IT INFRASTRUCTURE, POLICIES, AND STANDARDS

ECOLOGY'S IT ARCHITECTURAL DIRECTION

Background

The 1992 IRM Strategic Plan provided direction for information technology in Ecology in five areas: data; applications/software; hardware; data communications; and policies, organization, staffing, and funding. The 1992 IRM Strategic Plan also identified 35 strategic projects which would initiate implementation of the intended architectural direction and 19 "application opportunity" projects which would offer significant benefits to the agency by building on the foundation to be provided by the strategic projects.

More than a year and a half has passed since Ecology's publication of the 1992 IRM Strategic Plan. During that time, significant changes have taken place, most notably, the move of all headquarters staff to Ecology's new headquarters building in the fall of 1993. Another significant change has been the more than ten percent reduction in agency IS staff. During this process, Ecology has made significant progress towards implementing the 1992 plan including establishment of an agencywide network; implementation of agencywide E-mail; selection of data administration and project management tools and a systems development method; and establishment of numerous IT standards. Appendix D and Appendix E list the current status of each of the 54 projects of the 1992 IRM plan.

Although Ecology's IT architectural direction has been established, it will continue to be refined over time in response to continued learning, changes in business needs, and advances in technology. Implementation will involve a significant investment of effort and funds. It also will require time for significant cultural adjustment, training, and physical conversions.

Benefits to be Derived from IT Architectural Direction

• Increased, ready access to current, needed information, regardless of location or data stewardship

• Reduced redundancies of data and applications

• Improved data quality, reliability, and timeliness

• Increased communications among agency staff

• Reduced costs for travel, mail handling, and document storage

• Increased productivity of individuals and work groups

• Increased sharing of IT resources

• Increased security of key information

• Reduced application, software, and hardware maintenance

• Increased application development efficiencies

• Increased skills in specialized areas

• More effective use of available training funds

• Improved IS service delivery

• More effective use of available IS funds

Ecology's IT Architectural Direction

Data Architecture: Leveled data integration.

• Cross-agency common and Ecology common data will be maintained in large server or mid-range computer data bases to which all authorized users have access. Individual programs will continue to define and maintain individual program data and provide needed access by other programs and external users.

• A standard translate and transfer utility will be developed to facilitate periodic data integration.

• An on-line, agencywide data index will be developed.

Applications/Software Architecture: "Planned Right-Sizing".

• Appropriate use will be made of mainframe, mid-range/server, workstation, and PC platforms.

• Buying needed applications where possible is emphasized over building them from scratch.

• Client-server architecture is emphasized.

• Standards are being developed for each major type of software used by the agency.

Hardware Architecture: "Planned Right-Sizing" with standards to ensure a specified level of compatibility.

• Appropriate use will be made of mainframe, mid-range/server, workstation, and PC platforms.

• Specifications-based standards will continue to be developed for all hardware except data communications backbone equipment for which a brand-specific standards were established by the new headquarters building.

Data Communications Architecture

• A single logical agencywide network has been established.

• Ethernet technology is the agency standard. Token Ring technology also is supported. FDDI is used for the network backbone in the new headquarters building.

• NOVELL Netware is the standard network operating system.

• Ecology contracts for wide area communications services where cost effective.

• TCP/IP is used as the agency internetworking transport protocol.

Policies, Organization, Staffing, and Funding

• IT policies will be established.

• A service request system will be established.

• Information resources inventory methods will be improved. Ecology's Executive Management Team will provide direction to and set priorities for the IS organization.

• The Information Services Council will continue to coordinate and enhance policy setting, standards development, and issue resolution.

• The IS organization is being reviewed to provide optimally efficient and effective IS service delivery.

• An agencywide IS funding strategy will be sought.

CHANGES TO FOSTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IT PLAN

• Improved integration of business and IT planning process and activities

• Continuing participation by executive management

• Development of an agency IT funding/investment strategy

• Achieving near parity among IS support units in agency programs

• Emphasizing and supporting continual IT skills development at three levels: IS staff, users, and management

COMPLIANCE WITH STATE STRATEGIC IT STANDARDS