Center Background and Historical 1 Draft.pdf

DRAFT

AFRC Application group provides database programming, web design and maintenance, and/or engineering support for the systems and services that fall under centralized information technology (IT) services, which are managed by the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

These services support flight data generation, reduction, analysis, and archiving. The application group also provide support and maintenance for custom, Commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS), and Government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) applications; and other centralized services and support including business information systems and applications. It is AFRC’s intent to leverage Agency’s application services and / or platforms, then COTS products, and finally custom development if any of the other two options does not meet the customer’s requirements.

I. Investment Platforms A. SharePoint is our web-based collaboration platform that is used to share information among organizations. Also hosted on the platform is AFRC Share that is used to collaborate with other NASA Centers. The internal web services hosted on this platform is in the process of moving to the Agency provided solution. SharePoint was heavily customed to meet user requirements for business process management.

B. MARS is a web-based content management application that allows users to use a web browser to manage the storing, viewing, sharing and versioning of information with other users across the network. This application provides the data archival repository for AFRC projects.

C. The JIRA software is utilized to supports configuration management for the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator (LBFD) Project. This application is used by multiple projects to track configuration control, risk management and the entire lifecycle of the project. This is LBFD’s main Configuration Control Board (CCB) database.

II. Custom Applications A. Business Information Technology System (BITS) is a custom-built ASP.net application that provides mission and resource scheduling and documentation for the Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR).

B. DATR Configuration Control Board is also a custom-built ASP.net and C# application that is used as a configuration control management system. Ranger Test Information Engineers (TIEs) and Software Engineers use the work order functionality built into it as well.

C. Flight Data Archive System (FDAS) is used for the storage of real time flight data. This data can come from the DATR or from the Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF) simulation lab. FDAS is used by research engineers to retrieve desired data for analysis. FDAS native format is a binary file format called CMP4.

D. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Flight Data Portal (AFDP) Project is a Capabilities Challenge within the Flight Capabilities sub-project in the ARMD Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities Project. Capability challenges support

ARMD Technical Challenges by developing needed flight research capabilities and improving operational efficiency or reducing costs. Therefore, AFDP was developed to provide NASA civil servants, contractors, and partners secure, direct access to ARMD flight test data products along with the information required to interpret and use the data so researchers will be able to make new discoveries long after the data was acquired. This system is still under development.

E. COTS products but have been modified to meet customer’s requirements

1. Configuration Control Board (CCB)

2. Aircraft Work Order System

3. Fire Warden System

4. Center Decision Memo (CDM)

5. Information Technology Request (ITR)

Contents Introduction

Tools and Platforms

1-SharePoint

2- JIRA/Bitbucket/Service Desk

3-PHP as a Service Framework

Custom Applications

1-RAMS (Reimbursable Agreement Management System)

2- NTDT – (NASA Training Database Tool)

3- ORI (Organizational Records Inventory)

4-ARC Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate Applications

5-Mission Directorate Websites

6- Employee Check-in and Check-out

7- Center Directives Management System (CDMS)

8- CIO IT Approval Workflow

9- Ames Dispatch Application

Acronyms

Introduction

NASA Ames Application platform services under the ARC Chief Information Office supports and manages over 50 center and agency level web applications and websites. Most of the applications are custom built with the Code Igniter framework using PHP 7.3 with (Linux-

Apache-MS-SQL-PHP). Additionally, application development ARC app service support includes regular system maintenance, maintenance of IT security plans, security patching and upgrades, and hosting on virtual servers. Monitoring data storage, data recovery, nightly backup, database maintenance, database administration support, access control. The chart below shows high level architecture of ARC Application Platform Service.

Figure-1 ARC Application Service Architecture

Service requests are initiated and handled through helpdesk which utilizes the JIRA ServiceDesk utility to manage the request. The ARC application service line process about 150 number of requests weekly.

development to customer support. Service Desk enables customers to submit help desk tickets request application service or report an issue, and routes the tickets to appropriate support teams and enable users to track the progress.

3-PHP as a Service Framework

ARC application service uses PHP as the main programming language to develop web applications websites. The use of the CodeIgniter PHP framework streamlines the development of web applications and helps to promote rapid application development (RAD). Using PHP frameworks enables reusing code across similar projects, saves a substantial amount of development time and effort. Currently PHP 7.3 with (Linux-Apache-MS-SQL-PHP) configuration is being used in many of the custom-built ARC applications with the plan to migrate to version 8.1 in 2022.

