IPMA Home | IPMA News IPMA News : December 2005 Edited By Christy Ridout and Shelagh Taylor

Washington State Recognized in InfoWorld 100 Projects of the Year (2005)

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Enterprise Document Management System

Project leader: Kristine Masten
Project conceived: June 2002
Work started on project: March 2004
Project completed: May 2005

Project Description
Washington State’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health and security of the state’s nearly two million workers. As administrators of the state's workers' compensation system, it is similar to a large insurance company, providing medical and wage-replacement coverage to people who suffer job-related injuries and illness. It also offers enforcement programs to ensure employees are paid what they are owed and consumers are protected from the risk of illegal building practices.

To better serve constituents and improve efficiency, L&I decided to replace its aging document imaging system, which only supported one of the agency’s programs—workers’ compensation. There was no Internet access to the homegrown system and external users, such as employers and medical providers and requests for microfiche records had to be sent through the mail. L&I decided to implement an enterprise document management system to support all of the agency’s programs and make the documents more readily available to users via the Internet.

With an expanded system, L&I determined it would exceed the capacity of its optical media storage platters that housed its image document claim records. L&I turned to Washington State’s Department of Information Services (DIS) for assistance in finding a solution. It was important that the solution be flexible, meet increased storage demands, and support the state’s regulations that require retention of all claim records for 75 years. The system also needed to be able to replicate copies of records to an off-site location in a permanent non-rewriteable and non-erasable format.

After consulting with both Washington’s Secretary of State and State Auditor--who needed to sign off that the chosen solution would be acceptable for storing and retaining records--the agency implemented EMC Centera Governance Edition content-addressed storage with FileNet document management software. It chose Centera because of its immense storage capacity, high performance, cost effectiveness, and ability to store fixed content that requires long- term retention.

During Phase I, 85 million workman’s compensation claims records were migrated from the optical media platter to EMC Centera. With the document management system, records are scanned into a temporary SQL database and then transferred to an EMC Symmetrix DMX 1000 storage and to Centera simultaneously. Symmetrix serves as temporary cache for fast retrieval and Centera is used to provide the permanent legal copy. During Phase II, a second Centera will be implemented more than 400 miles away to a disaster recovery site. Data will be replicated between the two Centera systems, providing another level of data protection and disaster recovery.

Project Solutions
To serve as its new enterprise document management system, L&I implemented FileNet software and EMC Centera Governance Edition content-addressed storage. Centera is designed to meet the strict requirements for electronic storage media and provides Write Once, Read Many (WORM) protection for critical digital information. It offers content authenticity and rapid online access to L&I’s entire electronic archive. Centera safeguards the integrity of L&I’s electronic records by enforcing retention schedules at the storage level. It also ensures proper end-of-life disposition of confidential data. L&I uses Kofax software to scan the records into a local temporary SQL database. Digital records are then copied to EMC Symmetrix DMX 1000 for temporary storage and retrieval and in parallel copied to EMC Centera for permanent storage using FileNet software.

Project Scope
The scope of the project was to replace an aging imaging system with a more up-to-date integrated document management system that could support all agency programs at an enterprise level. The project involved transferring 85 million claim records from optical media platters to EMC Centera. Going forward, all records are scanned into the enterprise document management system and then written to EMC Symmetrix, which serves as cache or temporary storage. To serve as the permanent legal copy, the data is simultaneously replicated to Centera.

Part of the project also involved providing Internet access to external customers who previously had to access records by requesting microfiche through the mail. A recent test of 53 customers showed that the Internet access is working perfectly.

1500 L&I employees are registered to use the new system, with 500 of L&I’s employees using the system on a daily basis all day long. The state agency employees support the safety, health, and security of Washington State’s nearly two million workers.

Project Benefits
Faster Information Access -- The new L&I system now provides external users, including employees and medical providers, immediate access to claim records via the Internet in seconds. Previously, requests were made directly to L&I who would then research and then put the microfiche in the mail. Not only did this process take several days, but by the time the microfiche arrived, the information was outdated since records are updated on a daily basis.

