In this months Issue:

• Enterprise Projects Update
• Agency of Administration IT Consolidation
• DII Re-Launches Web Site
• The State of the Web 2009
• Launch of the Information Security Website
• Notes from Network Engineering
• Employee Bio - Aaron Greene
• Enterprise SharePoint (MOSS) Infrastructure Project Update
• PM Corner - Low Cost Project Management Training
• BA Corner - Requirements Trawling

Enterprise Projects Update

by Tom Murray

Over the past year we have made significant progress in the area of statewide enterprise projects and improved project management. Several of the common government functions identified in the Strategic Enterprise Initiative (SEI) process now have an enterprise solution in place or are being implemented in 2009.

• Grants Management System: The statewide enterprise grants management system will be launched in April 2009 with the Department of Education’s grant programs. Our target is to expand the system over the next two to three years to encompass 90% of the state grants and application process, as well as making grants available online.
• Document Management System: In April of 2009 we will also launch the statewide Document Management system for state agencies. This system will allow electronic document collaboration, automated workflows and public access to documents. Several agencies will begin using this system to build their processes, such as permitting and regulatory dockets, online.
• Server Consolidation Project: The project to consolidate all of the state’s servers into one data center is well underway, and we have consolidated over 10% of our servers in 2008. In 2009 we plan to accelerate these efforts so that we can experience the efficiencies and the “green” benefits of a small technology footprint.
• Web Portal System: The state web portal continues to be a great success - dozens of state entities have now built their web sites in this enterprise environment. Several agencies, such as Courts, Tax, and DMV, have automated their payment processes and improved their compliance. The state’s goal is to have all government services available online by the end of 2011.
• Time and Labor Project: This critical project, allowing state employees to enter time reports and expenses online, has significant operational savings and efficiencies. The Governor has requested funding in the FY2010 Capital Bill to fund the implementation of this project.

These enterprise projects are significant improvements over the “stove-pipe” view of information technology that has existed in the past. Agencies have recognized that state government is better served if we collaborate toward shared solutions and services. I would like to thank all of you who have worked on bringing these projects to fruition.

Agency of Administration IT Consolidation

by Christine Hetzel, PMP

The goal of this project is to optimize the delivery of information technology services to the Agency of Administration and its customers. During this phase, the consolidation of information technology staff and systems in the Department of Buildings and General Services and Libraries under the Department of Information and Innovation will take place. While the primary driver for this consolidation is efficiencies, we fully expect service support levels on the whole to improve. An SLA will outline benchmarks and measures to ensure that both costs savings and the improvements in quality are tracked.

Buildings and General Services and Libraries IT Consolidation Timeline

Excellent progress has been made on this project. The inventory phase will be complete, on time, on Friday 3/20/09. Now that the systems have been documented, work has also begun on the planning phase. Each IT system will be individually analyzed and a transition plan developed. All transition plans will be developed by 5/1/09.

Quick Wins
One of the benefits of collaboration is the opportunity to leverage the strength of all team members and processes. Tom Murray had challenged the project team involved in this effort to review applications and processes utilized by the departments and identify systems and processes that would benefit the Agency as a whole and prioritize that effort.
As one example, BGS IT has multiple remote locations which make remote desktop support methodology a requirement and they have been using an application called NTR quite successfully for a number of years. DII has now acquired licenses and training to be able to use the remote desktop access application. The application has already proved its worth on a support call where a customer had reported an issue on their laptop from home. Normally, our process would require that customer to bring their laptop into the office the following day. Since we had the ability to log into the machine at the customers home and resolve the issue during the same call, turnaround time on the issue was greatly improved upon. This is just one example of the gained efficiencies the Agency will begin to enjoy.

DII Re-Launches Web Site

by Dave Tucker

DII has re-launched our website at www.dii.vermont.gov. The new website has been organized to hopefully better reflect how our end users and customers come to us looking for services.