Custom Applications

Several significant custom-built applications are noted below. Except where indicated, they are built using the CodeIgniter PHP framework noted above. Applications are also compliant with

NASA and federally mandated PIV and 2-factor authentication requirements via the Agency ICAM

LaunchPad solution/implementation.

1-RAMS (Reimbursable Agreement Management System)

RAMS is a custom-built web application developed using ARC application service PHP framework, and utilizes LogiAnalytics as the business intelligence reporting platform. RAMS was developed for ARC finance team to track and manage the reimbursable agreement data. It has a capability to send notification to other orgs and request reimbursable estimates and route agreements for appropriate approval. RAMS also provides users add, delete, search, edit and view agreement capability.

2- NTDT – (NASA Training Database Tool)

NTDT is custom built application used by Human Resource (HR) and Office of the Chief Financial

Officer (CFO). Resources on this system can be accessed from all centers. NTDT started in 2016 at Ames only, was known as ATDT and adopted/modified for agency use in 2020. System is used to track center's Civil Servant training costs and budget.

3- ORI (Organizational Records Inventory)

ORI application provides the Agency Records Management Office with a centralized web-based management of federal record inventories across all NASA centers. System supports multiple roles with associated permissions that facilitate management of inventory data at the center, directorate, and sub-directorate levels, while preserving isolated access to record inventory information. The system supports the ability to perform bulk data imports, additions, and updates, and export record data to excel format for analysis and reporting at the Org, Center, and Agency levels. Export capabilities facilitate records management across centers as well as fulfilling Agency level reporting requirements to Federal entities such as National Archives and

Records Administration (NARA), US Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Office of

Management and Budget (OMB). The system also supports tracking of annual reviews for record inventories by Org and Center. ORI application is a custom developed web-based application built in PHP utilize ICAM SSO Agent for authentication. This system was developed and used in ARC, and is scheduled for deployment as an agency-wide record management tool in 2022.

4-ARC Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate Applications

The Ames Safety Accountability Program (ASAP) is a web based real-time graphical application consisting of 6 different modules AED, CMAR, Hazard Reporting System, Safety Suggestion and

Emergency Response Tracking. ASAP and its modules used to track certain safety metrics such as safety training, hazard correction, safety inspections results, employee hours vs. any safety accidents, safety reports, automatic external defibrillator (AED) weekly inspection data.

Addition to ASAP, there are two more applications developed and managed by the ARC application service, the QH Document Handling System (QHDMS) and the QS Document Handling

System (QSDMS). QHDMS and QSDMS tools provide a centralized repository for the directorate.

These tools have capability to search document by Title, Author, Keywords, building, Task

Number, Locations, and Dates fields. Additionally, they also provide electronic routing and approval workflow and notification.

5-Mission Directorate Websites

ARC Application Service manages two NASA Science Mission Directorate publicly available web sites.

eClips website provides educators with standards-based videos, activities, and lesson plans to increase STEM literacy through the lens of NASA. Site hosts k-12 educational resources not only in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, but also in reading, writing, and visual and performing arts. Videos hosted on eClips support project-based and problem-based learning experiences in science, mathematics, and career and technical education classrooms. Site provides a search engine where educators can search a topic and navigate appropriate resources based on the search term. Website is built in PHP and accessible by the public.

3D Resources website is a growing 3D models repository with textures, and images from NASA and space science community. Site hosts more than 350 space and science related 3D models and images. Website offer these assets for public use, free and without copyright. Search engine of 3D Resources helps users to easily search and navigate through the site. Website is a custom-built in PHP and accessible by the public.

6- Employee Check-in and Check-out

The Employee Check-in application provides a centralized source for finding out what forms and actions are required to obtain common, basic services needed by new employees.

The application is available to all employees at ARC. It is used primarily by contractor administrative assistants and Civil Servant human resources staff who are responsible for obtaining services and equipment for new employees. The user can select from a set of services pertinent for the employee type (i.e., NASA civil service vs. other/contractor, US citizen/Legal permanent resident vs. foreign national, long-term vs. temporary vs. remote). Check-in stations

(i.e., providers of these services) provide phone service, computers, email accounts, active directory accounts, and other services for new employees. For each check-in station, instructions, and links to forms for obtaining services are provided. Some check-in stations receive email notifications so that they can be prepared to provide services once any forms or actions are completed.

Employee Check-out is used by both ARC and LaRC, and available to all employees at both

Centers. It enables employees to submit checkouts, which indicate that an employee's employment status will be changing.

An employee can submit his own checkout, or someone else (e.g., administrative assistant, line supervisor, HR) can submit it for him. Employment status changes include leaving NASA, changing contracts, changing from NASA civil servant to other/contractor, changing from other/contractor to NASA civil servant, and changing centers, among others.

