Automation, strategies keep MTMC in contact

Translog: Journal of Military Transportation Management, May-June, 2002 by Denis Van Langen

Creative information management strategies and software are assuring the Military Traffic Management Command of the seamless operation of its twin headquarters elements.

The distance between the Operations Center staff at Fort Eustis, Va., and the headquarters staff at Alexandria, Va., is not a factor, due to our flexible, well-distributed information management infrastructure. We have pursued the goals of enterprisewide standards and responsive information processing systems. This effort has culminated in a world-class global communications and information-sharing environment.

Centralization and standardization have been the business drivers for our. strategy.

As MTMC has evolved, information management has always remained focused on the future challenges. New and innovative technologies have been required for such initiatives as third-party logistics, the total supply chain, direct-vendor delivery, time-definite delivery, and contractor logistics support.

The command's new Operations Center provides real-time information on operations and has introduced entirely new information-sharing requirements. The information management approach to meeting the command's information needs has been to use Department of Defense and industry standards--and to obtain some of the best commercial hardware and software systems available.

Four themes of our information dominance include: Reliable communications, integrated and comprehensive approaches, modeling and simulation, and knowledge management.

The backbone of the MTMC communications architecture is the Non-Classified IP Router Network, or NIPRNET, on the unclassified side, and the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, or the SIPRNET, on the classified side. These Department of Defense standard communications networks are the workhorses of MTMC's data communications, and keep the various MTMC offices in constant contact.

Augmenting these capabilities are special-purpose, point-to-point circuits for continuity of operations requirements.

These circuits also provide a linkage to the Internet for communication with commercial customers. Within the MTMC offices, there is increased use of fiber optic technology and gigabit network protocols, which provide office backbones capable of sharing information at such incredible speeds as one billion bits per second.

To effectively manage this complex, distributed information technology environment, MTMC relies upon the Computer Associates Unicenter enterprise management system. This system provides real-time reporting of equipment status, warning of critical events, software delivery to the desktop, equipment management, and problem intervention capabilities.

For example, should a problem arise on one of MTMC's monitored server computers, the system administrators are directly paged or e-mailed an alert and given the option of immediately initiating a recovery.

This enterprise management capability is currently being installed throughout the command.

Another leading-edge technology is the Vehicle Tracking System. This technology features a Global Positioning System, and uses a combination of cellular and satellite technology to pinpoint instrumented vehicles virtually anywhere in the United States.

Vehicle location, speed, direction, and operational datas is displayed using the Intelligent Road-Rail Information Server, created by the Transportation Engineering Agency.

This server and the tracking system are currently in use in our Operations Center.

Equally important to MTMC's use of leading-edge technology is the ongoing emphasis on improved ways of doing business.

Driven by the need for greater economy and performance, we are looking carefully at commercial alternatives to standard business systems.

Our first adoption of commercial systems was in the financial area.

The Oracle Federal Financial System is being installed with the full cooperation of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. This system will enhance our ability to perform cash management while at the same time making the financial data more readily available.

A key example of our interest in commercial off-the-shelf solutions is the Surface Transportation Management System initiative, intended to replace both the Global Freight Management system and the Integrated Booking System. STMS will aid the command in establishing an integrated, end-to-end surface transportation capability.

As these commercial-off-the-shelf systems are adopted, MTMC business practices will be revised to take advantage of the new capabilities and opportunities for cost savings.

We predict the future will include the following information management initiatives:

* Elimination of single points of failure to improve communications reliability.

* Incorporation of BlackBerry handheld devices for e-mail.

* Use of encrypted virtual private networks for secure unclassified communications.

* Use of wireless handheld devices for data sharing.

* Increased use of automated identification technology.

* Voice input for operations status reporting.