The main navigation on the left side of the home page includes a new category called Service Catalog, which lists the various services provided by DII categorized by the type of service, as opposed to the work unit that provides the service. Each of those links leads to the relevant information that is organized based on the work division responsible for it. That way, if someone is looking for a service but doesn’t know who does it, they can find it on the Service Catalog page. On the other hand, those same services are listed on division landing pages for those who know that a particular division is the service provider.

Along with the Service Catalog link, there are links to DII Divisions, Enterprise Information Security (which links to Kris’ new website), Enterprise Project Management Office, IT Contracts and Procurement, a new link called Policy Central and finally the Web Portal Project.

If you have other ideas of ways that we can use this site to better inform you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

The State of the Web 2009

by Harry Bell

Things are changing on the Web for the State of Vermont. In May of 2006 the legislature created the Vermont Web Portal Board and authorized a self-funded, e-government environment. In October 2006 the state formed a relationship with Vermont Information Consortium (VIC) to manage the new system. Since that time, the CIO’s Office and VIC have developed a plan that is moving the state from the old fragmented approach using various incompatible tools to manage Web content, to a single dependable system that is common for all state and quasi-state entities.

The Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) now hosts 17 State of Vermont Web sites. More than 20 are under some stage of development. When a state entity moves their site into the ECMS there is no additional cost for development or hosting. The ECMS is provided as a service to state organizations as a part of the comprehensive Web Portal Contract. Sites that are currently hosted in the ECMS include Vermont Department for Children and Families, Department of Buildings and General Services, and Vermont’s Health Care Reform. Sites currently in development include the Office of the State Auditor, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Human Resources. 2008 also saw several enhancements to the ECMS including the addition of a blogging tool and Google Analytics that allow owners to track use of their sites.

There are several significant improvements to the Vermont.gov State Web Portal that are now available for use. These include: The addition of a Multimedia Center that functions like the state’s own version of You-Tube. The content on the Multimedia Center is hosted by VIC and allows state entities to stream video and audio files on their own sites; An upgrade to the Maps section that provides an interactive map of the state with various selectable layers that show points of interest; A new section on the Home Page called “Vermont.gov for...” that allows users to find information more quickly.

If you are interested in starting the process of moving your site into the ECMS or in using one of the improved features on Vermont.gov, please contact the Director of Web Services - Harry.Bell@state.vt.us.

Launch of the Information Security Website

by Kris Rowley

The Information Security website was launched the week of March 2. We are very proud of this new site. Check it out at: http://itsecurity.vermont.gov/. The site is one piece of a larger design to protect the State of Vermont’s information. Integrity, availability and confidentiality of information is crucial to the efficient functioning of the State’s business.

This site has been created to help you protect yourself, your family and your workplace from cyber crime. Information and computer security is one facet of life where small changes, made by many people, make a huge difference. The information contained in the site is for use at work and at home. Examples of the kind of information you can gather from the website is listed below.

What is cyber security?
It seems that everything relies on computers and the Internet now — communication (email, cell phones), entertainment (digital cable, MP3's), transportation (car engine systems, airplane navigation), shopping (online stores, credit cards), medicine (equipment, medical records), and the list goes on. How much of your daily life relies on computers? How much of your personal information is stored either on your own computer or on someone else's system? Cyber security involves protecting that information by preventing, detecting, and responding to attacks.

What are the risks?
There are many risks, some more serious than others. Among these dangers are viruses erasing your entire system, someone breaking into your system and altering files, someone using your computer to attack others, or someone stealing your credit card information and making unauthorized purchases. Unfortunately, there's no 100% guarantee that even with the best precautions some of these things won't happen to you, but there are steps you can take to minimize the chances.

What can you do?
The first step in protecting yourself is to recognize the risks and become familiar with some of the terminology associated with them.

Hacker, attacker, or intruder - These terms are applied to the people who seek to exploit weaknesses in software and computer systems for their own gain. Although their intentions are sometimes fairly benign and motivated solely by curiosity, their actions are typically in violation of the intended use of the systems they are exploiting. The results can range from mere mischief (creating a virus with no intentionally negative impact) to malicious (stealing or altering information).

Malicious code - This category includes code such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Although some people use these terms interchangeably, they have unique characteristics.

