ML20083A039

Inside Information.Volume 2,Number 2

ML20083A039
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/30/1995
From:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
To:
References
NUREG-BR-0191, NUREG-BR-0191-V02-N2, NUREG-BR-191, NUREG-BR-191-V2-N2, NUDOCS 9505090273
Download: ML20083A039 (15)

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INSIDE n J)

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l Hiantissrs Systems Development Salute to utM Secretaries and Integration Branch:

I 2

Putting IT Into Practice s

J New Connections:

l Client / Server Computing j nurjob is to design and deselop computer-3 j \\>b sed application systems that assist you

,f, j in doing your job. Once systems are built j$

i Automated Time and

! and implemented, we provide c niinuing L

t support through maintenance, upgrades, and Attendance l enhancements until the system is removed It's About Time!

from operation. ne Systems Development 4

l and Integration llranch (SDIB) staff are i

experienced and skilled in 'nforrr on sys-l Looking at the Big Picture:

! '#"is design and devel pment taethodolo-gies related to the PC LAN, minkmnputa, wo e,,e CISSCO and mainframe environments.

5 Of course, your PCs and networks are where it is at today. Your PC is your

. window to the NRC computer applications world. No matter where the

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Document Management

! application is running, you can access it from your desktop. For the past Model Unfolds

• 2 years or so, develop.uent effons have focused exclusively on the PC-6 LAN ensironment. We enthusiasCcally provide easy-to-use systems at

your desktop. Color, graphical user interfaces (GUI), bouncing bars, Orchestrating Development i P"sh b""on' pop-"P ",ndows, on-line editing, full screening process-i"F'

'h""'"'" '#'"*"*P ""d """Y "$" W"" design systems for

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of the Resource Information are now asailable through PC technology. W hen we Management System the NRC offices, we test and combine these techniques to make the 3

applications you use easy and accessible.

We are not forgetting the oldcc minicomputer-and mainframe-based Union Bulletin Board systems. ney too can be dressed up and made mor user-friendly by Open to All Employees adopting new technology. This year we started a project to place a GUI 9

front end on some existing inainframe systems. The processing remains as is, but your interaction with the system will have a PC look and feel.

Info on the Ga' Other older sy stems are bemg totally redesigned in the PC-LAN, client /

gg ser er mode as well Fo: example, most systems currently supporting the Office of Personnel will be redeveloped usii.g client / server technology g gg during 1995. NRC's livents Tracking System will be reengineered this l year to use a chent/ server solution. A new system supponmg nonreactor !

Input, Output for the of rice for Analysis and livaluation of operational Data is l e s en, alsc, being developed in the cliem/ server mode. l f People An explosion in document (text and image) creation, distribution, storage, search, and retrieval has occurred in our workplace. SDIB is l 12 contim<cd on page 2 l i 950509o273 95043o PDR NUREC DR-0191 R PDR l

loside Informatio_n_._._ __ Apnl1995 u g SI>IB, continued from page / velopment of RADS is planned t From the Editor begin in FY 1996.

Dear Readers:

currently developing an agency. wide document managernent sys-The year ahead is exciting and ful A careful but unident(/ led reader tem called RADS-Regulatory Au-of opportunity for useful change m noted that the February INSIDE tomated Documents System-to the workplace. Your comments INFORMATIONde,cribedmany address these needs. RADS will about the application systems you IRM initiatives and, with a blue - replace NUDOCS and do much, use today and your ideas about pen, revealed that several more much more. During 1995, pilot others that should be developed effective verbs would have en. 4 systems will be implemented that are always welcome. You are the livened thcarticles. We'llmake will demonstrate the various docu. custome: Tell us what you need to a determined effort to consult ment management processes such do your job better and we will do aGovernment-designateddic-as workflow, document creation our best to deliver. ti nary in this and future is-(including commenting, version y control, and concurring) and distri- '+ ++ bution, documant and attribute cap-([ ture, and full text search and re-TO All Readers ' trieval on document text. Full de. Charles " Chuck" Fitzgerald Chief. Systems Development .nie February article on "New Guide-and lategration Branch lines for Correspondence Manage-ment" erred. Memorandums should go forth TO addressecs, not FOR, as IRM Salutes the Secretaries P " d-Patricia A.Lavins rT'he last week of April officially ated with our integrated informa-Executive Editor

1 marks National Secretaries tion technology program. These P.S. Now that we've identined our-

, Week. On behalf of its entire in-seven women offer the profession-Iormation technology customer al expertise IRM needs to accom- [*'"' ["' Io" dimen c, ;g, id e community, IRM wants '.a thank plish its goals. Kudos to each and contactme-e-mail (NEWS)orphone this small cadre of staff who ably all for their comnutment to the exter-(415-5745)--so we can print your let-assist the IRM staff in meeting the nal and internal customer commu-ters. I'm also looking forward to col-deadlines and requirements associ-nity.

