National Wildland Fire and Aviation

System Coordination Group (SCG)

Meeting Minutes

Boise, Idaho

July 8, 2005

**Attendees**

  ----- -----------------------------------------------------------------
        **Members:**

  X     Al Borup -- NWCG IRM-PMO (Chair)

  X     Mike Barrowcliff -- USDA FS (Vice-Chair)

  X     John Gebhard -- BLM

  X     Gladys Crabtree -- NPS

        Andrea Olson -- FWS

  X     David Potter -- BIA

        Rick Mills -- DOI Aviation

        TBD -- Fire Research

        Keith Smith -- NASF

        Jon Skeels - ROSS

  X     George Conley -- IQCS

  X     John Noneman -- FPA

        Dan Keller -- FPA/Landfire

        Bruce Jeske - Landfire

        Dorothy Albright -- IBA

  X     Andy Gray -- ICSB-R

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        

        
  ----- -----------------------------------------------------------------

+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |                                                                   |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| * | **[Topic]{.mark}** -- June IRMWT Recap                            |
| * |                                                                   |
| 1 | [Presenter]{.mark} -- Mike Barrowcliff                            |
| * |                                                                   |
| * |                                                                   |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Discussion:*                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Mike gave a brief overview of the topics discussed at the June  |
|   | > IRMWT meeting. For specifics of that meeting, see the           |
|   | > appropriate IRMWT minutes. Of interest to the SCG, the IRMWT:   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   approved the SCG membership roster and chair selection        |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   designated David Potter as Liaison to the SCG                 |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   does not yet have a recommendation for a Fire Research rep    |
|   |     for the SCG                                                   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   concurred with SCG recommendations for HelpDesk and Fire      |
|   |     "Forest" studies                                              |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   assigned the Help Desk study task to the SCG                  |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   developed a list of priorities for the SCG                    |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | -   set their next meeting dates as September 27^th^ thru 29^th^  |
|   |     in Missoula                                                   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | > The group discussed the SCG priorities list from the IRMWT:     |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 1.  FTP short-term                                                |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   no longer relevant - issues resolved)                     |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 2.  FTP long-term                                                 |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   There already is a small task group looking into this     |
|   |         issue (Goodman/Guenther)                                  |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   Since this is cast as an SCG priority, we need that group |
|   |         to report its finding to the SCG, and then the SCG will   |
|   |         deliver recommendations back to the IRMWT                 |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 3.  Change Management Process                                     |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   A task group for this will be discussed at this meeting   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 4.  Interagency Help Desk                                         |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   A task group for this will be discussed at this meeting   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 5.  Bandwidth requirements                                        |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   No action taken to address this at this time              |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 6.  NWCG system criteria                                          |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   SCG concurs that this is still an issue, but no action    |
|   |         taken at this time                                        |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 7.  Fire Forest                                                   |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   John Gebhard leads a task group assigned by the IRMWT to  |
|   |         look into this proposal.                                  |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   Since this is cast as an SCG priority, we requested that  |
|   |         John's group report its finding to the SCG, and then the  |
|   |         SCG will deliver recommendations back to the IRMWT        |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 8.  Shared consolidated services                                  |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   SCG feels that this priority is a foundational reason the |
|   |         SCG was formed and not a specific task for us to deal     |
|   |         with                                                      |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 9.  Transition from Project to O&M                                |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   Al has begun a draft NWCG System Transition Plan and, as  |
|   |         time allows, will continue refining it for the SCG's      |
|   |         review                                                    |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 10. Bureaucratic stuff (like System Status Reporting)             |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   John Skeels has offered to develop a System Reporting     |
|   |         Template                                                  |
|   |                                                                   |
|   | 11. Retiring systems                                              |
|   |                                                                   |
|   |     -   SCG agrees that a guideline document for retiring systems |
|   |         should be developed, but other priorities need to be      |
|   |         addressed first. No action to be taken at this time       |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Action Items:*                                                 |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Priority #2 Gladys will ask Susan Goodman and Dale Guenther to  |
|   | > report their long-term FTP study finding back to the SCG for    |
|   | > discussion and recommendation                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Priority #7 John Gebhard will report the finding of this study  |
|   | > back to the SCG for discussion and recommendation               |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Priority #9 Al needs to continue work on the Transition Plan    |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Priory #10 John Skeels needs to circulate a draft System Status |
|   | > Reporting template to the SCG for review                        |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| * | **[Topic]{.mark}** -- IQCS Performance Problems                   |
| * |                                                                   |
| 2 | [Presenters]{.mark} -- George Conley                              |
| * |                                                                   |
| * |                                                                   |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Discussion:*                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Al began the session by stating that this session was an        |
|   | > attempt to get all comments on the table in order to discover   |
|   | > the truths behind the latest spate of rumors about how this     |
|   | > system has been performing. George presented an in-depth,       |