Decreased Cost and Time Savings -- Since information is now accessible to external users via the Internet, it has eliminated the need for microfiche equipment and faxing. The new system has also eliminated optical storage which was cumbersome and costly to maintain. EMC Centera enables L&I to store and immediately access document images for more than 85 million records, dramatically lowering the time and costs to access archived documents. It has also saved time and reduced L&I workload since it’s no longer necessary to perform manual records searches, create and fax copies of records, and manage microfiche.

Cost-Effective Retention Enforcement -- With the new system L&I is cost-effectively safeguarding their electronic records while ensuring fast access and legal admissibility. Centera Governance Edition enables L&I to enforce policies around the state’s regulation to retain records for 75 years. This was a challenge with the previous system because it was difficult and expensive to destroy information stored on optical platters. With Centera, it is simple to delete appropriate aged data according to its proper end-of-life schedule.

Expanded Information Management for the Enterprise - The new system allows all of L&I’s programs to be integrated into the enterprise document management system. Currently, only one program-workers’ compensation—is on the system. Soon five more of L&I’s programs will be put on the system: employer services, retrospective rating program, healthcare accounts, billing and self insurance.

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Who has the oldest hardware and software? Take the survey!

--by Dennis Laine, IPMA Board Member

We all know the pace of technology advancement. What is new today is ancient history next week.

We also know that once something has been purchased it is almost impossible to get rid of. We end up using some pieces of technology much longer than anyone (including the vendor) ever intended.

So, this is a fun attempt to determine which agency, board, commission or other entity of government is still using the oldest hardware and software.

There are no prizes and no replacement technology. Just know that we will publish the types of gear and which organization is using it.

Is anyone still using a PRIME, Harris, Tandem, Burroughs, UNIVAC, DEC VAX, Sequent, IBM Series 1, NCR, Mohawk Data Systems, or other computer or printer? How about other long gone gear (reel-to-reel tape, removable magnetic disk, impact printers, etc.)? If so, can someone remember when it was acquired?

Are any mainframe systems still using Video 370, DYL 250 or 260, TSO, RPG, PL1, ADPAC, or some home built routines that have been around 25 or 30 years (FTL anyone)?

Let’s not forget early LAN technology. Are any Kalpana switches still in use? Any ARCNet LAN’s? How about Windows for Workgroups? Any 386 or 486 based print servers or 9 pin printers or acoustic couplers? Does anyone use other early networking gear?

How about Wordstar or Wordstar 2000, the original version of Lotus 123 or Wordperfect, or other early PC software products?

And how about the early PC’s themselves. Is anyone still using a 286, 386 or 486? How about the first Apple, a COMPAC “Portable”, IBM PC, Burroughs B25, or Osborne?

As long as were at it, how about ancient office technology. Does anyone in your agency use a typewriter, mechanical calculator or adding machine, rotary telephone, mimeograph, or other technology that was going to be replaced by these new fangled computers?

Please email all responses to Dennis Laine at: keitalaine@aol.com and use the subject “Old Hardware and Software”.

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News from the Past

5 Years Ago -- December 2000 IPMA Newsletter

10 Years Ago -- December 1995 IPMA Newsletter

15 Years Ago -- December 1990 IPMA Newsletter (not available at this time)

20 Years Ago -- December 1985 Association of Data Processing Managers Newsletter (not available at this time)

25 Years Ago -- December 1980 Association of Data Processing Managers Newsletter (not available at this time)

30 Years Ago -- December 1975 Association of Data Processing Managers Newsletter (not available at this time)

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Summary of November 10, 2005 IPMA Board Meeting

Members Present: Mary Ellen Bradley, Thomas Bynum, Phil Grigg, Sheryl Hall, Dennis Jones, Dennis Laine, Andy Marcelia, Christy Ridout, Darrel Riffe, Allen Schmidt and Shelagh Taylor. Phil Coates, CFO, and Jim Andersen, Forum Events Manager, were also present.

Thomas Bynum, IPMA Chair, opened the November 2005 meeting of the IPMA Board of Directors at 7:40 a.m.

Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the October 2005 Board meeting were approved.

