# Presentation: 516433

## Computer EmergencyNotification System (CENS)

**Computer Emergency****Notification System ****(CENS)**

## CENS Application

- The implementation of the Computer Emergency Notification System (CENS) application will potentially save lives and ensure the safety of employees.

## CENS Application

- The (CENS) application enables organizations to send electronically emergency or informational messages to notify personnel of emergencies, building related alerts, and messages in a designated environment.

## CENS Features

- The CENS application works in the Microsoft environment (Windows 2000,’98, ’95, NT, XP).
- Effectively and efficiently communicates with all the staff, specified groups, or areas via Specified Area Messaging (SAM).
- Provides the ability to notify employees of building or location-specific emergencies.
- CENS can be used for non-emergency messaging.

## CENS Features

- Authorized personnel perform administration and use of CENS.
- Complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
- Minimal impact to network performance.
- Utilizes security features.

## CENS Features

- The client runs in the background and does not interfere with employees’ daily work.
- Flexible and adaptable.
- Low cost solution.

## CENS 

**The CENS application consists of a Message Generator, Database and Web Server services, and a Client that resides on individual workstations.**
- 1. The CENS Message Generator is the interface used by authorized personnel to create messages.
- 2. The CENS Server software provides connectivity and database transactions and it creates HTML messages.
- 3. The CENS Client software resides on individual workstations as a small application.  It polls the server at intervals and receives messages, as appropriate.

## CENS Process Diagram

**Message Generation ****Application Server Component**on Message Sender Workstation

**Process Flow Steps 1 - 5**Message generation and submittal

**Database Server**

**Web Server**

**Polls database.  Creates HTML header and message files on Web server**

**Process Flow Steps 7 - 8****7.**** **Client** **polls server and  server responds with acknowledgment (< 30 bytes)

**Client Workstation**

**Process Flow Step 6**** **System Administrator installs CENS Client on Workstation

**Message Sender****Workstation**

**8.** Client** **polls server and server responds with message to client workstation

**OR**

**Backup**

**Backup**

## CENS – Message Generator

**An authorized Message Sender logs in and authentication is used to access the server software.**

## CENS – Message Generator

**Using the Message Generator the sender selects different types of messages. **

- The same message is sent to all personnel, specific groups, or areas irrespective of the location of the emergency via Specific Area Messaging (SAM).

## CENS – Message Generator

**Once all options are selected, the message sender previews and confirms the message. **

- The user has to confirm twice before sending the message.

## CENS - Server

**The message sender submits the message, which is then written to the primary and backup databases.**
**The message sender will receive a notification from the CENS Server that the message was sent successfully to each server. **** ****If there is a problem with either server the message sender is notified.**

**Message Generation ****Application Server Component**

**Process Flow Steps 1-5**Message generation and submittal

**Message Sender****Workstation**

## CENS - Client

**The Client application is installed on Windows desktop computers.  Users will know if CENS has been loaded on the desktop by the appearance of a black triangle in the icon tray.**

**Process Flow Step 6**System Administrator installs CENS Client on Workstation manually or automatically using managed software tools or a login script.

## CENS - Client

**The CENS client polls the CENS server at configurable intervals via a HTTP request (typically via port 80). **
**The CENS server application acknowledges the client request by sending a HTML message back to the CENS client, currently about 30 bytes in size. **

**Web Server**

## CENS - Client

**If the message sent from the server is a new message, the CENS client will:**
- Sound a siren for emergency messages.  Non-emergency messages are a non-obtrusive audible sound on any desktop computer.  Either internal or external speakers will sound the siren.
- Display a full screen message that cannot be removed without deliberately closing the emergency message.
- CENS uses redundant servers for protection of possible network communications problems.
*	***A message is considered ‘new’ if the message ID is greater than the user’s last received message and the message timestamp is less than 46 minutes old. ****The 45 minute value is configurable.**

## CENS Software & Architecture

**CENS is written in Visual Basic.**

**CENS has a client side and a server side and uses ‘pull’ techniques. **
**The CENS server uses a standard Intel-compatible system running a MS SQL database and an IIS Windows 2000 web server.  The database and web server do not need to run on the same platform.**

## CENS - Servers

**Server sizing is dependent on customer’s requirement and, therefore, may change.**
**Current Primary and Backup specifications**
- 2 Intel Servers
- 2.40 GHz processing speed
- 2 GB main memory; (1x1)
- 400MHz system bus
- Windows 2000, ’98, ’95, NT or XP Operating System
- MS SQL Server 2000 (Enterprise Edition) for SQL Database.

## CENS Security

**Server Security**
- Access to the server housing the HTML messages can be locked down by a system administrator as deemed necessary.  Restriction by IP address range is possible.
**Client Security**
- The client software is loaded automatically at startup (Windows login) for all users; however  the client cannot alter or send messages.

## CENS Benefits

**CENS ensures that its user organizations are able to effectively and efficiently communicate with staff in the event of a crisis situation. The application requires no additional software other than the standard Windows environment.**
- CENS delivers a consistent message to all personnel.
- CENS indicates the specific problem and what action to take.
- CENS works continuously if a user is logged on to system.

## NITC Services Offerings

**NITC will:**** **
- acquire and/or host a CENS server or utilize customer-owned Windows server.
- partner with the customer to provide technical project planning and coordination.
- provide applications development expertise to modify the most current USDA code and customize it to meet customer requirements.

## NITC Services Offerings

**NITC will:**
- provide CENS application level support during the development, installation, and maintenance phases.
- coordinate with the customer’s emergency command authority to create a database of message types and message content.
- provide application-level technical assistance with systems setup, installation, testing, and deployment.

## NITC Services Offerings

**NITC will:**
- provide application-level “Help Desk”.
- provide application-level web-base knowledge expertise for testing and deployment.
- provide application level CENS systems and end user CENS documentation.

## NITC Services Offerings

**NITC Services Pricing:**
**	****	**Fee based depending upon
- 		customization requirements.** **
**CENS Application Pricing:**
**	****	**Available at no charge.

##     Business Contact:	             888-USE-NITC

**      “****Partnering for Success”**

**    ****Business Contact:****	****             888-USE-NITC**
**	****	****   ****www.ocio.usda.gov/nitc**