• laborating with you on story ideas and news items.-

INSIDE INFORMATIONisintended to serve as a supplement to official pronouncements of policy and. l evolving procedural changes 1 1 in the Agency's information technology environment.- t 4 f / NUREG/BR-0191 a3

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9 Editorial and graphics support by s The KEVRIC Company,Inc. ) y A Secretary Is... ...an executive assistant who pos-sesses a mastery of office skills, p . g demonstrates the ability to as-i sume responsibility without di-l e k. l rect supervirion, exercises initia- - tive and judgment, and makes ,e' 5 $r. decisions within the scope af as- .. l signed authority.-Bylaws of 9-in the tsack row, the IRM secreta? sal support staff memtvers are Joan Encers, Linda l'rofessional Secretaries Interna. Harmon. Mriene Cngger, and Laurette Moonn Grouped on front are Deborah Johnson. Ella tional i leach. and Elaine Behman l l

April 1935 Inside Information New Connections: Client / Server Computing A pplications within the NRC computer, minicomputer, or main-the Allegation Management Sys-Ilhave been implemented across frame, as necessary, tem (AMS), Agency Training Sys-a variety of development platforms tem (ATS), Events Tracking Sys-i that include time-sharing services In July 1993, a team of senior and tem (ETS), Nuclear Materials Events '<1 the National Institutes of executive managers from across the Data Base (NMED), Office of Per-ifcalth's IBM mainframes, internal agmy, w rking with IRM, com-sonnel Decision Support System IBM and Data General minicom-pleted an NRC Strategic Infarma-(OP-DSS), PC-based Regulatory In-puters, stand-alone microcomput-ti n Technology GT) P(an. This formation Tracking System (PC-ers, and LAN servers. Over time it strategic pl n is the basis for the RITS), and the SECY Tocking and has become increasingly ineffec-gmy's IT pmgram guidance and Reponing System (STARS), actiuties in the NRC s Five-Year tive and costly for the agency to develop and maintain applications Man. The strategy for IT infrastme-over this wide range of platforms. ture emphasizes a more aggressive More important, access to informa-adoption of new LAN-based sys-tion is hindered by incompatibilities tems development platforms and a IRM's client /ser,er information ar-between the proprietary products greater investment in workstations chitecture consists of-and distributed client / server of various s,endors. + Workstations: 486/33MHz or better workstation with a mini-Other businesses and agencies have similar problems with the cost and Pilot Program Expansion $"B 1ard disk support for their elder systems. The The NRC,s strategy is to move ag-computer industry is addressing this ,.- Savers: IBM RS/600() models gressively to implement ch,ent/ server problem by developing " client / 370/62MHz and 5'10/50MHz server" application architectures tuhnology for new syMems As a with 32MB/lGB system mem-that can interconnect diverse sys-Ont Mep, IRM developed a pd, ot ory and 400MB/7.2GB fixed tems across platforms. These cli-application for the Office of Per-disk storage scalable to sonnel (OP) using client / server tech-ent/ server architectures have the 36.2Gil/58.6GB with external following additional advantages: n logy t enable OP staff to per-disk expansion unit and UNIX f nn onsite computing using inte-(1) user-friendly interfaces that al-(AiX) operating systems iow the user to operate the "ctient" gr ted data from mamframe, mmi- + Relational data base manage-part of the apph.catmn on an mtel-computer, and microcomputer sys. ligent microcomputer workstation tems. The Eoal is to rep ace these ment system: SYBASE SQL l various platforms w. h desktop per-server it and (2) scalability, since the " serv-mnal cmnputen connected to high- + Graphical user interface: Win-er" part of the application, which stores the data and does most of the putormance b ek-end data base dows 3.1 servers through the LAN and the + Software engineering: Power-processing, can be a micro-wide area net-Builder, Micro Focus COBOL, wgg g, AN). and Knowledgeware Applica-As a resuh of Information Architecture tion Development Workbench the success of + Decision support: Microsoft

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aw* the OP pilot Access n,, ;",% cd"L" % program, IRM rgi has expanded + Document management: PC-I y the use of cli-DOCS Open g ent/ server tech- + Data communications: Novell fO y nology to in-Netware supporting multiple E \\p]w p ciude the de-concurrent protocols (TCP/IP, velopment of. jpxfspx) g~f h several major a _U ' QM% ayency sy s-Ifyou would like additional infor- ~ t*~w'~~ tems during fis. mation regarding IRM 's client / cul year 1995. server computing e[ forts, please 4 w.., ,, u.h gg These applica-contact Wil Afadison at 415-tions include 7221.

