Unclassified

Collaborative Computing Tools Working Group

Meeting Minutes for 25 October 1995

Kim Walls NPIC/NEL opened the CCTWG and immediately turned the floor over to Roy Rumsey.

Roy Rumsey informed the working group (WG) that he was transitioning to a new job as with the NPIC softcopy workstation development team and is turning over the Chair of the CCTWG to Kim Walls. Roy then introduced Kim Walls. Roy also introduced some of Kim's co-workers on the collaborative computing team in the NEL (Otto Miller, Mike Schmidt, Jim Spitznas & Gene Suidikas) that would be supporting some of the WG activities.

Kim reviewed the agenda.

Kim asked participants of the WG to review the WG charter for review at the next WG meeting. Kim asked for input to a mission statement (goal oriented). Denny Eshoo asked Kim to draft her ideas and a terms of reference (TOR) before the next WG meeting. Denny asked that it all be published before the next meeting, so participants could review and be prepared to discuss at the next WG meeting. Kim will also draft an action plan for the members to review prior to the next meeting.

A brief discussion of CVW was conducted but a more detailed discussion will be held at the next meeting when we talk about how to use CVW to support a CCTWG meeting online.

Organizational Updates-

SPACECOM - Bob Ryan - Their project is called "collaborative production" which is focused on collaboratively producing an intel product. Currently, space intelligence is created in different locations. SPACECOM wants to use Intelink as a medium for widely dispersed organizations to work together. Using the Mitre-developed tool CVW, AIA (3 servers), NAIC, SPCACECOM, DIA, will collaborate to jointly produce a product. They are planning spiral iterations for collaboration. Right now, they are still crawling as they get started (using the crawl, walk, run paradigm). There are several issues:
- * Security
- * Organizational--resistance to change and changing processes
- * Policy--the nut is not cracked yet on how "intellectual property" willbe approved and coordinated
(SPACECOM cont.) Implementation is as follows. Client and server configuration. Client can use camera and mike, but audio and video NOT REQUIRED--they can have collabration using data only (shared whiteboard or applications)! Replacing old DEC machines with Suns. One of SPACECOMs Intelink pages spawns a thin xwindow into client environment (for those organizations that will allow it). A guest account is available. Bonnie asked to create room for WG. DoD guidance (with future implementation) is to add cameras at the desktop (across the board)... headed to video on the desktop.
(SPACECOM cont.) Frank Quick asked about net/server load monitoring. Roy said JWICS can help. The CCTWG should pre-announce and ask for them for monitoring support. SPACECOM will be getting some monitoring tools too. Roy said JWICS can monitor what % is of total bandwidth. Frank Quick asked who the POC for JWICS was. Get from Roy. Uses telnet for control. vat and nv can be controlled. X cannot be controlled.
SPACECOM is going to ATM to the desktop. Their approach is experiment, prototype, and spiral development process. Schedule calls for first (experimental) production NLT December 31, 1995. Roy suggested that SPACECOM inform ISMC. Other SPACECOM associated activities were explained briefly.
CIA/DI/OWTP ( was OSWR) - Doug Dickey - Attempting to collaborate between CIA and DIA analysts, planning to have testbed in place by December 31, 1995. Roy Rumsey asked about SGI work--products being used and results of technical tests. Test were conducted from highend to lowend products and expect to publish results. Frank Quick encouraged all organizations to publish all CCT related information!
CIA/DI/OIR - Bill Lasky, AEL - PolicyNet needs high frame rate with focus on same time different place collaboration. Currently using shared applications, whiteboard and video. Investigating future needs, there is a potential to move beyond today's capability. Other projects include investigating Real-Time (Lotus) Notes due to the heavy investment in Notes currently within CIA. Maybe Notes v4.0 will help. There has been investigation into bridging ADSN, PolicyNet and Intelink. They are on a "Standards Watch", and will transition to standards when they arrive. Sun Microsystems should go to T120 in months not years. Want to be interoperable. It was suggested that there be some type of feedback forum within CIA, and Bill agreed to see if there was any, if not then he would recommend one be created on Lotus Notes.
Planning Division - Pat LaPoint - Her customer is worried about room-based systems. They currently have many NEXT machines and plan to recapitalize them in 1997. Currently they have 170+ sites. Some have collaboration add-on's. Requirements are not defined yet. Many sites will still require full screen video. Focused on same time different place collaboration.
DISN - Charles King - He has been on the standards watch for his client organization, and has broad exerience in engineering room-based systems. In a previously published document, his recommendation was to proceed slowly! Chris O'Donnell is POC for document. If you are interested in the document you may call Chris at 703-883-5706 or Charles will bring copies to the next WG meeting. He has been watching vendors for desktop products and tracking T120. Databeing has a standards based tool. Microsoft has one for Win95(bought a capability for next release). He recommends watching X.320xyz.
CIA/OC/FISG - Aki Yasuda - He is on a technology watch to apply collaborative tools to emerging applications. He is looking at adding open sources, however, how to integrate them is a problem. He is facilitating SGI and NetManage demonstration soon in Silver Spring, MD to show WIN to SGI interoperability. He is guessing on an early November 1995 date. Work on road show.
NPC - John Diehl - He is new to NPC. He was primarily listening to come up to speed. NPC is focused on different place different time and different place same time collaboration.
CIA/CMS/ISS - Denny Eshoo - stated that program offices want large communication bandwidth increases. The ISS is looking at requirements in hopes of preventing duplication.
NPIC/NEL - Jim Spitznas - EXCITE program (Exploitation with Collaborative Interoperable Technology). The NEL has a broad-based collaborative computing program which focuses on facilitating technologies for imagery analysts. Looking at ATM to the desktop and full featured software packages. For those with a graphical browser, you may view the EXCITE slides from here.

Time was up, so Kim asked for any wrap-up information and then she would close the meeting. CVW discussion was deferred. Bonnie quickly updated VCWG activities; a preliminary recommendation report will go to Migration panel next week. The Executive Agent is TBD. Denny Eshoo recommended that Kim add Bob Ryan (SPACECOM) on each agenda. Bonnie announced a 6 Nov. 95 TEM for IC profile.

The next meeting will be 7 December, 9:00-12:00, Mitre Washington. Items to be discussed included review of mission, terms of reference, and action plan; standards; CVW and CCTWG meeting being held on line; and organizational updates.

Kim Walls closed the CCTWG at 12:20 p.m.

1 November 1995