1 An Enterprise-wide Collaboration Suite for NOAA… Recommendations NOAA WebShop 2007 November 14, 2007 By Larry Goldberg, NMFS/OCIO
2 Outline The Issue, Challenge and Choice WebEx Features Pilot and Survey Results Next Steps Risk Management
3 The Issue NOAA has a growing need for web-based collaboration –For communities of interest working together on a specific issue or task –For internal and external constituents This need is currently being met by a number of different solutions including: –A variety of hosted services –In-house systems such as the NWFSC Oracle Collaboration Suite The CIO Council desired to standardize NOAA’s approach to collaboration
4 The Challenge Select and Deploy an Enterprise-wide collaboration strategy for NOAA Identify Alternatives –Research Marketplace –Consult with Industry Experts –Consider Rent vs. Buy –Evaluate Selected Tools Make Recommendations to and Achieve Consensus from NOAA CIO Council Conduct a Pilot Evaluate Pilot Survey Make Final Recommendations Deploy NOAA-Wide The Process
5 Evaluation Criteria Ability to meet most of NOAA’s collaboration needs –Supports Internal and external constituents –Collaboration on “Low Potential Impact” information Security –Physical –Application –Network –Data Tools Available –Discussion Forums –Document Management with check-in/check-out and file sharing – with contact lists –Calendaring –Database Management –Task Management –Web Conferencing Price
6 The Choice: WebEx Provides both: – WebEx and WebOffice are separate products –Web-based meetings (WebEx meetings) and – Collaborative workspaces (WebOffice) Industry Leader –Bought out by Cisco Low cost - Deep enterprise-wide discounts Secure
7 WebEx Meetings Web-based meetings Video and voice over IP : See each other while talking White board: All participants can post messages Webinars –One way broadcast of PowerPoint presentations, etc. Application sharing –All participants can collaborate on the same application, e.g. a spreadsheet, Word document, agenda –Applications can be on any computer
8 Web Office A web portal where members can: –Download and edit documents (Word, Excel, etc.: any native format) –Share databases – Maintain list of contacts –Track project tasks –Calendaring –Send s –Start WebEx meetings with members and other constituents
9 NOAA Regional Collaboration Pilot 30 Day Pilot in Aug & Sep Five WebOffice Sites – –North Atlantic Regional Team –Central Regional Team –Western Regional Team –Alaska Regional Team –F/IA Tracked: # of users set up; # of unique visitors; # of documents posted; # of MB stores on WebOffice Conducted survey addressing ease of use and functionality of WebEx features with participants
10 Pilot Survey - Comments
11 Next Steps Procurement Strategy –Buy off GSA schedule for one-year as user base increases –Negotiate next year –To manage costs: NOAA OCIO coordinates/ LOs pay –Consider expansion to DOC to increase numbers and drive down costs License Administration –NOAA OCIO Central point of focus for procurement Track usage and costs –LO contacts BOP funds to NOAA OCIO Monitor, add, remove and reassign users as required up to maximum number of Technical Administration - NOAA OCIO –Track resource usage –Capacity planning Security –Continue with C&A initiative Establish Policies/Business rules –Use existing policies for now and refine as needed –Establish guidance for WebOffice administration, username formats (LDAP?) –Consider “Rules of Behavior” agreement? –Discourage use of other collaboration suites and web meeting tools? CIO Council Oversight –Regular reporting on usage metrics Incorporate WebEx in EA TRM Roll-out Enterprise-wide
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