Standard Application Platforms and Technologies

The use of standard application platforms reduces maintenance support costs and facilitates synergies in enterprise-wide knowledge and expertise. SAIC did not find standard application platforms across the State, but all Departments were putting importance on technology standardization. There were pockets of standardization to be noted:

• Several organizations were standardizing on an applications technology stack – the most common included the

Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP (LAMP) stack, the Windows stack (Windows\IIS\SQL Server\.NET), and the Java web application stack (Linux or Solaris/Tomcat/JSP).

• Several Departments use HIC for development of public-facing,

eCommerce web applications; HIC’s mature development environment standardizes on LAMP applications technology architecture to capitalize on staff expertise, reduce support costs, and to facilitate reusable code and data across the environment.

• Pockets of common technology investments have been made and could be leveraged to advance to an enterprise capability:

- GIS ARCInfo – DOD, DAGS, DOT, DBEDT, DLNR, DOH, HDOA, AG, DOE, UH - Asset Management: Maximo – DOH, DHS

- Document Management: KOFAX and/or IBM FileNet– DOT, B&F, (and the Judiciary), AG, DAGS, DOTAX

- Collaboration: SharePoint – DOE, DOH, B&F

- Email Lotus Notes – majority of Departments but on multiple versions - Enterprise Systems Management: SolarWinds – DOT, DAGS/ICSD, DOE - Human Resource Management: PeopleSoft – DHRD

- Financial Management: Oracle Financials implementations - DOT Air, DOT Highways (FAST) project underway, DHHL Financial Management System, ERS, EUTF,

DOTAX, B&F

- Payroll: Ceridian Services and Applications – Charter Schools

The challenge for standard enterprise solutions and technologies will continue to be the nature of significant portions of funding at the program level. Historically, this has resulted in program point solutions that have also implemented their own supporting infrastructure, both at the application level (i.e. the technology stacks described above) and at the server level. Both ICSD and the Departments’ IT organizations try to stay ahead of these developments and lobby for

standardization but struggle to be effective given the previous lack of a CIO to champion enterprise approaches.

This is a long-term strategic area of emphasis for the new CIO to establish standard enterprise-level application platforms, capabilities, and technologies for all Departments to leverage. It is a relatively simple model: Within any solution domain (for example, electronic document management), the technologists within the Departments need to assess, pilot (if necessary), and agree upon the standard recommended product (in this example, assume IBM FileNet). Once agreed upon, all energies and efforts provide synergy in effective use and reuse of shared capabilities with that standard product. And, in a controlled manner, any recommendations for evaluating new emerging technologies are sanctioned, and an overall enterprise discipline for “new product/technology evaluation and insertion” matures. In the long run, the overall cost effectiveness of managing standard technologies and the ability for the enterprise to more effectively leverage technology for enhancing impact in business service delivery are optimized.

To Be Recommendation 18: Standardize Application Platforms and Technologies

• Develop standards and guidance regarding technology decisions, specifically with respect to application architecture, design, and implementation for use and adoption across the Departments, Divisions, and programs.

- Rapidly baseline current assumptions regarding sunset, legacy, preferred, and standard application platforms, architectural stacks, and technologies within the technical architecture.

- Recognize strategic application platforms and technologies for future applications development and establish enterprise capabilities for these including standard development methods, skills development (training) and skills acquisition (contracting), and tools/technologies. Strategic focus areas include:

 Web applications development

 Mobile applications development

 Social media development

- Develop a “promotion path” strategy for applications developed with “easy to use”

tools such as Lotus Notes Designer or Microsoft Access. Encourage individuals and small work groups’ innovations with such tools, but recognize when an

application reaches a “critical mass” of importance (business dependence) and take the application through a promotion phase to safeguard

application availability, reliability, and security.

• Create a communication plan to “market” the standards and guidance within each Department.

Below are specific actions relative to standardizing application platforms and technologies:

Recommendations Key Actions

Technology Standards for Enterprise Applications

• Leverage the CIO Council to develop an immediate baseline of current assumptions regarding sunset, legacy, preferred, and standard application platforms, architectural stacks, and technologies within the technical architecture.

• Develop standard enterprise application solutions, capabilities, and technologies based on current investments within the State for the following critical areas:

- A workflow system such as Lotus Notes/Domino.

- A collaboration system such as Lotus Notes or SharePoint.

- An automated document management and records management system such as IBM FileNet.

- A GIS software platform/technology such as ARCInfo.

- An IT infrastructure management tool such as SolarWinds.

• Incorporate ongoing decisions regarding technology standards for enterprise applications into the technical architecture initiative.

• Develop an enterprise methodology for new product technology evaluation and insert sufficient stage-gate reviews for enterprise-level decision-making. Suggested steps include: needs analysis, market analysis, feasibility study, alternatives analysis, impact analysis, and new product/technology introduction planning and execution as illustrated in Figure 20). It should be characterized by an agile, iterative, incremental design (no long, drawn-out analysis steps) and should facilitate rapid prototyping and piloting of new technologies.

Standard Enterprise Capabilities for Applications Development

• For web applications development, analyze and decide upon standard and preferred approaches, capabilities needed, and tools/technologies for public-facing web applications development. Leverage the successful HIC model,

adjust as needed to minimize the approaches used, and upgrade needed human resource skills for growth, including both

advanced training programs for staff and putting in place contractor resources.

• For mobile applications development and social media development, analyze, pilot, and invest/implement a standard

approach, capabilities, and tools for developing mobile applications. Upgrade needed human resource skills for growth including both advanced training programs for staff and putting in place contractor resources.

Workgroup Application Innovation and Promotion

• Develop a "promotion path" strategy for applications developed with “easy to use" tools such as Lotus Notes Designer or Microsoft Access that specifically addresses

enhancing application stability and safeguarding application availability, reliability, and security.

• Integrate the promotion path strategy into overall application portfolio investment planning decisions.

Figure 20: Pragmatic Investment Approach

• Evaluate and leverage, as appropriate, the HIC best practices approach to applications management statewide, specifically in relation to:

- Data sharing and integration approaches such as database replication for internal use.

- Reuse of considerable portions (services/components) of application code including single sign-on and payment processing with a

common reporting capability for auditing.

- Ability to leverage/reuse applications from other states - ideas, specifications, and some code if on the same target platform.

- Use of a common application platform and technical infrastructure for all applications specifically Linux, Java, Oracle or MySQL, and some Perl.

- Significant security credentials including PCI Digital, SarBox, HIPAA, and IRS audits.

- DR for their infrastructure using DR Fortress previously and now using Endeavor.

HIC has a track record of successful web application development projects including instances of working through business process changes within the organization to effectively use new

applications. A recent example is the new application Land Record System developed for DLNR’s Bureau of Conveyances.