we at least have a process in place.
FISMA score for the department , the lowest common denominator is the score for the lowest scoring bureau in Interior; we have an 88.5 as a score. It’s always higher than Department score. They’re trying to figure out which bureau is “dragging them down.” We’re not the lowest bureau, but we’re down there (bottom three or four). Large distributed bureaus with large infrastructures are hard to get a good score. Scores are based on self-assessments (until 7/31/04). Then IG will come in and “check” and their score will go to Congress. We could end up with a “C.” (Not too bad from a previous “F”!)
The next ITAC meeting is proposed for Little Rock Arkansas (Central Region) in November 2004, a District that has not been visited by ITAC.
Feel free to recommend IT issues or questions for the agenda to the discipline representative Sandy Williamson.
Proposed topics for next meeting agenda:
ITAC Membership changes for calendar year 2005:
Rotation of Positions: Brian, Sonya, and Joel will be rotating out (Data Section Chief, Studies Section Chief & Database Chief positions will be needed). Jeff Stoner will rotate into Chair. Katherine will ask Regional Hydrologists to suggest nominees and report these at next ITAC teleconference call (August 20).
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Katherine Lins
Chief, Office of Water Information, WRD
U.S. Geological Survey
440 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-5014
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USGS :: ITAC :: Water :: Water Intranet :: WICAS
Address questions or comments to:
Kym Burns, ITAC Executive Secretary
(703) 648-5609