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Inside information Apnl1995 Automated Time and Attendance: It's About Time! upgrades to ensure that all time-ternates. Registration requests SDl3 has been working closely with the Office of the Controller keepers have the necessary hard-are located in the Weekly (OC) and the Office of Personnel ware and software in adequate time Announcements. A schedule (OP) to bring a new integrated Pay-to allow participation in this agen-of software upgrades, includ-roll / Personnel system on-line. The cywide effon. Many certifying of-ing AUTOS for Windows, will new system, based on software ficials will have had their equip-be distributed through the IT written for another Government ment upgraded by the time of T&A coordinators. Windows train-agency, is being customized to implementation. If not, they will ir.g for timekeepers and alter-meet the needs of the NRC. The be able to use a timekeeper work-nates who have not previously system will have a Windows-based 3tation to perform electronic certi-taken this cours; should be graphical user interface. Access fication until their PCs are "re-scheduled as close as possible will be via the AUTOS network. to the AUTOS for Windows The implementation of the new Pay-installation for your office. roll / Personnel system will be T&A I phased + An on-line tutorial will be dis-s PhaseI tributed approximately 1 week before formal training is sched-Phase 1 introduces electronic sub-c., W uled. mission and certification of time and attendance (T& A) reporting. + One-half day formal" hands on" When the new automated T&A sys-training sessions will be sched-tem is fully implemented, paper uled starting this summer and c ntinuing through the fall. A time cards, as they exist today, will freshed." To use this system, staff det iled training schedule w,ll i become extinct! Using the new must :, ave an IBM-compatible PC be provided m the near future. system, timekeepers will record at-that is equipped, at minimum, with tendance and leave on an excep-the following- + On-line " Help" is available in tion basis, entering time worked the system and user manuals and lease taken only for days when + 486 microprocessor will be provided. employees do not work their regu- + 8 megabytes RAM + After formal training, there will lar work schedule. 1 or days when + 25 megabytes of available be an interim period when T&A an employee works his/her regular work schedul:, no data entry is space n the C dnve will be recorded both in the equired-hours will be recorded + MS-DOS or PC-DOS Version new system and on the current T&A cards until individuals are automatically. Immediate, on-line 5.0 or higher error and warning messages will + TCP/IP software usmg the system. Each office, help the timekeeper verify that data + , indows 3.1 software in coordmation with OC, will has been entered correctly. On- + Access to AUTOS and a LAN jointly determine when the line reports will be available. T&A cards can be discontin-printer Other functions once performed ued. nyanually will also bc automated. Training I or example, supervisors will no Certifying Officials Timekeepers Training for certifying officials will il ir a ti et pl y - take approximately 2 hours. Ttu,s records electronically. Current training will be coordinated with plans call for implerbentation of timekeeper training for each of-All timekeepers and attemates + the T& A system by Program Office must learn to use Windows soft-fice-during the summer and fall of 1995. ware. In the Future Basic Resources + Completion of "Using Win. dows 3.1," a 1-day training Phase II, replacement of current IRM has coordinated the schedul-by OP, is mand:. personnel and payroll systems, is ing of PC Refresh and software tory for all timekeepers and al-Conu.nued on page 14 i 1 ..J

.- ~- Apnl1995 Inside Information Looking at the Big Picture: Comprehensive Information Systems Support Contract Current Environment cle, the Comprehensive Informa-4 implement a data management r many years NRC's informa-tion Systems Support Contract program to improve the quality Ption technology (IT) environ-(CISSCO), reDects a strategic busi-and accessibility of NRC s m, - ness decision that allows IRh1 to format on ment consisted primarily of a cen-I tralized mainframe and minicom-m int in current operations, solve puter-hosted batch processing. The C"*P"I hIIity pr blems, introduc In addition to providing one ac-new techm. cal approaches (such as countable source to look at the " big proliferation of microcomputers led ., g g7 g to a changing, decentralized IT en-cHent/ server distributed processm, g r bj,ect-oriented programming), solidated contract approach in-vironment-a complex environ-g ment that demanded not just adap-and ease migration of legacy sys-i tation but long-term strategic plan-tems to an open standards-based + providing fully integrated, turn-architecture. In addition, the goals key (total) solutions m, order ning. The overall enterprise "to improve the overall quality and in-f c ns lidation-to enhance suP-t o-tegration of the Agency's informa-p rt to customers in all offices and tion and applications by changing Regions-are to-

• reduce systems development time the way that information systems

+ give customers timely and ef-

• reap the benefits of proven i

are developed and managed"- fective access to system iate-technology brings challenges to IRht. gration services + conduct technology transfer + accommodate rapid changes in

• Erocure the latest hardware Goals and Obj,ectives technoloEY and software in a timely man-The NRC's long-term goal is to

.:. pilot work process redesign (or ner implement an open systems, client / business process reengineering) + supporting agencywide sys-server environment for the desel-so that customers routinely re-tems integration opment of new systems while en-evaluate and streamline current suring data integrity and the staff's practices before they are auto. + avoiding lengthy procurement seamless access to data. To take mated cycles advantage of the ryew processing + strengthen system life cycle + climinating the overhead of re-environment, IRh1 s strategic di-management for all new sys. peated IT procurements rection is to reengineer or rehost lowering the cost of contract legacy systems and develop new applications on chent/ server and and contractor management fully networked-based systems. To facilitate this change, IRh1 [ Timetable will divest the role of systems IRh1 has obtamed outside services development to those NRC or-to conduct studies ano,repare re-ganizations that have the capa. Comprehensive quirements analysis docu.aents dur-bihty and interest in pioneering nformation ing the presolicitation phase of the this process themselves. Offic. ystems support acquisition. Because this contract p es will be required to follow and contract w li provide services agencywide, adhere to standar+ and hard. (cissco) q IRh1 will work n partnership with ware developed by tRM to man-I organizational representatives, be-j aFe systems development. This ginning with interviews with SIR-action will not occur overnight MOs and IT Coordinators to deter-t I and is not intended for all sys-mine rganizational requirements 3 I tems or organizations. and inteirst in managing projects under CISSCO. IRh1 expects to In support of disestiture, IRN1 is award CISSCO at the start of FY pursuing a more simplined con-39g ! tract and precurement manage-Wl j ment process. Consolidating the For more information on C/SSCO, ' scopes of misting contracts into a contact Chuck Fit..gcrald at 4/5-single agencywide contract vehi-7220.

