Veterans AffairsIT Operations Consolidation Initiatives

July 26, 2007

Dave CheplickDirectorOffice of Telecommunications

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“As one of the largest providers of health care and other benefits, theFederal government can have a major impact on both cost and quality. To that end, we are implementing centralized IT managementto help us better leverage our resources to reduce the overall cost of IT, provide new services faster, and improve our ability to provide quality services.

The goal is to have our operational effectiveness improve as we share best practices across operating units, standardize applications and systems to allow secure access to data across units, and eliminate the repetitive administrative procedures that waste their time and energy.” VAnguard, November/December 2006

Bob HowardAssistant Secretary for Information and Technology

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OI&T Vision Statement

The VA Office of Information and Technology (OI&T)

strives to be the leader among Federal IT

organizations providing secure, high-quality, and

responsive service to supported organizations in

meeting business needs by leveraging state-of the-art

technologies and building a high-performing

workforce dedicated to the success of those they

serve.

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CIO Priorities

Establish a well-led, high-performing, IT organization that delivers responsive IT support to the three administrations (business lines) and central office staff sections.

Standardize IT infrastructure and IT business processes throughout VA. Establish programs to make VA’s IT systems more interoperable and

compatible, not only within VA, but also with the other Federal agencies with which we interact.

Manage VA IT appropriation effectively to ensure sustainability and modernization of our IT infrastructure and more focused application development to meet increasing and changing requirements of our business units.

Strengthen data security controls within VA and among our contractors to substantially reduce the risk of unauthorized exposure of sensitive veteran or VA employee information.

Create an environment of vigilance and awareness to the risks of compromising veteran- or employee-sensitive personal information within VA by integrating security awareness into daily activities.

Remedy the department’s long-standing IT material weaknesses relating to a general lack of security controls.

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IT Operations Initiatives

IT Field Operations IT Field Security Operations IT Telecommunications

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IT Field Operations

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RDP / NDCP Vision

•While that is not possible today, we will continue moving toward this goal by designing and supporting initiatives that lend themselves to achieving this vision.

•In VHA, where it makes sense and lends itself to the regional data center model, we will continue to collapse to VISN-centric data centers in preparation to moving into a regional data center.

•By 2009, all VHA VistA systems will have migrated to regional data centers.

•By 2007, corporate data centers will begin to collapse.

•While that is not possible today, we will continue moving toward this goal by designing and supporting initiatives that lend themselves to achieving this vision.

•In VHA, where it makes sense and lends itself to the regional data center model, we will continue to collapse to VISN-centric data centers in preparation to moving into a regional data center.

•By 2009, all VHA VistA systems will have migrated to regional data centers.

•By 2007, corporate data centers will begin to collapse.

ExplanationExplanation

The vision is to have one national data center with

full redundancy serving the

entire VA.

The vision is to have one national data center with

full redundancy serving the

entire VA.

NDCP VISIONNDCP VISION

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Four Physical IT RegionsTwo Virtual Regions: Region 5 (VBA) and Region 6 (NCA)

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Regional Data Processing Goals Migrate VistA databases from VAMCs to regional data centers

(RDCs) Provide robust continuity of operations (COOP) provisions for VistA,

Exchange, file storage, and security systems to include: Real-time redundant systems housed at two geographically distinct

RDCs VAMC-based VistA read-only (VistARO) system

Maintain cache as VA’s VistA database until the agency provides a different direction

Consolidate Microsoft Exchange – e-mail archive systems are being consolidated

Regionalize file data storage systems Regionalize security systems and strengthen security posture Maintain a disciplined IT project management structure Remediate IG and GAO vulnerabilities and address OMB

requirements Implement a One-VA enterprise architecture

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ONE-VA NDCP 2010 CONCEPTUAL END-STATEONE-VA NDCP 2010 CONCEPTUAL END-STATE

One-VA NDCP 3-Year Goal (2009)

REGION 1 REGION 2

Puerto Rico

Hawaii

Alaska

REGION 4

REGION 3

Guam

Philippines

RDPC Location

•Set the gold standard for future interoperability with DoD and the private sector