Depending on the checkout type (employment status change), different groups that need to check their records called checkout stations, are notified via email about the employee's checkout. Once the employee has completed any required actions (such as turning in keys and employee badge), the checkout station uses a link in the email it received to close the station.

Once all stations have completed their reviews and have been closed, the employee's checkout is archived.

7- Center Directives Management System (CDMS)

CDMS is used to submit and manage center-specific directives at ARC, JSC, GRC, and LaRC. These directives provide policies, procedures, and standards that govern a wide variety of activities, including safety, procurement, information technology, and other administrative operations.

CDMS supports a review process, which ensures that submitted directives are properly vetted.

This application allows users to do the following: view directives, add directives, edit directives, place directives under review, edit directives that are under review, view draft directives, view comments for directives, view contents of directives, view the directives file that is stored on the server. In addition, users can add/edit/delete mail messages, draft steps, organizations, and directive subjects. Also, authorized users can add users, manage users, manage user groups, and notify users.

8- CIO IT Approval Workflow This is a workflow application used to track PCard, SEWP/ELMT purchases, and provides an automated workflow approval process for purchases requiring Mission Focus Review (MFR) 137 reviews, and IT reviews required by the Section 515 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing

Appropriations Act, 2015. Application enables users to utilize built in search engine to search the database for existing hardware approved for purchase by the CIO. If database doesn’t have preapproved IT hardware or software user can be able to fill a request form and start a new request. Each request goes through a review process and approval workflow, once completed email notification is being sent to requester. System developed with ARC application group PHP framework, and is open to all employees.

9- Ames Dispatch Application

The web-based ARC Dispatch tracking tool is used to support ARC Police, Fire Department staff and additional ARC Office of Personnel Security administrative staff. Dispatch provides a means for logging incidents reported the ARC dispatchers. ARC dispatchers can easily capture all required input from a dispatch event into a centralized managed relational database through any supported modern browser device (desktop or hand-held). Dispatch also provides the ability to perform ad-hoc and run canned reports at any time.

Acronyms

AMS Ames Management System

CSAT Civil Servant Allocation Tool

LSA Length of Service Award

AED Automatic Electronic Defibrillator

EAR Emergency Response Tracking

QHDMS Code QH Document Management System

QSDMS Code QS Document Management System

EDL Environmental Document Library

Applications and Web Services Overview

At GRC the PACEV contractor manages and supports application and web development projects. They utilize appropriate policies, and procedures as they pertain to these projects.

• The contractor uses Jira to track the work to deliver application and web services within the associated project. Work is managed in Jira using Scrum and Kanban leveraging Agile best practices as much as possible. The transition to Agile has been slow, but much progress has been made since beginning this effort in August of 2021.

• The contractor supports application services and provides information to the GRC community about these services through the GRC OCIO website, https://www.grc.nasa.gov/ocio/, and additional communication mechanisms (i.e. GRC internal website). Requests are managed in Jira.

Over 200 applications and websites are supported throughout their lifecycle, including maintenance and enhancements.

• The contractor provides tier 3 help desk support for each application supported through the contract. Trouble tickets will be collected through the NASA Enterprise Service Desk and forwarded to the contractor, who will log them in Jira and track to closure.

• The contractor supports requests from customers to deliver applications and web services. If the requested services are outside the Base Level Entitlement (BLE), additional resources are requested when needed, which will result in a Service Agreement for the additional resources.

• The contractor provides metrics on websites and applications through the Matomo tool for internal websites and applications and Google Analytics through the Federal Digital Analytics Program (DAP) for public websites and applications

• The contractor assists customers in creating effective websites and applications by providing web and graphics design services as well as assisting users with application registration where needed. Specific service requests beyond Base Level Entitlements will generate customer agreements to fund the additional development requirements.

Development Environments

GRC maintains up-to-date, reliable, and secure development environments, software tools, policies, and procedures as they pertain to these environments. The contractor operates and maintains the environments and tools used to deliver application services.

Current tools include:

• Atlassian Jira

• Atlassian Confluence

• GITLAB

• Adobe ColdFusion

• Oracle and MySQL databases

• WordPress and associated plugins

• Sortsite

• GMF (Formmail)

• SharePoint Online

The WADe applicaton development software suite is installed, supported, and maintained, which includes but is not limited to ColdFusion, ERWin data modeling

The contractor supports, operates, and maintains the infrastructure to deliver GRC Websites, including:

• WordPress

• The Central file space to support non-WordPress websites

Modernization Efforts

Efforts to modernize the platforms and applications at Glenn are being evaluated in alignment with the larger NASA strategies with focus on containerization and cloud-based no/low code environments. While no funded project exists, there is work to create plans that would include the following:

• Alignment with Agency portfolio

• Cloud platforms

• Containerization

• Rationalize the Adobe ColdFusion environment.