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inside information Apnl1995 ) Documant Management Model Unfolds: Working Groups Address Additional Issues, Review Pilot Projects Current Processes and will consider issues related to con-drafts, proprietary information, and Future Requirements trol of costs, commitment to public other sensitive infonnation. availability, and to identification of During a 3-day meeting in No-the cultural change within the Testing for Development vember 1994, representatives T"" "' "* ** U "5 8 I "*""" from 23 of the agency's 27 Pro-Over the next several months, the and training requirements. gram Offices ratified 78 functional IRM contractor will review Govern-requirements for an improved doc-Two other working groups will fo-ment-and vendor-developed off-ument management system. The cus on the five processes from a the-shelf products. The software participants ranked the fonctional workflow and access perspective, pcckages that present the function-requirements according to both Because workflow spans all ele-ality to support the document NRC and office need; critirai de-ments of the new system, members management model will be used to noted the highest ranking for the of the Processes and Requirements develop three pilot projects: Wod-agency and very high that for an for Automated Workflow Working flow Management, NRR Generic office. All told,30 matches of crit-Group will begin their efforts once Communications Development and iravrery high tallicd in the five the intergroup connections have Delivery, and the SECY Electronic primary document management begun to coalesce. The working Hearing Docket. Working groups processes, with 15 occurring in the group will define the requirements will have the opportunity to try out retrieve document process of the necessary to move documents, these applications to determine the document management model. identify their status across all pro validity of the concept of opera-Functional needs covered, among cesses, and determine what statisti-tions, test the design strategy, and other things, the control of docu-cal information is necessary. The gauge the flexibility and adaptabil-ment versions, security an update efforts of the group will lead to the ity of the design concept. Com-of documents while in draft, reus-consolidation of many of the exist-ments will be applied to tailor the able text from final documents, and ing tracking systems for documents performance of the software and retrieval of documents and enclo-and will provide a method to cap-improve the working prototype sures. ture our actions taken based on (model of the entire document life i receipt of a document for response, cycle and its processes). Working Up to a Model The Document Management Sys-By early fiscal year 1996, we plan Working groups, oyanized around tem Access Working Group will to have a concept of operations, the the five primary processes-dis-define more detailed requirements werking model, and the system pei-tribute documents (distribution, in the areas of connectivity and formance specifications in place routing, and dispatch of docu-for the new document management ments), generate documents (cre-system, known as RADS-Regu- ,f l ation, review, concurrence, and fi-Q latory Automated Documents Sys-nalization of documents), capture )h '% 4, ~ tem. documents (archiving the document 4] For more information, contact and its enclosures and its profile Karen ranDuser at 415-7221

• information), retrieve documents (anywhere in the document life

\\ cycle), and manage records (ap-( .y plying National Archives records retention schedules)-will now ex-h dk [ y amine the variances in their as-j ' security. At vario is points !YA l l signed process, determine the for- 'j in a document's life cycle, J l mat needed (e g., paper vs. elec-security of and access to ,\\ l tronic image or text and document the document may change. package vs. concurrence package). The group will define the require-and propose milestone points with-ments of the system to protect from ) in each process. In addi ion, they release nonpublic documents. l l

April 1995 Inside Information l Public Other Parties j ( ' z Addressee I PDR 7 No Action l Prepare / Distribute .Y 7 Coordinate Dispatch Assign > Retain Copy Document Action A I w~ Obtain Formulate S' Sig nature Generate Response g; j Docuenent l A ? Records 4 e n.ta 1 a 3,,,gg% e '~ ' TRetentions "@ %b" > Create / Finalize 4 - Documents. Changes Document n W Sc. h. e, delp RE.. g%.a.s

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.l ' E, ). ~ m.a.a w i ) %* $$&f.' ~ ffSW &ps y l ^ i?'I Y' cp 4 f sj D u t NRC Staff - Packa;c g, ~ %g{g pjg ~ my*4rdR5viewN MfCMP Reli i t yn Spyp'#"Ypy 7'#dh Obtain 4 Assemble Retired Records 7 4 Concurrence. Clearance %Qd!SM# Package NRC Document Management Model Golden Opportunity To Advance Service In early March, Debbie Runion, " Customer Service Options in the on the experience of more sea-Chief, Customer Support Section, Informatior. Technology Environ-soned customer service represen-EUSB, and her staff associate tatives from Government Pat I asins mixed with more agencies and the private sec-than 5,000 fellow customer tor. IRM is considering fresh support professionals at the mig approaches to r.he processes Sixth Annual International gmy-and innovations now under llelp Desk Conference and \\ m y m way at its Customer Support Expo in San Francisco. The // A / Center. INSIDE INFOR-program, sponsored by the Customer Support Center M ATION will keep you post-liclp Desk Institute, included \\ ed as to when IRM will be numerous technical sessions, many ment." As impodant as the sched-introducing new service enhance-of w hich reflected this year's theme, uled events was the chance to draw m ents.