Secretary/Treasurer’s Report: The Board approved the October 2005 financial status and activities reports. Dennis Jones noted that it had been quite a while since the board has received a investment portfolio report. Phil stated that Keith Cameron, the Merrill Lynch account representative assigned to the IPMA, prepared the report monthly. He left Merrill Lynch last May. Phil will begin producing and distributing the portfolio status report along with the other monthly financial reports distributed to the board prior to each board meeting.

Committee Reports:

Forum 2006: Jim Andersen presented the Forum 2006 Status Report.

1. Corporate Sponsor Appreciation Lunch: At the Executive Seminar in September, corporate sponsors indicated their preference that the Appreciation Lunch be held in February or March and that the event:
   • Include district and/or regional managers.
   • The luncheon become in part, a marketing event to help local sales reps sell participation to their company management as well as to show our appreciation for that participation.
   • The board approved the recommendation to reschedule the appreciation luncheon to the late February-early March timeframe.
2. Executive Lunch: Recommend that the Lunch be separated from the Forum and be treated as a marketing event that reaches out to senior IT managers and senior state government business managers. The board will consider this at the board planning session in January.
3. Espresso Stand and other food options: Currently working with St. Martin’s management to seek approval to bring in an espresso stand and/or alternative food source. Also have met to address poor food services at Forum 2005.
4. GES: We are in the third year of a three year contract with GES. GES’s costs for the 2006 Forum will increase by about 3% per the existing contract.
5. Forum Planning Committee: The first planning meeting was held on 11/3. Eighteen of 20 members were able to attend. Six corporate sponsors have been added to the committee. The next meeting is scheduled for 11/16. At that meeting the committee will begin discussing themes, content and keynote speakers.
6. Forum Booth and floor cover: Sponsors have suggested using different colored booths for sponsors and vendors. There is also a suggestion for a different color for the floor carpet.
7. Forum survey: Dave Sugarman of DSHS prepared a survey to be used at DSHS and other state agencies to evaluate Forum, its attendees and to gather ideas for themes, content, speakers, etc.

Communications: Shelagh Taylor and Christy Ridout reported that the November IPMA News had been posted on the IPMA Web site and notification of that posting has been sent to the Listserv. Christy is responsible for the December article. Shelagh and Christy will work with Jim Andersen and Bob Monn to develop options for refreshing the IPMA Web Site for presentation to the rest of the board at the January planning session.

Professional Development: Sheryl Hall reported that the event was well attended by 70 people and that the IPMA is grateful for the volunteers who came to share their Balanced Scorecard/Dashboard experiences. The seminar fell short in terms of timing and presentation flow. Audience members would have liked more time to see the state applications. It would have also been helpful to see more of the "how" to develop a dashboard vs. hearing about the benefits.

Allen Schmidt reported that he and Sheryl have begun to develop the 2006 schedule. The January event will be titled "Enterprise Reporting" and the March event will be "Use Cases." They are looking for a speaker of the caliber of Neil Whitten for the August seminar.

Executive Seminar 2006: Phil Grigg and Darrel Riffe reported that the dates have been established and the reservations at Campbell’s have been made. Work on the agenda will begin in earnest after the first of the year.

IT Leadership Development Program: Dennis Jones reported that the first module in the LeaderPath for IT Managers program held October 11-13, 2005, was a success. He distributed a summary of session comments from students. These comments pertaining to both the session content, as well as each of the four instructors, will be considered as the program evolves over time.

Other Business:

Board Election: Christy Ridout and Mary Ellen Bradley reported that they had identified five quality IT managers who would be interested in serving on the IPMA Board of Directors. After considerable discussion the board selected two of the five as recommended candidates for the upcoming election. In the end the entire board regretted that there weren’t three more vacant positions as all of the presented candidates would undoubtedly contribute significantly to the IPMA. The nominating committee was directed to encourage the three candidates who were not selected to participate in committees responsible for various IPMA programs.

Interim Administrative Support: Jim Andersen has been engaged to perform staff support for four tasks using his existing contract.

• Development of recommendations regarding the establishment of an IPMA Chief Administrative or Chief Operations Officer position.
• Definition and implementation of the IPMA’s marketing plan.
• Refreshing the IPMA Web site.
• Acquiring an events registration system.

Next Meeting: December 8, 2005, at the Shipwreck Café

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 a.m.

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