Universal Telecommunications Network NRCS Meeting

UniversalUniversal TelecommunicationsTelecommunications

NetworkNetwork

NRCS MeetingSeptember 2002

Topics For DiscussionTopics For Discussion

UTN Overview

Survey Findings

Focus Groups

Next Steps

UTN OverviewUTN Overview

The goal of the UTN is to provide USDA agencies and offices the fundamental shared corporate telecommunications capability necessary to support USDA missions and the business transformation process.

Vision for UTNVision for UTN

Robust telecommunications network

Scalable, reliable, secure, cost effective

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Enables USDA agencies to meet Departmental missions and goals for serving their customers

“UTN is the fundamental telecommunications enterprise infrastructure needed for USDA program delivery.”

Development and operation of a shared corporate telecommunications network

Consistent with Department’s enterprise architecture

Acquire world-class partners necessary to design, implement and operate network throughout USDA program life-cycle

UTN’s Targeted ObjectivesUTN’s Targeted Objectives

Initiate continuous monitoring and proactive network support service

Ensure business requirements drive telecommunications service

Provide best value, quality telecomm service in support of strategic goals

Provide secure enterprise network infrastructure

Introduce network management tools

Establish performance metrics to define secure, reliable, robust network

Establish SLA framework

UTN will provide common functionality UTN will provide common functionality and interoperability for USDAand interoperability for USDA

Reliability Robustness Customer Service Technology Infusion

Stability Scalability Best Value Security

UTN will ensure the following attributes:

Top-Level Yearly USDA Top-Level Yearly USDA Telecommunications Expenditures*Telecommunications Expenditures*

FY02 FY03 FY04

Total $93,793,085 $91,206,323 $95,325,543

**As Reported by the Agencies in the UTN Survey As Reported by the Agencies in the UTN Survey

(Note: Totals do not include cost data for: FAS, FSIS, FS, (Note: Totals do not include cost data for: FAS, FSIS, FS, FNS, DA, OO, GIPSA, ARS, OCR, OES, and OIG)FNS, DA, OO, GIPSA, ARS, OCR, OES, and OIG)

The The cost categoriescost categories include: data circuits, voice circuits, voice communications, include: data circuits, voice circuits, voice communications, international circuits, remote access, internet service provisioning, wireless, international circuits, remote access, internet service provisioning, wireless, security, managed service agreements, network support, personnel, hardware, security, managed service agreements, network support, personnel, hardware, and software.and software.

Baseline “As-Is”

Business and Technology Functions

UTN Solution

Synthesis

Business Requirements

Current Telecom

Transforming Business and Technology Transforming Business and Technology Functions to UTN Design AttributesFunctions to UTN Design Attributes

Business Requirements Drive UTN SolutionBusiness Requirements Drive UTN Solution

Goal of UTN Survey Ensure a clear understanding of the telecommunications requirements

of USDA Agencies and Offices in order to build the UTN to fit their needs

Methodology Requirements process began with collection and analysis of relevant

business-related and telecommunications data – focusing on Agency and Office responses to two web-based surveys

Examination of applicable industry standards and best practices, and information from existing OCIO documents also used

Results Functional requirements will provide the basis for:

Identifying major limitations of current baseline architecture Evaluating UTN alternative architectures and evolution strategies Developing network performance specifications

Ranking of High Priority Service Issues

Safeguarding Information26%

Improve Customer Service27%Outsourcing Services?

2%

Sharing Resources10%

Performance Measures11%

Centralized Netw ork11%

Electronic Commerce13%

Business Requirements/Survey FindingsBusiness Requirements/Survey Findings

Business, Telecom, and Data Networking Requirements Network stability identified as a major need

Need for uninterrupted and fast accesso To the public Internet and designated systems from the public Interneto To the USDA intranet and designated systems from the USDA intraneto Among USDA agencies

Available bandwidth and speed identified as limitations to the current network

Security

VPNs were a requirement stated by the majority of respondents

Two primary protection needs for secure communications were encryption and firewalls

Majority of data to be protected identified as financial data, privacy data, and other information defined as sensitive

Business Requirements/Business Requirements/ Survey FindingsSurvey Findings

Intranet-related service areas identified as either in use or planned by the Agencies Voice over IP (VOIP) Video (including teleconferencing) Wireless communications

Remote access identified as a fundamental requirement

Effective use of network services requires: Network systems monitoring, management, and reporting Help desk/call center Security Education and training

Need for effective communication of network-related outages, events, etc.

Services

Business Requirements/ Survey FindingsBusiness Requirements/ Survey Findings

Managed Services

Need for monitoring network, equipment, and circuits on a 24x7x365 basis

Need for proactively monitoring network indicators for potential emerging network incidents

Need for a controlled trouble resolution process including opening, managing, and closing trouble tickets

Network Monitoring, Management, Modeling, and Reporting

Identified subset of Agencies using SNMP-based monitoring and

management tools such as HP OpenView, CiscoWorks, MRTG, and the

network modeling tool OpNet.

Need identified for development of network monitoring guidelines and

sample configuration profiles for each of the major systems used

Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Top Priority Focus Groups VPN Web Server Architecture Capacity and Performance Planning Security Wireless

Purpose of Focus Groups Refine requirements from survey Communicate and share agency planning efforts Create a forum where synergies can be identified and developed

among common initiatives Provide an understanding of how UTN will meet the agency needs

Next Steps

Complete survey analysis and requirements definition Begin focus groups Begin planning pilots Begin development of UTN design concepts