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I insid2 Inform 1 tion April 1995 Orchestrating Development of the Resource information Management System t wo years ago, the Office of staff, while others have an edit ca-the contract level and the task order TNuclear Regulatory Researchpability. The customer office con-level. RIMS supports data base (RES) asked IRM to help it develop trols this level of security. maintenance (add, delete, or revise the Resource Infonnation Manage-projects and associated informa-ment System (RIMS). RES needed Multioffice System tion) and actions to reallocate funds "* "E E*5##I' " Cessing ac-i a data base system that would per. As RIMS was being developed and ti ns between RES d.ivisions and mit the office to plan and execute tested within RES, other NRC of-the RES financial manaFement staff budgets and rocurement actions fices became m. terested in using take place electronically without more efficiently and give project the systcm. RES endorsed the idea the exchange of paperwork. RIMS managers as well as supervisory f devel ping RIMS as a multi-has the flexibility to support these staff the ability to electronically cifice system, and IRM agreed t functions in a centralized or decen-monitor the steus of RES projects. support this concept by orchestrat-tralize 1 funds management /orga-The primary objective was to pro-ing a development approach that nization structure. vide the entire RES staff with ac-allows mstallation of completed cess to a common, real-time data modules in other offices while de-Staff using RIMS can check the base that supported each individu-velopment of new modules for RES status of budget execution at the al's job requirements in a way that continues. Thus, IRM plans to dis-project and organizational levels. streamlined administrative process- 'ribute the system to participant Staff can monitor progress against et 2nd eliminated paper-based offices using a product release strat-procurement milestones, project methods of doing business. A fur-egy. Release I will soon be ready completion /closecut status, and ther objective was to use a menu-for installation in IRM, the Office progress with regard to obtaining diiven graphical user interface, with of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, and deliverables from contractors. on-line documentation, to help staff the Office of Nuclear Material Safety operate the system easily, with min-and Safeguards. Paper Dispatch Because RIMS was expanded to be Another RIMS capability, current-r t be ernpl d i a multi frice system, some of the ly being tested within RES, is the RIMS to eliminate work and to "hard-coded" information m RIMS electronic creation and approval of make processing more efficient. was converted to be " data driven., procurement paperwork. By pro-Paradox for Windows software was This eliminated a lot of program-cessing paperwork electroni-selected to develop the applica-ming that otherwise cal'y, much of the documen-tion. A dedicated file server was would have gs-tation needed on procure- ' ~

• installed and is now accessible been required meat forms is filled in auto-through the AUTOS network.

to customize [7 matically by information al-the system for ready in the data base. This RIMS is the first Windows-based offices having automation reduces the % sN me needed to prepare application to become a major sys-different organi-ti i l tem withm the agency. Windows, zation and budget forms, statementn of work, with its graphical user interface, structures. .1. and other related items and pmvides many benefits, but it als reduces the possibility of ( e requires more computing power and Release 1 supports V errors. Procurement pa-the willmgness of the staff to learn the management of .. perwork is routed to vari-new skills and methods for accom-funds from the time otis processing points, and em-g plishing work, the OC first issues a ployees with approval rights have I* ecm to de paperwod just as Because RIMS is, in part, a finan-1 ice un i

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cial management system, security that plan is completely executed. Y '#

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is a ma.jor consideration. Security RIMS supports all of the financial ""I *" ""Y '" * ' is pmvided by password protec-control requirements of Manage- "#** **

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E"# * "E # "'" tion, and access to various RIMS ment Directive 4.2. Within RIMS "*"Y EI # Y menu options is limited to only funds are certified, obligated, deoN those who aced it. Some menu ligated, and decommitted at both items are " view only" for some Continued on next page U

Mxil1935 Inside Information RIMS continuedfrom page 8 signed by the contractor. All em-releases will allow uploading and dispatching paperwork this way, ployees in RES can monitor the in-downloading with the Federal Fi-copies can be printed from a high. house processing status of a partic-nancial System. Eventually, RIMS speed laser printer while the user is ular procurement action through a users will be able to see contractor performing other duties. In the simple on-line query. mor.thly spending plans and actual "" #'

• Y past, people needed to take the Future releases of RIMS will have

'#E "E original to a reproduction machine this electronic paperwork process-ment of Energy and commercial to make the copies. Now staff can ing capabihty and an abihty to plan contractors so that RES personnel also fax copies from their worksta-pmcur m nt acti ns, fmm w.ch w 11 not have to perform any data tions. RIMS forms (such as Form advanced procurement plans and

1. ""Y' 1~/.1L) are automatically bar coded monthly commitment and obliga-i to facilitate processing when the tion schedules can be printed from For more information, contact hard copy is received counter-a predefined list of reports. Future Janic Van Epp at 415-5802.

• Union Bulletin Board Now Open to All Employees Cy Jim Thomas, NTEU Chapter President r the past 3 years, the Union at eration of the organization. Since software must also support RIP the NRC (NTEU Chapter 208) the thoughts and suggestions are graphics for you to use your mouse has operated its own computer bul-open to viewing by fellow employ-to make selections.) The Union letin board system, known as ecs, the NUKE-NET conferences provides free RIP communications NUKE-NET, which at first was can be used to develop a consensus software, upon request. Look in available only to Union officials.

