Friday, December 27, 2002

E-Team, Release 2 Just got this update on E-Team's new release.  (Utah just extended its contract with E-Team for enterprise incident management while we analyze our overall homeland security needs for incident management.): E Team's new release enables all players critical to an effective incident response to connect, communicate and collaborate in real time. This capability is crucial when responding to threats to Homeland Security, as well as natural and manmade disasters and everyday emergencies.  Other new features of Release 2 include: Enhanced GIS mapping Crystal Reports interface Enhanced personal profiling RealTime Messaging with SSL encryption The features look good.  According to their information, Release 2 is based on open XML standards. 3:36:02 PM

48 Ideas CIO magazine has 48 ideas for the new year.  We've already been looking at most of these for a while.  Can we really replace all our laptops with IPAQs? 3:14:49 PM

Geospatial Interoperability The Geospatial Interoperability Reference Model (GIRM) is now available online.  The goal is to facilitate and promote the use of georeferenced information from multiple sources over the Internet which would require interoperability among the software systems that provide geospatial data, maps, services, and user applications. The standard is promoted by the OpenGIS Consortium. I also just ran across Bob Raskin's useful guide on using Web Mapping Server (WMS) protocols for distributing data products to display maps on the web. 2:14:13 PM

Gartner's 2003 Predictions According to Gartner, "budget constraints, government reorganizations and the looming presence of the Internet as a revenue source will present the public sector with challenges and opportunities during the coming year." I think you can count on that - Gartner didn't go out on a limb with that one.  Some of their other predictions for 2003 are more interesting.  Here's how they sum up the government sector: “The coming year will still be difficult for government at all levels.” I really need to stop reading all this dismal stuff, because 2003 really presents a great opportunity for egovernment, particularly with the support that Governor Leavitt has endowed in IT.  I predict that many of our enterprise projects will turn the corner in '03 and begin to integrate themselves with agency development plans as we continue to work together as a state government enterprise.  We should also begin to see more vertical integration between state, federal and local. 1:45:33 PM

Web Services Specs Last week, Microsoft, IBM and others released six new web services specifications: WS-Policy, WS-PolicyAttachment, WS-PolicyAssertions, WS-SecurityPolicy, WS-Trust, and WS-SecureConversation are six new Web service specifications aimed at advancing security capabilities and streamlining business policy for organizations implementing Web services. These specifications are the second wave of work that is part of a broader road map of proposed Web services security capabilities outlined by IBM and Microsoft in April to tackle the growing need for consistent support of more secure Web services. 11:28:31 AM

Provo Needs a Tower / State Aviation With Utah County's development as a major center for high technology, it is critical that the area have good air transportation access.  The Deseret News recently discussed Provo's need for a control tower.  On busy days, as many as 60 flights per hour take off and land at the airport.  Provo has a master plan for the airport, but lacks funding necessary to get it fully developed. What is the State's role?  The Dept. of Transportation's Aeronautics Division has the mission of promoting and fostering aviation in the state.  They are responsible for providing safe and functional airport systems as part of the statewide transportation program.  As we discussed earlier, their website needs some work in order to adequately service their customers.  This is a good example.  The Aeronautics site needs a list of public and private airports, accessibility requirements, ancillary services, pilot information, etc. On the other hand, the UVSC aviation science program has a very useful site.  The program operates out of the Provo airport and has been quite successful.  You can learn quite a bit with a quick run through their site.  It, too, could use some work, having too many "under construction" graphics, etc.  They do have an online, interactive dispatch scheduling capability. While on the topic of government and air transportation, the FAA has an online Air Traffic Control System Command Center.  The site gives a quick look at the status of all major airports across the country.  Right now, they're all green except San Francisco International.  A quick mouse over SFO gives you the details of its delays.  It would have been interesting to look at this on the days leading up to Christmas.  Another new feature is the e-CVRS system which allows you to make online or phone reservations at High Density Traffic Airports (HDTA).  All of these kinds of systems should be featured on our State aviation site as well (vertical integration of government). 7:51:21 AM

© Copyright 2003 David Fletcher.