• Move from PVCS to GIT for version control for PACE 5 supported applications.

Application rationalization has resulted in the completion of projects to decommission a number of internal websites, and work is actively being done to transition many remaining sites to SharePoint.

Database Environments

The contractor develops, supports and maintains up-to-date, reliable and secure database environments.

• Develop, modify, troubleshoot, and maintain database schemas in all environments which includes schema development, modification, maintenance and deletion. Current platforms include Oracle, mySQL, and SQL Server.

• Provide data modeling services as requested.

• Provide database access control and security administration where required. This includes support in implementing Agency authentication initiatives

Facilitating Support

To support the management of the GRC Application portfolio, and ensure the applications are meeting the Center application needs effectively, the contractor provides technical and administrative support in a number of different ways:

• In Application Program Support Review (APSR) meetings. The team facilitates and provides technical knowledge of the application portfolio, applications being supported, customer requirements, technologies, and infrastructure to develop applications, and the guidelines the CIO advocates for application development and support.

• Provide business analyst support to collect customer requirements, and facilitate the development of customer agreements

• Participate in the review of proposed NASA standards and practices, to determine their impact on GRC web services, and provide plans to align GRC’s web services with new Agency requirements

• Monitor GRCs web and application registrations to support compliance activities.

Larger Development projects

Larger development efforts include:

NETS EMS– Developing and automated center review for NASA’s Environmental Management System (EMS).

NETS NEPA – Developing Environmental Review Form for agency use.

Shape Memory Alloy Application Development – A tool for archiving, exploring, and interchanging shape memory materials data including shape memory alloys (SMAs), super elastic alloys, magnetic SMAs, shape memory polymers and shape memory ceramics. The tool provides statistical information dating back to the 1950’s, multilayer ternary diagrams and 2D scatter plots from millions of data points.

GLIDE Developer Support for COMPASS Team – GLIDE is a central data repository that gives users the ability to securely publish and subscribe to parameters that are associated with a specific study. The development team is currently focused on implementing a backend rails framework for the Master MEL view.

GSFC Background & Historical

BACKGROUND

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland delivers information when it is needed and where it is needed, with appropriate protection in a way that helps all GSFC organizations achieve Center and NASA mission objectives. It provides GSFC workforce with the Information Technology they rely on to achieve Goddard’s Science and Technology missions, and to assist NASA Headquarters or other

Centers in implementation of Information Technology objectives.

It provides services that are required to operate, maintain, and enhance business and mission-supporting platforms, applications and infrastructure used across the GSFC and Missions. The primary scope is support for Class F Software defined as general purpose computing, business, and IT software. (Reference NPR 7150.2C).

DRUPAL

The GSFC OCIO organization utilizes Drupal as the content management system (CMS) for both the internally and externally facing websites. They are hosted in the Code 720 data center at GSFC.

The GSFC OCIO organization is in the process of migrating all internally facing websites to the

Agency Microsoft 365 SharePoint Online platform. The externally facing websites will be migrated as part of the Agency Web Modernization.

CUSTOM APPLICATIONS

The following custom applications represent a subset of GSFC applications that have a unique focus and/or mission impact. The applications are primarily developed in ColdFusion-Adobe and hosted in the Code 720 data center at GSFC. Some applications are being rewritten in Node.js and hosted in Amazon Web Services (AWS).

NASA Task Order Management System (NASATOMS)

NASATOMS is used to support contracts across Goddard for the management of statements of work, responses, and contract related documentation. Includes set-up and enhancements associated with new contracts at Goddard, and other centers that use NASATOMS.

NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS)

The NODIS application is used to manage and communicate Agency and Goddard Documentation to the Public and local communities.

Integrated Formulation, Execution and Reporting Module (iFERM) iFERM is a financial application supporting GSFC Code 153 in the collection, tracking, reporting, and evaluation of center-wide project and CM&O budget plans. It includes a CM&O Phasing Plan

Module, CM&O Institutional Operations Council (IOC) Module, reports, charts and dashboard.

Integrated Workforce and Personal Planning (iWAPP) iWAPP is a workforce management application supporting GSFC Code 153 in the collection and evaluation of center-wide workforce planning.