as to what initiatives should be for-the software directory (#14) for When employees faced possible warded at Partnership meetings. RIP.EXE, which c.mtains every-i thing you need to establish a full job losus in Region 5 and in The Partnership Committee will graphics interface with NUKE-NET. l Denver, we expanded the infonna-m n discuss the performance ap-tion base to include a current listing of all Federal job openings and pr is I system. A guide, issued by Busy Signals the Office of Personnel Manage-n'ade hUKE-NET accessible to all ment, hm 100 common questions E,ven with the addition of a second Union members. and answers about the vanous op-line. the system is in such demand The NRC Partnership initiatives tions. The guide is available on that we have had to limit each indi-created a new challenge in 1994-NUKE-NET in the OPM directory vidual's access to 15 minutes a the need to gather ideas and sug-(#29) under the filename day. Therefore, we encourage those gestions from all of the bargaining PERFORM 2.TXT. employees with computers and unit to present to management in modems at home to dial up during nonbusiness hours. various Partnership Committee Open Lines meetings at the office, Region, or ,e encourage all NRC employees, For more m. formation, contact Jim agency level. The software then in but particularly unit employees, to Timmas at 415-28/6 or by IAN c-use was inadequate for such an use NUKE-NET. The local num-mail (NTEU).

• expansion, but we converted to bers are 415-8304 and 415-8305.

Wildcat 4.x so NUKE-NET is now New callers are not permitted ac-Other Constituenc,es i available to any employee with cess beyond minal system registra-Welcome access to communications through tion. Once we verify that the caHer NRC-sponsored organizations a PC or the NRC LAN. is an NRC employee, we provide are invite <l to use these pages to Although NUKE-NET largely con-full access-generally within 24 inform members of ongoing ac-tain;. personnel information such hours of the initial call. tivities and programs. The only as retirement regulations, Execu-Connection speeds range from rule is that your story must relate tive Orders, and personnel rules, its 1,200 to 28,800 baud, and most how your group is using the NRC j most import (mt feature is the con-popular communications pmtocols information technology program ferences. Every NRC office or to enhance communication. pported. Far people accus. Region with a I artnership Commit-tomed to accessing the Internet with Send the paraculars to INSIDE tee has its own conferenee in which INFORMATION by e-mail E'r a wm employees from that ofh_ee or Re-remote imaging protocol (RIP) (NEWS). Pat Lavins will help gion can exchange ideas and sug-you schedule your announce-gestions that may improve the oP-ment for the next issue. v I [E

I ' Inside Information April 1995 A ii m Info on the Go! V% On the Net... be sent to subscribers to the more WANTED: than 16,000 different discussions 1 Gumshoes and Tecs ...YOU@nrc. gov groups, called " mailing lists.", (A Excuse the slanguage, When you have business cards print-subscriber automatically receives ed, be sure to include your Internet c pies of all the mail messages sent but you, the customer, address at the NRC so that others to a particular discussion group.) can help the IRM CSC Please reserve discussions for NRC-techs solve your case if you'll can contact you via e-mail. Below report the facts-t related business. We re working your phone number, add a line, using the same initials as in your n setting up and moderating NRC-v Name: LAN address, in the following for-riented discussion groups (see the v Phone number: NUKE-NET article on page 9), but mat. Internet Address: ini-tials@nte. gov

• until then please cancel your "sub.

v Room number: ,, on the Internet.

• v NRC equipment tag number:

... Mind Your Ps&Qs < Type of equipment: ... Return Rece. t ip Communic iting through Internet 18w evidence-Requested e-mail is fast and easy. E-mail seems more casual than a letter or a Unlike our LAN e-mail, your Inter-e Details and description of the problem: memo, but you should still apply net outbox does not show delivery the same disc etion and judgment information. Ask the recipient to and any other clues-as when you use official letter. confirm delivery if you require v What was the application you head. Please keep in mind :. few immediate response. were using? guidelines. Bev are v Were specific error messages l + Like the telephone, e-mail is U Lawrence Livermore Labs for official NRC use, although s has designed a " fire. < Were there any hardware-spe-( short personal messages ar ball to prevent unau. cific messages? permissible. h thorized access to e Were you printing to a local + E-mail systems are not secure, p' 9 NRC comput-or to a LAN printer? What you write could become N-ers, but the common knowledge. y$ security soft-Please have these notes handy when y u call the IRM CSC at 415 + Identify yourself fully. What ~ ware screens I234-

• you write can be interpreted as only for intruders not viruses.

E-NRC opinion or policy. mail addressed to nre. gov flows + Seek management review of freely p st the firewall; the soft-1 information that is to be made ware does not scan incoming fiies for viruses. E,xecutable files must public. l be screened for viruses. If you sus-l + The NRC does not intend to pect a problem, contaci the IRM Coming Attract. ions review messages, but in doing Customer Support Center for as-their jobs systems adminis-sistance at 415 1234 or by e-mail p obliged trators may be (CSC). '/ to _bb T/[ Y f \\ text. read message Even worse are the viruses unwit-tingly brought into the agency on disks that are then loaded on the The. lune issue of INSIDE INFOR- ... Return to Sender hard drives. Turn yourself-and MATION will feature the custom-l At present, the LAN cannot (and y ur disk-in to the CSC in room er support activities of the Tech-probably would not want!) to han-T4C18. Your disk will be scanned nology Infrastructure Branch.