•Establish four national data processing centers serving the VA business needs

•Fully implement COOP/ disaster recovery

•Build standardization in IT business structure, process, and technology

•Build tiered network/ security management framework strengthening the NSOC

•Set the gold standard for future interoperability with DoD and the private sector

•Establish four national data processing centers serving the VA business needs

•Fully implement COOP/ disaster recovery

•Build standardization in IT business structure, process, and technology

•Build tiered network/ security management framework strengthening the NSOC

Becoming the “Gold Standard”Becoming the “Gold Standard”

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Next Steps Continue with the current RDP migrations

The current schedule projects that all VHA medical centers will be migrated to RDCs by the end of FY ’08

Planning has already begun to establish the Denver RDC as the COOP facility for the Austin CFDC – which serves as the starting point for the NDCP

Site selection for the remaining data centers is currently underway The baseline requirements are being developed for all NDCP

components – beginning with a detailed inventory of major systems Components migrating to the national data centers IT field operations elements VBA NCA CDCs Program offices (CMOP, HEC, HAC, etc.)

An OMB 300 business case has been developed for the program – but will be re-baselined to reflect the current progress of the initiative and the refinement in the operating costs to date

The IT field operations leadership team will continue to work with the administrations, program offices, and major systems’ owners to determine the impact the NDCP effort on these programs

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IT Field Security Operations

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NSOC Vision

The Department of Veterans Affairs Network and Security Operations Center (VA-NSOC) serves as the VA’s network management and security operations element within Critical Infrastructure Protection Service (CIPS) Field Security Operations (FSO).

The VA-NSOC manages, protects, and monitors the network and cyber security posture of the agency; coordinates externally with government incident response centers; performs threat and vulnerability analyses; reports cyber security and network deficiencies; develops concept of operations or guidelines relating to cyber security incidents; performs analyses of cyber security events; maintains detailed logs and databases of VA cyber security incidents and responses; and generally performs the full range of functions across the spectrum of activities relating to incident management, network management, and response.

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VA Network & Security Operations Center (NSOC)

Network & Security Operations Center (NSOC), Hines

(Primary Security Centric Operations)

Network & Security Operations Center (NSOC), Falling Waters

(Primary Network Centric Operations)

Security Response Team

Incident Response Team

Device Management Team

Secure Remote Access

Root Cause Analysis

Gateway Services

Enterprise Network Services

VA Network & Security Operations Center (NSOC)

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IT Telecommunications

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IT Telecommunications Vision

Bring the Veterans Affairs to a

state-of-the-industry capacity to handle

converged transport of data, video, and

voice traffic.

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Backbone Initiative

Carrier class quality of service (QoS) Enhanced network security Enhanced scalability, reliability, load

balancing and fail over MPLS technology

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One-VA Enterprise Network – Current

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One-VA Enterprise Network – Future

Carrier MPLSSprint

RDPC

Region 1

Region 1

Region 19

Region 19

Distribution Layer

Access Layer

Region 19

Region 19

Internet

Internet

Internet

Internet

Internet

InternetInternet

Internet

Internet

Internet

Internet

Internet

Core Layer

VA Corporate Data Centers

Carrier MPLSAT&T

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MPLS – Looking Forward

Extend this network topology beyond the VA backbone to the regional wide area networks and the regional data centers

Deploy a centralized video teleconferencing service

Develop a One-VA dial plan and a voice and video admission control process

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Telecommunications Operations Support System (TOSS)

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TOSS Goal

Implement a Web-based enterprise telecommunications management solution that provides order management, inventory management, invoice management, and cost management using a service oriented architecture-based extensible workflow platform and VA-specific usage patterns and business process models.

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TOSS – Looking Forward

Cleanse existing hierarchy code and organization data

Conduct Networx transition requirements analysis

Design and implement new Networx vendors and services

Deploy and train TOSS VA-wide Migrate TOSS within VA infrastructure

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FTS – Networx Transition

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FTS – Networx Transition Goal

Providing a framework that supports cross-agency collaboration, transformation, and government-wide technology improvement by maximizing the use of government resources

Providing a common procurement infrastructure Providing a performance-based approach that will

embrace commercial, technical, and interface standards.

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FTS – Looking Forward

Create an operational support system to help

our transition to Networx and establish a model

for all Federal government agencies.

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Questions?