NOAA MARS ImplementationDeployment Support

Thursday October 4, 2007

2:30 pm EDT

Agenda

• Background on the MARS application

• Desktop and application requirements

• Role of local IT support

• MARS Support

• Pre-Deployment activities

• Contact information

Background

• The Management Analysis and Reporting system (MARS) is an enterprise budget execution and financial reporting application for line, staff offices, and FMCs

• Functionality allows users to track commitments, forecast labor, plan execution-year budgets, and conduct financial reporting and analysis

• Primary MARS data source is the Commerce Business System (CBS), NOAA’s financial accounting system

MARS DEPLOYS OCTOBER 15

Background

• MARS integrates 2 existing applications: the Financial Reporting System (FRS) used in NMFS and Business Objects used in NWS.– FRS is a custom, Oracle-based application – Business Objects is a COTS business intelligence

tool

• FRS is the data entry module of MARS• Business Objects is the reporting and analysis

module • MARS requires 2 separate log-ins until single

sign-on is implemented in FY08 or FY09

Background

• With the implementation of MARS these Line Office applications will be retired:– FRS in NMFS– COAST in NOS– TAPS in NMAO– Business Objects / OLAP in NWS, and – FDMS in OAR (users will have read-only access to

historical date beginning 11-30-07)

Background

• The NOAA Chief Financial Officer, Maureen Wylie, is the MARS system owner

• The NOAA Information Technology Center (ITC) in Largo, MD is hosting the application

• Development team comprised of personnel in the NMFS OCIO office, the NWS OCFO office, and OAR PMEL office

MARS Solution End-State

NOAA DW

CBS

Commitment Tracking, Spend Plans, Labor Forecasting

OCFO Portal Homepage

CSTARS

Commitments for Contracts, Small Purchases

End-to-End Resource Management System

(E2E)

Obligations

NFC personnel

data

Sunflower

PLANNING / PROGRAMMING / BUDGETING EXECUTION

Existing applications

Component of MARS Implementation

Future Functionality

User

Planning, Programming, Budgeting

FRS Business Objects

MARS

Grants Online

You Are Here

https://mars.rdc.noaa.gov

Desktop Requirements

Application Requirements

• Java – Sun 1.4.2_xx– Sun 1.5.0_xx– Apple 1.4.2_xx

• J-initiator - version 1.3.1.26• Adobe Reader - version 5.0 or higher

The user may download the applications by going to https://mars.rdc.noaa.gov and clicking on the Downloads drop-down menu at the top of the page

MARS User Accounts and Passwords

• MARS Support will provide user IDs and passwords to users prior to deployment

• Recommend users change their passwords at initial log-in

• MARS Support will handle all MARS account administration

Role of Local IT Support Staff

• Assisting MARS users in downloading and installing the correct version of Java, J-initiator, and validating other desktop requirements

• Establishing VPN accounts for MARS users who telework or work outside a NOAA network

• Helping MARS development team and ITC troubleshoot connectivity issues

• Contacting MARS Support for users who are unable to resolve connectivity issues

Pre-Deployment Activities for Local IT Support

• Assist MARS users in your office by:– Verifying connection to https://mars.rdc.noaa.gov– Establishing VPN accounts for users who require

access to MARS while teleworking, or when outside a NOAA network

– Confirming desktop requirements; installing j-initiator, Java, and Adobe Reader

– Troubleshooting connectivity issues with local network team, MARS Support, the NOAA Network Operations Center (NOC), and / or the NOAA ITC

• NOAA ITC Support line is 301-763-6400

MARS Support

• MARS Support, operated by the NMFS help desk, will provide support to MARS users Mon - Fri 7:30 am - 5:30 pm EDT

• Users may contact the help desk via email or phone:– mars.support@noaa.gov– 301-713-2376

• MARS development team members will provide tier 2 level support to MARS users

• NOAA ITC and NOC will provide tier 3 level support

Contact Information

• For MARS technical issues or questions, contact the MARS support

• All other MARS-related questions may be directed to Marie Lovern, MARS project manager, at marie.lovern@noaa.gov or 301-713-0262 x171