• die the volume of mail that could and you will be pardoned.
• Apnl1935 Inside Information

lnput, I h===

!Eh Ask IRM An Ounce of Preventilon There is a variety of personal information manager programs Everyone knows commercially available. Are there any plans to put a version on the that magnets can E " C' *"'N zap the data on Lewis F. Miller hard or floppy disks. Even a Region Ill paper clip dispenser with a magne-An effort is under way to upgrade and enhance the suite of tools and tized top may be a menace. Other services available to agency staff on the AUTOS network. The AUTOS c mmon culprits that can damage character-based menu system is being replaced by the Microsoft Windows y ur PC include liquids, cleaning graphical user interface. Graphical versions of current electronic mail, sprays, radio frequencies, and dust. calendaring, and scheduling packages wil! be available to the staff in the lyre's what you can do to mini-coming months, with graphical word processing, spreadsheet, database, mize problems. and presentation / charting packages to follow. A study is being conducted .:. Keep plants, vases, and bev-to identify additional tools and job aids that could be added to the network crages away from the PC table. in a cost-effective manner. Capabilities being investigated include on-line Soft drinks contain carbonic access to select Federal regulations, dictionaries, and other commonly acid and tea and coffee contain used reference materials. IRM will add personal information management tannic acids, but any liquid spill to the list of capabilities under investigation; however, it may prove has the potential to gum up difficult to identify a product that will meet everyone's "perscnal" needs. your keyboard or corrode the CPU.

- Sp;ay window cleaner only on Our inspectors are typically given modems in their portable PCs the monitor. Better yet, use that run at 2,400 baud. This is consistent u a the modem on treated cloths to clean the screen computers assigned in the reginnal o[fice. Smce the current

• • d N')b"*'0' state of the art is 28,800 band and the current industry standard is 14,400 baud, when will NRC upgrade its computer remote

+ Plug radios, digital clocks, and E communications capabilities? calculators into an electrical outlet separate from the one Thomas P. Gwynn supplying power to the PC. Region IV (Radio frequencies can inter-fere with high-speed digital cir-The 80486-based laptops provided under the PC Refresh program (to cuits.) replace 286 laptops) were equipped with internal 14.4/14.4 baud fax / 0 Dust all the elements of the PC modems. IRM supports the policy of the Regions upgrade of the laptops, ( nd the area around it) if necessary, provided that the funding and procurement are done by the weekly.

• Regions.

The network hardware in the Regions already supports 9,600 baud for dial-in access. Upgrades are already under way that will allow for 14.4 in the Regions, as has been done at baud remote access to the ! lleadquarters. l Any IRM customer who wishes to direct a question about ihe Information i Technology program may do so by sending an inquiry to INSIDE INI:OltMATION's e mail account (NEWS). 4 171

- - ~ _. -.~.. -, -.. l Insido information Aprit 1995 t f I Welcome Aboard tise liarvey brings to his present neer on large engineering develop-l ...NRC Staff auignment builds n more than 20 ment programs. i years in management consnilmg Ilarvey Spiro joined the Policy and in local and Federal Gov-Stop m at T6F7 to meet Marianne, Planning and Acquisition llranch ernment service. lie provided r get in touch with her at 415-i as a policy and planning advisor in technical, economic, and manage-5814, through e-mail (MXil4;, or January. lie serves in a matrix-ment support in the areas of ener-rnail st p T6D2. managed position, performing gy, environment, and utility oper-activities for various IRM compo-ations for private industry, the NRC, l nents and focusing on the coordma-and the Department of Energy, l tion of IRM programs with other among others. As a consultant, agency offices. Initially, he will be liarvey addressed issues of busi-working with the Technology in-ness process redesign, management frastructure llranch to assist with information and control, and cus-gy the planned agencywide move to a tomer service. N i Windows platform. F Look for liarvey in room T6Cl2 or After joining the NRC 4 years ago. reach him by phone at 415-5862 or liarvey worked first on waste man-e-mail (IUS). liis mail stop is T6D2. a;;ement problems and served as a Divisional IT Coordinator within Marianne liernero, a computer 7 y. the Of fice of Nuclear Material Safety specialist who joined the NRC and and Safeguards. For the Office of the Policy Planning and Acquisi-

./

q Policy Planning, he addressed tion liranch in mid-March, will be Q

f l

coordinating the activities of poli-cy working groups' developing and y i c_..__.____.___ updating IRM pohcies and proce-wenno sornero dures. Marianne will initially focus on policy development in the IT IRM's End-User Support Services area, beginning with "FIP Resource Hranch proudly announces the ap-i Acquisition" and "FIP Resource pointment of two new staff mem-Planning." In addition to research ben, (;ene Iturdine and Cynthia and writing, Marianne will com-Dekic, who have recently joined l ~ pare notes with her counterparts m the Customer Support Section. I other agencies regarding the suc-t i cesses and challenges of various Gene, who is new to the agency, Government IRM practices. She brings 26 years of computer expe-L will also be responsible for analy7 rience, including stabstantial man-ing the effects of changing legisla-agement and supervisory experi i tion on IRM operations. ence. The tasks that he will be i responsible for include the integra-Following graduation from Tow-tion of the new enhancements to I son State Unisersity with a degree the CSC, which will result in sub- "*" S'" in journalism, Marianne spent 12 stantive program improvements to years as a contractor in tne aero-the current IRM operations. I lyroad policy and strategic swues space industry. For the past 6 years, i for various NRC programs. she worked for Martin Marietta Gene can be reached via e-mail. Ilarvey earned a bachelor's degree Corporation, first as a data manag-(EXil) or by telephone at 415-5665. ( in chemical engineerin n on a variety of satellite systerns He works m T4E23, and his mad j l l per Umon and a maste'e from Coo-nd then as a configuration engi-r's degree it stop is T4Fl7. l managemen from MIT. The e per-I I l ? b t

