Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service

 Hardware/Software Licensing

• FS and BLM are moving toward sharing their contracts for hardware and software procurement. BLM has a similar RS/6000 IBM system although their system configuration is slightly different. They do not use DCE or Applix.
• FS and BLM is also moving toward sharing a single software image, ie, the FS and BLM contract would be modified to include software that both agencies need. It appears this move is intended to help the BLM and FS work as a single integrated agency.
  

Telecommunications and Network Sharing

Email Connectivity

Helpdesk/Technical Support

• Presented by Mickie Marjerison and Scott MacPherson.
• FS and BLM looking at a single site for both BLM and FS technical support. The issue, though, is each agency is at different revisions on software, and in some cases using different software products.
• BLM uses Remedy, a COTS product to support their helpdesk.
• BLM has user groups such as System Admin, DBA, etc. to identify technical and support issues.
• BLM produces statistics on helpdesk problems by topic, date received, and geographic location.

BLM and FS LAN Sharing and Co-Location

• Presented by Marsha Scutvick, Lynn Vancil (FS) and Wayne Elvin (BLM).
• R-6 RO and Oregon BLM State Offices are co-locating.
• Items to consider for co-location:
• evel of effort (co-locate, co-mingle or complete integration)
• time horizon
• funding availability
• cost allocation
• administrative agreements
• levels of privileged system/network access
• wiring standards
• Concern about dual file code designations and filing systems.
• FS Chief and BLM Director signed joint letter to look at sharing and co-location opportunities. This effort is called Trading Post and info can be found on R-6's website.

IT Security Policies and Firewalls

• Presented by Peggy LeBaron, Ken Wilbert (BLM) Grant Dekker, and Ray Bunster (FS)
• Both FS and BLM have similar IT security policies.
• Access guidelines:
• Accept respective IT security certification
• Unrestricted access to trusted users only
• External access controlled
• Data and information access
• Full access to general agency information
• Agency sensitive information access to specific employees
• Network Architecture
• BLM uses DOI backbone, which requires firewalls at 18 BLM sites. The FS, however, does not use an external network. There are only 2 entry points into the FS network, which means that only 2 firewalls are needed.
• Network connections between FS and BLM will be done by a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPN connections have been established between BLM sites in Denver and Phoenix with the FS Washington Office. There will be a total of 18 VPN connections between the FS and BLM at full implementation.
• Risks and Impacts
• Not a panacea
• Operational concerns
• Scaled the Risk
• Local Sites
• If an FS and BLM site want to connect their network it must be coordinated with John Gavin and Ray Bunster in the WO.

Records Management Coordination between FS and BLM

• Presented by Wendy Spencer (BLM).
• Need to look at integrating the two agency approaches to records management.
• Develop joint training sessions between FS and BLM.

Spatial Data Management

• Presented by Bob Ader (FS).
• Data Management Team Objectives
• Existing policies and philosophies
• Summarize functions
• Identify roles
• Provide guidance
• Review available tools
• DM is not agency specific.
• Data management needs for internal and external coordination.
• Establish meta-data standards.
• Identify data stewards and sponsors.
• Implement support structure such as data administrators, case tools, and policies/procedures.
• Every dataset will have a steward and must be certified to ensure proper management.

FS Resource Information (Ecosystem Management Team Business Proposal)

• Presented by Jack Arthur.
• Whats needed
• Resource information coherence at ecosystem and national levels.
• More support for natural resource information standards and data structures.
• More efficient development and support of resource information systems.
• FS Initiative underway to develop nationally supported standards and DB for:
• Existing vegetation
• Soils, geology, climate
• Hydrology, aquatic ecology
• Constructed features
• Products developed so far:
• GIS core data layer standards
• Data structure and standards for timber stand information
• Data structure and standards for soils information.

BLM Data Dictionary

• Presented by Rene ? (BLM).
• BLM has new data administrator.
• BLM developed their own data dictionary tool because no COTS application was available for Informix and AIX. BLM has never had a good configuration management tool for data administration, and application development.

Geographic Coordinate Database

• Presented by Bob Ader (BLM).
• Objective of GCDB is to meet data threshold for the BLM ALMRS system.
• FS and BLM are developing a logical data model that will allow the 2 agencies to share information between the ALPS and ALMRS applications.

BLM/FS Radio Sharing Initiative

• Presented by Ron Strong (BLM) and Doug Hodge (FS).
• Look at how to share facilities, technicians, networks, and frequencies.
• FS will use analog technology for modernization while BLM uses digital.
• FS is looking at using the DOI radio contract.
• BLM radio standards (APCO 25) include having equipment that is network (ip) addressable, analog and digital capable, and programmable on the fly.
• Look at implementing a radio trunking network, which allows several agencies in one area to share frequencies and networks.
• FS/BLM coordination will focus on the coordination of infrastructure first (repeaters and base stations).
• The entire state of Michigan has moved to a digital radio network.
• After 2004 NTIA will require additional narrowbanding of frequencies in use.
• APCO 25 compliant radios are flash upgradeable which will be useful when new narrowbanding requirements are announced.

BLM/FS Closeout and Action Items

• Action Items

 In the meeting these 34 were tentatively grouped into the 13 major BLM/FS coordination areas below. (Further grouping may be done later.)