• Viruses - This type of malicious code requires you to actually do something before it infects your computer. This action could be opening an email attachment or going to a particular web page. 
• Worms - Worms propagate without user intervention. They typically start by exploiting a software vulnerability (a flaw that allows the software's intended security policy to be violated), then once the victim computer has been infected the worm will attempt to find and infect other computers. Similar to viruses, worms can propagate via email, web sites, or network-based software. The automated self-propagation of worms distinguishes them from viruses. 
• Trojan horses - A Trojan horse program is software that claims to be one thing while in fact doing something different behind the scenes. For example, a program that claims it will speed up your computer may actually be sending confidential information to a remote intruder.

We hope you visit the Information Security site often. The information will be changed on a regular basis. There is also an email address on the site where you can send questions and comments. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for the site.

Notes from Network Engineering

by Erik Amaliksen

Departmental / Facility Moves

It is quite common for Agencies and Departments to be moving to and from facilities due to consolidations, sick buildings and operational reorganization. It is unfortunate that facility network connectivity is often not planned with the same scrutiny as one would approach buying a new home. In home buying you look at recurring costs such as tax rates, school systems, electric and heating costs - all of which are a significant piece in determining your cost of ownership.

Network connectivity must be a factor in the early phase of selecting an appropriate facility to operate the business unit. In Vermont the availability of network connectivity options are usually limited. Not knowing what the network needs are or if connectivity services can support those needs could easily create a several thousand dollar monthly cost of business for one location.

So what are the recommended steps? First and foremost, work closely with BGS and DII from the very beginning of the project to assess location and network needs. Too often the Networking and Telecom groups at DII will hear two weeks prior to occupation of the facility that there is a connectivity need. This is the situation we need to avoid. Second, meet with the Department IT Staff and DII Network Engineering to accurately define the connectivity requirements and network options at each location being evaluated. Third, once all the variables have been provided to business management, and a facility has been decided upon, hold a more detailed discussion between the Department IT staff and DII Network Engineering to capture specific facility needs regarding network application traffic flow and firewall options. It is also a good time to address the Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity (BC) needs for the new facility. These plans should be worked through with BGS for the facilities identification, as well as DII Network Engineering and Telecom so that the network / telephony systems are designed to handle these operational moves.

Following this high level process should keep the move process smooth and avoid significant costs or delays.

Employee Bio - Aaron Greene

by Peter Jaquith

This article is the first in an ongoing series of biographies featuring individuals employed by DII. This month we are introducing Aaron Greene from the Network Engineering group. We hope you take this opportunity to get to know a little more about Aaron.

Aaron has been with DII in the Network Engineering group since May 2008 where he is a highly valued member of our team. This is Aaron’s first job with the State of Vermont. He is originally from Rutland, Vermont, and having been away attending college at the University of Arizona in recent years, Aaron was looking for an opportunity to come back home to Vermont and finally focus on the part of IT that he truly enjoys, Network Engineering. Aaron brings much experience to the position along with many current networking certifications.

Aaron and his wife Alma reside here in Montpelier and are looking to purchase their first home in the area. When Aaron is not busy at work or continuing his studies toward additional Cisco certifications, he enjoys playing and watching various sports. He currently plays ice hockey three to five times per week and is very enthusiastic to share his early morning hockey experiences with us, upon arriving at the office. He does not consider playing “World of Warcraft” online enough of a cardiovascular workout and thus elects not to participate.

Aaron was a member of the 1992 Div. II State Hockey Championship Team with Mount Saint Joseph’s Academy. He also used to be quite fluent in speaking Japanese, but says much of that is now gone. He now says he speaks fluent IOS (for you Cisco techies out there).

When asked what his favorite food, movie or book is, he responded with, “Well yeah, my favorites…..that would be uh, EIGRP for my favorite routing protocol, the IDSM-2 and IPS 4200 for my favorite security devices and Cisco Press “Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions” for my favorite book.”

Well, I think you get the point. Aaron certainly adds his networking knowledge, enthusiasm and yes, humor to the Network Engineering division. We are very glad to have him aboard with us!