ADril1935 Inside Information le clear Reactor Regulation where she served as the NRR LAN Manager. Prior to her 6 years with NRR, Cyn-thia worked for the Office of Ad- [ MM.. ministration as a Specialized Word jgMd-Processor for 4 years. IIer duties in i t.- IRM will be to perform computer y' systems analysis activities associ-3 ated with integrating the customer support requirements related to re-quests for acquisition of new hard- ) ware and software. Call Cynthia at 415-6151 or con-tact her by e-mail (CED) or at mail sd. n $d stop T4F17. lier office is .MP,g T4F36.

• dd1.5.t.

? Gene Burdine Cynthia Dekle I monummmmmet I g Covington Garners Employee of the Month Award 2 l Citing her outstanding ser-present smile. 4Y 4 vices to NRC file center friends and col 4~ g' ^ q gf; Known to her % W, hjj ' 7 )' Q 4' ' b Clara E. Covington empha-ley," Clara makes @+vrO@c % customers, the Employee of 1 4 -"1 the Month nomination of leagues as "Smi- 'z,Mi 1 I sired her "can-do" attitude every effort to sat- = it.. 3 and professionalism in isfy the center's s% i l J handling requests frorr staff customers. For M i i $l in different branches of these attributes, ' the Agency. The Senior Ref-Clara earned the T crence Assistant in the award for Oc-e- g;lg' cumentation 1RMB/ RAS Licensing Do-tober. y ,11 find Clara $ b, a**" d "" "* Reference Unit, Clara has sigm fi-at T5Cl2 or you i 4 cantly improved commu-nications between the file can contact her by center and its customers," phone (415-5634), 1;'; k: e-mail (CECl), or hl but, as important, her expert

• • i' S'*P delivery of services is IRM Director Gerald F. Cranford presented Clara Covington with a

,Q i eclipsed oniy by her ever-T5C3.

• cash award and a cert:ficate hononng her as the October IRM Employee of the Month.

'~ ,,,me=,

-Indde information April 1995 n T&A, continued from page 4 l g scheduled for fall 1996. Other initia-tives under consideration include-i + T&A entered by individual At Your Service quests for support service-from employees Margic Dimig, a Computer Sys-the initial notification straight + Addition of a Labor Cost Dis-l tems Analyst with the Program-through resolution. tribution Subsystem i matic Applications Systems Sec-The SDIB contractors provide on- + Integration with other agency l l tion, SDIB, has been with the NRC site support for the more than 200 staff time reporting systems since 1976 and a member of the applications that reside on the main- + Direct system access by em-IRM professional staff since 1980. frame, 9370, LAN, or PCs. In ployees for selected records After graduating from Montgomery addition to applications support, maintenance and reporting Blair liigh School, she received an the group manages the ElitePlus functions associate's degree in management gateways that allow the Regions Each off. ice and Region has desig-from Montgomery College. and resident inspectors at the sites nated a contact person for com-In addition to her analytical duties, to print mainframe reports locally. munication about the new T&A i Margie has been the Task Manager The five-person team develops I system. Additionalinformation will for the SDIB Support Staff for agen-script files, mstalls application soft-be provided to all employees on a cy applications for the past 3 years. ware, and provides solutions to key-frequent basis. Stay tuned! Margie and the team of contractor board mappmg, configuration man-agement, and system connectivity For more information about the staff from Applied Management Systems, Inc., strive to provide qual-problems. automated T&A system, contact "Y ity service to meet the needs of the Visit (T6E43), send mail (T6C30), cnd-user community. She leads phone (415-5781), or e-mail Mar-the effort to respond promptly and gie (MAD).

• thoroughly to all problems or re-i Get Ready for i

i Wordperfect Office l i On Your Mark-We are presently o installing Wordperfect Office for I i "~ k' Windows software on PCs for ac-I N '- I ~ l ..' d cess on the LAN. Your IT Coordi-f. } nator will advise you of the sched-l 2 uled installation date. Because tim-l 7., g',

7vj, ing and sequence are keyed to the i

o.

1. ~if training courses, we are not able to 4

offer any preferential treatmer,t. 4 M. 4 1"n Get Ready-Once you know the j"NN,.$'?y! velopment Center form in the Week- .Og7u schedule, use the Professional De-l (kg[j .f k ly Announcements to sign up for

• aj.g@ Y./d '

training in Windows 3.1 and Word-Perfect Office for Windows. V L Q. U Get Set-On the installation date, a $f$ LAN technician will visit your work- ] ~ .[ ~ % *3fi station to install new software. Just hovang owmpt renatue suvion in a!i agency appucat<ons are. from rett. prised Manage. prior to the conversion date, be n>ent s, stems Inc. empio ees reant uwtens. consuena Debnam. F Gerry Sutter. Ehse sun.' to archive or save your e-mail Shane. Steve Tumun. and gDISKS TasL Manager Meg'e Dam,g you will not have access to your e-mail until the new software has been installed. l Go!-Take the " Quick Tour" tuto-j l rial and be on your way.

• l rn

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