Contractor Resources Tracking System (CORTS)

Contractor Resources Tracking system (CORTS) is a web-based, platform-independent, interactive system that is available to GSFC Code 501 resources analysts and the GSFC and WFF communities. CORTS Web is used to maintain and track contractor cost data at task level for each support service contract at GSFC. The application allows users to import the 533 data, generate pre-assessment reports, and then create assessment files to upload to SAP on a monthly basis. It includes the ability for contractors to provide actual hours by task and subtask via the 533 import file on a monthly basis. It calculates the WYEs by contract, fiscal year, and month, based on the accounting calendar and the actual on-site and off-site hours loaded via the 533 import process.

Test & Integration Management Information System (TIMIS)

TIMIS is a web-based, platform-independent, interactive system developed for GSFC Code 540.

It is used to process and track work directives from the initiation phase through the email approval cycle to completion of a work directive for the old and current test service contracts. This system provides the GSFC Code 540 a mechanism to maintain and track requirements, estimates, actuals, schedules, and costs for the test activities performed. It also imports the contractor's 533 and weekly data and creates the assessment files for SAP on a monthly basis for the old and active contract.

Budget Estimating and Tracking System (BETS)

BETS is an on-line project budget planning and reporting tool for missions/projects used by the

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) project that was built off the Magnetospheric

Multiscale (MMS) MIS Financial Module code base. It allows the project financial users to create and update their budget plans with different scenarios by cost category, subsystem, milestone, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), month and Fiscal Year (FY) in Full-Time Equivalent (FTE), Work Year Equivalent (WYE), and dollar amount for multiple FYs for multiple missions/projects.

BETS PvA Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS)

BETS PvA is a subsystem of BETS which was developed for GSFC missions and projects to manage the guidelines and allocations and to track the plans vs actuals for each month throughout the years.

Document Routing System ESDIS

The Proposal Management System shall automate the proposal document management and routing process by providing central document repository and allowing for approval/document routing workflows. The system tracks proposals with associated documents, shows the status of the documents and proposal, has a document export (e.g. Excel) capability, has document routing/workflow capability (e.g. notify next reviewer/approver), allows reviewers to approve or disapprove a proposal, has email notification capability and other features.

Management Information System (MIS)

A MIS is a system for the management of all documentation associated with the support of a flight project mission. Includes sustainment for projects that have launched, where there is still a need to maintain the applications for future use by the missions for historical data. (e.g. JPSS, MAVEN, MMS, FPI, LDCM-Ops, OCMIS, SAMMIS, GPRS-PR/PFR and SCMS)

Headquarters (HQ) Background & Historical

HQ ITCD Application & Website Development (APPDEV) provides comprehensive information services, delivering software, mobile applications, and responsive web applications and defining business architecture to meet customer’s business needs. In addition to developing complex search, reporting, query, and knowledge management tools ITCD requires that applications, web services, websites, and business architecture solutions align with and support enterprise and agency objectives. The intent of HQ APPDEV approach is to avoid customization of COTS products.

HQ use the below as its primary investment platforms. These platforms are listed below and expanded upon in the following section:

• ServiceNow

• Drupal Framework

• SharePoint

• Tririga

Investment Platforms

Low-Code Platform (Ex., ServiceNow)

ServiceNow is used at HQ ITCD as our low-code development platform which allow our developers to build cloud-based applications by relieving them of the need to write code line by line. The platform further enables developers to quickly build, test, and deploy applications while meeting IT Security requirements. The platform delivers digital workflows that create great experiences while unlocking productivity.

DRUPAL

Drupal 7.6x is used by NASA Headquarters (HQ) for the development of websites that must reach audiences outside of HQ or contain functionalities beyond that provided by our other platforms

(ex., ServiceNow or SharePoint). It is designed to deliver optimal functionality using several selectable 'modules' as a Framework, are taken through compatibility, security, and operational reviews to provide a common starting point for customer sites. Drupal 8 & 9 versions are currently under baseline review for new projects and upgrade of current Drupal 7.6x applications and websites.

SHAREPOIN (On-Premises & Online)

MS SharePoint 2016 is the primary collaboration, and content management platform for NASA

HQ. It is used to enable team collaboration on documents and other data products, automate workflows, perform library management, and as general file storage, for HQ organizations and programs/projects.

TRIRIGA

IBM TRIRIGA provides a single system to manage the life-cycle of facilities. Its integrated workplace management system increases the operational, financial, and environmental performance of facilities. HQ Conferencing and Facilities Services (HQCFS) supports request facility repair and reserves conference rooms and locations, equipment, and vehicles within NASA

Headquarters.