Enterprise SharePoint (MOSS) Infrastructure Project Update

by Tom Jenny, PMP

SharePoint Infrastructure
Huge progress has been made since our last project update. We are pleased to say that the SOV project team and i3solutions have been hard at work building out the enterprise SharePoint server infrastructure. Currently the production and development/test server environments have been set up, MOSS has been installed, and we are working on various configuration tasks. We are testing the different components and setting up the ancilliary systems (back-up, anti-virus, server monitoring etc.) that support the enterprise SharePoint environment. i3solutions will be back on site in early April to build out the base portal offering, after which we will be conducting user acceptance testing. Barring any unforeseen problems, we expect the portal to be ready for general use in May!

SharePoint Governance Plan
The SharePoint Governance Board held its first meeting in January and is meeting on a monthly basis. The Board is actively working on developing a communications plan which will inform people about the SharePoint system. They are also detailing the “on boarding” process and policies that will govern access for departments and agencies to participate in and benefit from the enterprise SharePoint system.

Interested in learning more? Want to utilize SharePoint in your department or Agency?
As mentioned above, the SharePoint Governance Board is developing a communications strategy to inform state agencies and departments about the SharePoint system - what it can do for you and how to take advantage of it. One of the things we plan to do is hold informational sessions with departments and agencies that have expressed an initial interest, to discuss SharePoint, its capabilities and begin to explore how departments or agencies might benefit from this powerful tool. If you would like to learn more, please send me your contact information along with your agency/department name via email to: thomas.jenny@state.vt.us, with the phrase “enterprise SharePoint” in the subject line. I will make sure you get onto the list of interested parties that we will reach out to when that time comes.

Low Cost Project Management Training

by Christine Hetzel, PMP

Do you feel like all the balls you are juggling over your head are about to fall? Do you think you could benefit from project management training, but with the current budget cuts, think you can’t afford it?
Think again!
As a State of Vermont employee, you can attend a full day, project management training session at the Summit in Waterbury for only $10 on April 15, 2009. Sign up today, via the DHR website, at http://www.vermontpersonnel.org/employee/training.php.

Listed below are the topics we will be covering in the class:
Projects bring together resources, skills, technology and ideas to satisfy business objectives and deliver business benefits. Proper project management helps us identify and manage risks appropriately, and increases the likelihood we will meet project objectives. Good project managers insure benefits are achieved within budget, on time and to the required quality.

Course Objectives:

• Discuss the phases of the Project Management Life Cycle and a project manager's role in each phase.
• List and discuss basic project success criteria and common reasons for project failure. 
• Discuss techniques for setting up a strong project team. 
• List and discuss elements of a Risk Management Plan. 
• Discuss techniques for planning and sequencing project activities, including the Work Breakdown Structure and a Network Logic Diagram. 
• Identify the Critical Path for completing a project on schedule. 
• List and discuss the cost elements that should be included in a project budget. 
• Discuss techniques for controlling deviations from budget and schedule. 
• Discuss key elements for project management communications and reporting tools. 
• Discuss key activities of Project Close-out.

If you have further questions about the content of the class, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-1143.

I look forward to meeting you on the 15th.

Requirements Trawling - Conclusion

by Rick Daniell

Over the last few issues we’ve touched upon many different techniques or methods for gathering requirements. We have discussed topics such as brainstorming, mind mapping, apprenticing, and interviewing. The analogy we have been using is one of “trawling” for requirements, which is similar to casting a net in the water and gathering whatever gets caught in the net. This analogy can be applied to an organization as well - that is, we deploy a number of requirement gathering techniques that will help us capture as many requirements as possible to define a business opportunity.

The process of gathering business requirements relies on the utilization of numerous tools that extract information from our customers and clients. The Business Analyst needs to be skilled in the selection and application of requirement gathering tools. Much like the skilled angler, the right tool for the job needs to be chosen. A tiny silk casting net would never be used to land a blue-fin tuna; nor would a commercial fishing net be used to harvest bait fish.

We hope these articles have given you a taste of these techniques and how they can be used, so that your business requirement gathering will be more successful. Stay tuned for further notes!