Feature

DIACAP Accreditation Update

The ATO for the ETrans Web and Database Servers was signed off on a few months back. This is a "Type" Accreditation, meaning that the ATO covers the states and territories as long as the servers are configured the same. We've created a "TwinEngines System Admin and Security Guide" which documents the additional configuration steps outside the normal process of standing up a web and database server from the Army Gold Master version of the OS and Database software. The majority of this is walking through a list of STIGS that need to be applied to your servers.

We walked through this process with the TN-ARNG just recently and are tracking down a few issues before releasing this to all the states. Once released, NGB will be asking for the states to apply these STIGS within 45 days.

We've also been informed that in addition to the DIACAP, we have to go through the CoN process now as well. This has been started and is in progress. When we have the official CoN, I will let you know.

News From TwinEngines

E-Trans Manager

Version 1.75 of E-Trans Manager is now in beta testing. This version includes some bug fixes and additional defaults for the ISR process and a few minor enhancements that have been requested. If you are interested in beta testing this software, please contact me and I will get you started on it.

Awards Tracking

We have a new release of the Awards Tracking System ready for beta testing now. This version includes several fixes, plus some new functionality related to creating "Templates" for awards. You can now upload Word documents that are set up to do mail merges with the Awards data and use these documents to generate certificates and memos directly within the website. That means that you can now publish a batch of awards and download certificates and memos for the entire batch with just a few mouse clicks.

Coming in the near future we will be working on an alternative routing mechanism for the DA638 form. Right now the routing is done based off of electronic signatures being captured in the form. Once the DA638 is digitally signed though, it cannot be altered. Often changes are requested to the DA638 during the approval process. If anyone has already digitally signed the form, the form will have to be recreated and the digital signatures captured once again. We are looking at having an approval process prior to the capture of the digital signatures on the form to avoid the time consuming process of re-starting the process with each correction.

If you are interested in beta testing this product or would like to see a demo of the new features, please contact me.

Case Management

We are currently working on a new version of Case Management. If you aren't familiar with our Case Management product, you can find more information here: /products/case-management.aspx

In this next release, we are including customizable email templates, new customizable case activities and data elements, and the ability to link related cases. These tools will allow you greater flexibility in customizing the Case Management system to meet your needs. We are also providing the ability to share customized case types, including the workflow, with other states.

We will soon have new "Solution Sets" for our Case Management product. These solution sets are Case Types we are pre-customizing for you and are specifically designed to tackle a process in the National Guard. The solution sets we are currently looking at include:

• SIDPERS Data Quality Issues - the system monitors SIDPERS for data quality issues like Officers that don't have a college degree or ETS dates that are older than 30 days. A case is automatically created to help you track these issues to resolution. These cases can be automatically assigned to personnel at the unit level, or to personnel at the State HQ level.

• System Access Request - end users requesting access to a specific system would create a new case, specifying which systems they want access to. The Case Management system would create approval activities for the approving authority for each system, then task activities assigned to the personnel who would actually grant them access upon approval.

• Password Changes - with all the systems that require password changes every 60 days, it's difficult to keep track of which systems need what password changed and when. This solution set will include the ability to track which systems use which accounts and have a case created every 60 days (or other interval) to get those passwords changed. NOTE: we aren't looking at a mechanism for storing the passwords here. That is outside the scope of what we are trying to accomplish and we wouldn't recommend it.

• STIG Applications - this solution set should allow you to import the XML published by DISA for each of the STIGS (e.g. the Server 2008R2, SQL Server 2005, etc.), and create a Case Type for that STIG. You could then create a new Case to apply that specific STIG to a system. Each "STIG" defined by DISA then becomes a "Task" within the case. This allows you to track which STIGS have been applied to the system, along with any notes, documentation, and other items that might be needed during the application of STIG to the system.

Latest Releases

For your convenience, here is a list of each of the products and their current version. Check the Release Notes in each system to make sure you have the latest version.

*Includes Awards Tracking, Case Management, Evaluations, Recruiting, Retention, and Enlisted Promotions.

You can download these from: /support/downloads.aspx

Dean Baskin
dbaskin@twinengines.com
859-536-2540