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    Business & Tech Standards

    Platform Domain

    The Platform Domain contains technical standards and policies for deploying and using hardware platforms, operating systems, and enterprise storage systems at the Department of Human Services (DHS). The Platform Domain spans web (n-tier), client/server, and mainframe technologies. The overall business requirements of DHS determine the choice of platforms. With the industry trend toward n-tiered applications, the integration of the different servers that constitute the tiers becomes an important consideration. The development of architectural standards is a critical activity to help guarantee that these tiers interoperate seamlessly. The platform domain also defines the standards and best practices for performance monitoring for efficient and effective control of DHS' distributed information processing environment.

    The principles that govern the platform domain include a unified management approach, a viable technology replacement plan, and minimizing the number of known vendor products used. The platform components must support the business needs of DHS, reside in secure environments, utilize industry-standard products, scale to the desired environment, and have the desired level of fault tolerance.

    The techniques and guidelines in this domain will support and enhance the productivity of computer systems while consolidating and strengthening future system management, development, and maintenance at DHS. This section consists of the following areas:

    Enterprise Platforms

    Servers and operating environments that host critical and large applications. Enterprise servers host applications that typically serve a large number of users. Various enterprise servers use mainframe, client/server, and web technologies. The types of operating systems supported on the enterprise platform include Unisys OS 2200, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows 2003.

    Unisys Mainframe Platform

    Maintains vital legacy programs and the associated software tools for DHS. The mainframe provides a robust environment to host critical legacy applications such as Client Information Systems (CIS). This section identifies the standards, reference manuals, and guidelines for the use of the mainframes in DHS.

    Standards

    •  Collection Standards for Mapping Programs — See Intranet

    Capacity Planning for Enterprise Applications

    Define capacity planning, establish a structure, a timeframe for performing a capacity analysis, and a methodology for performing capacity analysis of enterprise applications that can be used by the application teams.

    Generic Network Platform Standards and Policies

    Client Platforms

    Specifically engineered for smaller-scale applications, operating systems, and hardware. However, such platforms are very widespread and are an integral part of computing technology. The "end user" typically operates on a client, or desktop platform when performing any type of computer-related work. There are several software programs and utilities for this platform.

    Desktop

    For more information regarding the current standard configurations of department-wide desktop computers, please see the DHS Information Technology Environment Summary document.

    Standards

    Guidelines

    Laptop

    For more information regarding the current standard configurations of Department-wide desktop computers see the DHS Information Technology Environment Summary document.

    Handheld Devices

    • Handheld devices refer to handheld PCs and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
    • A handheld PC is a computer small enough to fit in a jacket pocket and runs an off-the-shelf operating system made for handheld PCs. The Handheld PC platform at DHS uses the Microsoft Windows CE operating system, which is a scaled down version of Windows 95, which includes scaled-down versions of several Microsoft application programs, including Excel, Word, Internet Explorer, Schedule+, and an e-mail client.
    • PDAs are lightweight palmtop computers designed to provide specific functions like personal organization (calendar, note taking, database, calculator, and so on) and communications. More advanced models also offer multimedia features. Many PDA devices rely on a pen or other pointing device for input instead of a keyboard or mouse, although some offer a small keyboard in conjunction with a pen or pointing device. For data storage, PDAs rely on flash memory instead of disk drives.

    Generic Client System Standards & Procedures

    Platform Domain Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines

    Purpose

    The purpose is to provide standards and policies for office automation and collaboration tools. This includes the collaboration and communications between individuals within and outside of Health and Human Services Delivery Center (HHS DC), through formal and informal exchanges of ideas, documents, and the like. This domain relates to the others by defining the tools used to 1) access data, 2) process unstructured data, and 3) manipulate agency data, and it writes documentation for applying these tools. It also uses some components of the Internet and Network domains and coordinates with the Security domain.

    This section consists of groupware standards and policies in the following areas:

    Office Automation Tools

    Allow one to work more efficiently and effectively in the workplace. More specifically, such software can aid in the creation of electronic spreadsheets, presentations, e-mail, and many other documents. Examples of this software include Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. 

    Email

    Short for electronic mail, it is the transmission of messages over communication networks. Messages can be notes from the keyboard or electronic files stored on disk. Most computer and information systems have an email system. Some electronic mail systems are confined to a single computer system or network, but others have gateways to other computers systems, enabling users to send electronic mail anywhere in the world. Email has rapidly grown to become a fast and reliable way to communicate.

    Microsoft Office Products

    Used by many organizations for producing electronic spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and several other documents. These tools increase staff productivity and overall effectiveness. Listed below are the Microsoft Office applications included on the standard desktop load.

    • Access — Database application (local use only)
    • Excel — Spreadsheet application
    • Outlook — E-mail application
    • PowerPoint — Presentation application
    • Office Tools — Productivity application
    • Word — Word processing documentation application

    Requests for additional Microsoft products must be submitted to the users' supervisor.

    Open TI Components

    Open Transaction Integrator, or OpenTI, is a middleware tool by Unisys that allows Windows clients to access existing Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) systems. OpenTI solution is designed for enterprise-class clients that depend on high-volume transaction processing. OpenTI gives a great advantage to organizations that use legacy OLTP systems and cannot afford to convert entirely to Windows-based systems because it allows new and old technologies to co-exist. This section contains OpenTI Component standards and policies. More information on OpenTI can be found in the Integration and Middleware Domain.