|   | > technical description of the factors contributing to IQCS       |
|   | > performance issues. Basically, the system is being utilized in  |
|   | > a different way (using multiple windows) than was foreseen      |
|   | > during design. PeopleSoft parameters are being adjusted for the |
|   | > newly discovered concurrent workloads for users and processes.  |
|   | > Performance increases are being gained. A variety of network    |
|   | > and performance tools are being utilized to analyze performance |
|   | > issues. George is completing the draft of an information        |
|   | > bulletin about IQCS performance issues that is to be            |
|   | > distributed to the business community using IQCS. Intent is to  |
|   | > share what is happening and to request continued input from the |
|   | > users. Individual agency network latency appears to also be a   |
|   | > problem. SCG suggests that, if possible, George expand the      |
|   | > scope of queries to the users to also ask about performance of  |
|   | > other interagency systems. In a side topic, George notes that   |
|   | > the BLM will be performing an independent review of the IQCS    |
|   | > system -- possible as soon as this winter.                      |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > In follow-on discussion, the SCG noted that open communication  |
|   | > about these types of issues would help prevent assumptions and  |
|   | > rumors. The SCG noted also that we are not really taking        |
|   | > advantage of the SCG mailing list to share system-related       |
|   | > information. As topics of IRM-related issues arise within       |
|   | > individual members' agencies, we should strive to circulate     |
|   | > these emails via the SCG mailing list.                          |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Action Items:*                                                 |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > George will send courtesy copies of IQCS performance related    |
|   | > documents and emails to the SCG membership list to aid in       |
|   | > greater communication and information sharing                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > The SCG members, as a whole, agree to share all system-related  |
|   | > email with the entire SCG membership.                           |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| * | **[Topic]{.mark}** -- Help Desk Opportunities Study               |
| * |                                                                   |
| 3 | [Presenter]{.mark} -- Al Borup                                    |
| * |                                                                   |
| * |                                                                   |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Discussion:* The SCG discussed the scope of this task. As      |
|   | > written, it states that HelpDesk needs from all interagency     |
|   | > fire and aviation systems are to be examined. The SCG feels     |
|   | > that this is unreasonable scope and that we need to identify    |
|   | > the "core" systems to be examined. John Gebhard will provide Al |
|   | > a starter list of what the BLM considers core. Al will          |
|   | > distribute this to the SCG for further consideration            |
|   | > (deletions/additions) of systems/areas to be examined in this   |
|   | > study. Al will distribute this list to the task group lead(s)   |
|   | > by July 15th, along with a clearly articulated task assignment. |
|   | > The SCG felt that this task should have Co-Task Leaders. Jon    |
|   | > Skeels (FS) and Tina Vorbek (BLM) have been designated as the   |
|   | > leaders for this task group. Task group members have been       |
|   | > identified as Greg Jensen (BLM), Faye Chandler (FS), Gina Bald  |
|   | > (FS), and David Potter (SCG). Additionally, John Gebhard        |
|   | > suggests that the HelpDesk study also examine potential for an  |
|   | > interagency discussion forum mechanism.                         |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Action Items:*                                                 |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > John Gebhard will validate the participation of the BLM task    |
|   | > group members                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Mike Barrowcliff will validate the participation of the FS task |
|   | > group members                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > John will send Al a list of "core" systems                      |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Al will enhance the list and send it to the SCG for review and  |
|   | > comment                                                         |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > SCG will respond with their comments back to Al by July 15th    |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Al will wordsmith the task assignment and get it to the task    |
|   | > group leads by the 15th, along with the list of systems to be   |
|   | > analyzed                                                        |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| * | **[Topic]{.mark}** -- NWCG Change Management Plan Guidelines      |
| * |                                                                   |
| 4 | [Presenter]{.mark} -- Al Borup                                    |
| * |                                                                   |
| * |                                                                   |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Discussion:*                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > The SCG discussed the task to create these guidelines, and      |
|   | > different perspectives arose over the merits of such an         |
|   | > endeavor. The group finally concurred that an attempt to create |
|   | > these guidelines was a good idea. Task Group lead will be Al    |
|   | > Borup. Task Group team membership suggestions were John Lutzow  |
|   | > (BLM), Merrie Johnson (NPS), Mike Barrowcliff (FS), and John    |
|   | > Noneman (FPA). SCG agrees that the existing DRAFT NWCG Change   |
|   | > Mgmt guidelines will provide a place to start.                  |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   | > *Action Items:*                                                 |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > John Gebhard will validate the participation of the BLM task    |
|   | > group members                                                   |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Gladys Crabtree will validate the participation of the NPS task |
|   | > group member                                                    |
|   | >                                                                 |
|   | > Al will call a preliminary task group meeting in the next       |
|   | > couple of weeks -- task group sessions should strive to last no |
|   | > longer that ½ day                                               |
+---+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

> ***Round Robin:***

-   Andy

    -   Open house demo of the Yantra package for ICBS-R was very well
        received.

    -   Al noted that the RAWS depot is about ready to procure a system
        for their maintenance inventory and suggested that Andy get the
        Yantra folks and the RAWS depot folks (Kazimir) together to see
        if we can leverage our Yantra toolset investment. Andy and
        John G. will follow up.

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-   John Noneman

    -   Suggested that an interagency on-line discussion forum be
        created for national users to discuss and share information
        about national systems use. SCG agrees that this idea has merit
        and suggests that its consideration could possibly be a part of
        the HelpDesk study Task Group's assignment.

    -   An interagency review of the FPA application is scheduled.

-   John Gebhard

    -   Mentioned that Sheldon Wimmer of Utah BLM is having major
        support problems with their implementation of VOIP.

    -   NIFC BLM is going to be setting up a test center for fire
        applications so that changes can be "bounced off the test
        systems" before implementation. Identification of the core
        interagency fire and aviation systems need to be identified.

-   David Potter

    -   BIA is still not allowed to connect to the Internet