Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Timothy R. Blevins Chief Information Officer Kansas Department of Revenue

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Kansas Integrated Tax System Components Front End Channel Applications ( Imaging and Electronics) Automated Case Management ( ACM ) Automated Case Sub System ( ACSS ) Automated Decision Analytics ( STRADA ) Individual Income Tax ( ITAX ) Withholding Tax Audit and Enforcement Sub System Sales Tax

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Project 2000 Technical Environment Sun Solaris UNIX Operating System PowerBuilder GUI PowerBuilder Batch Processes C++ System Utilities COBOL Batch and Remote Processes SAS Reporting & Warehouse Tools Oracle Data Base CA Unicenter Software Distribution and Job Scheduling PVCS Software Library and Change Control

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Best Practices Early Initiatives Agree on Form for Documentation ( User, Administration, Operations) Agree on System Design Methodology Integrate Teams in Development, Technical Support, and Testing Own Responsibility for Success Proactively Transfer Support Structures Early Focus Immediately on Knowledge Transfer Agree on Products to Use on Specific Components Understand and Make Architecture Changes Do Not Own GUI Design and Build Up Front Strong Technical and Business Ownership ( Bus. Sys. Admin )

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Operations Changes and Effects 7 X 24 Hour Operations Center Cross Platform Job Scheduling Scripted Job Schedules early and Tested Build Sub-System Scripting UNIX Scripting and Training Robot integration Day and Night Issues Background Process Management Relationship of Daily and Nightly Cycle to Tax Operations Key Contacts for Ownership of Sub-Systems

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Options to Help Batch Processing Remote Background Robots Sub-System Schedules that allow for AM.. Overflow Integrated Job Scheduling and Tracking Fast Backup and Unload Utilities Good Training for Operations Staff SWAT Team and On-Call Support Tuning Focus on Batch Jobs ( early and ongoing ) Solid Batch Job Metric reporting and Analysis ( ongoing )

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Knowledge Transfer Priorities Operating System Management UNIX Data Base Management UNIX Change Control and Software Distribution Cross Platform Job Scheduling Report and Warehouse GUI Design and Build Application Support and Modification New GUI and Sub-System Development

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Client Server Specific Issues DASD Management and Performance Configuration Hot Swapable Drive Arrays Fast Unloads and Backup Utilities Data Base Utilities and Management Network Design and Management Software Deployment Architecture Tape Drives and Configurations Environmental Setup and Management ( Prod, Dev, Test)

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Specific Needs Duration and Timing High Performance Data Base Tuning ( 12 Weeks ) Early Training on Environmental Issues ( Ongoing ) UNIX Oracle PVCS CA-Unicenter GUI Development ( Ongoing -owned in Control Production) Batch Cycle Development ( Early and owned in Development ) Network Administration ( Early owned )

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Avoidance Strategies Applications Staff must Own Development Early Granular Object Orientation ( Denormilization) All Environments on Single Platform Using Wrong Tools for Jobs Avoid Resisting Right Tools for Jobs Spreading and Not Controlling SQL ( common repository ) Non-Staff Integration Short Technical Staff Support Not Understanding Relationships to Batch and Online

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Best Practices Remote and Background Processing Cross Platform Batch Job Scheduling Performance Tuning (Network, DataBase, Application) Remote Connectivity for Field Associates /TeleCommuting (Thin Client) Solid Software Control and Distribution Agency History for System Management and Operations Common Software and Hardware Architectures ( where possible ) Right Tools for Right Jobs Shared Responsibility / Shared Success Accountability for Planned Accomplishments

Federation of Tax Administrators Technology Conference Tax Systems Integration Initiatives Lessons Learned Focus on Batch Processes and Nightly Cycles also Client Server Migrations are OK Powerful GUI ( workflow, desktop suite integration, job design) Crisp System Design Methodology Critical Business Understanding that not everything should be automated Business Understanding using a system and then enhancing optimal Help all Staff Transition ( some will not ) Balance Importance of New Projects and Production Support Rapid System Development Possible At least Three Data Conversion and Cutovers prior to Production Cut SQL is the Glue