Air and Space Expeditionary Force Chooses WebFOCUS to Secure Deployment Data
Information Builders Supplies Technology and Services to Support the Air and Space Expeditionary Force
As the United States Air Force made a transition from the "containment era" of the Cold War to a more responsive and proactive fighting force, Air Force commanders devised the Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) to add stability and predictability to an increasingly heavy deployment schedule. Since then, the AEF has proven its ability to quickly deploy an effective force in times of need, from humanitarian assistance missions to major regional conflicts.
AEF Operations assists flying units and their direct support personnel with the tools and information they need to plan and execute AEF deployment operations on a rotational basis. AEF Operations personnel schedule, monitor, and refine the execution of Air Force warfighting capability, ultimately deploying in excess of 20,000 airmen for every AEF rotation.
Supporting AEF missions is a massive data-access and reporting challenge, which is why AEF Operations chose WebFOCUS business intelligence (BI) platform from Information Builders for the job.
"Our continuing challenge in AEF Operations is to find new and innovative ways to disseminate a lot of information to the airmen who are taking the fight downrange in support of our combatant commanders," stated Colonel Robert Lala, deputy director of AEF Operations. "It's vitally important that information pertaining to each stage of an Air Force deployment process be readily available to commanders so they can exercise their best judgment related to deployment of Air Force capabilities all over the globe."
According to Col Lala, an expeditionary military force, by definition, is one that can conduct military operations on short notice, often in response to a crisis. Thus, in addition to supporting regular deployment operations, AEF Operations personnel are tasked with continually identifying and refining training requirements, guiding deployment and redeployment planning, monitoring operational readiness, and providing continuity across the entire AEF spectrum.
The Mission: Timely, Accurate Information
AEF Operations used WebFOCUS to create a secure reporting architecture through which information is accessible to authorized users via an online portal known as the AEF Information Service, or AEFIS. AEFIS is a role-based reporting framework that contains all AEF-related reports, graphs, metrics, and dashboards, which makes it easy to exchange reports and metrics. Col Lala describes it as a system where customers can sign on and run customized reports, with applicable data for their units. The system is used throughout the Air Force--from major commands down to individual squadrons.
Selecting Tested and Proven Technology
AEF Operations examined BI tools from Information Builders, Cognos, and Business Objects before selecting WebFOCUS. The Air Force purchased WebFOCUS Developer Studio, WebFOCUS Reporting Server/MRE, and WebFOCUS Managed Reporting Developer to complete the task at hand. They also hired Information Builders Professional Services to provide strategic and tactical support for the mission. "Information Builders Professional Services helped us understand their technology and create our initial reporting applications," said Col Lala. "We're pleased with the enhanced reporting capability and we're able to access more data efficiently when meeting customer data queries."
Information Builders helped AEF Operations convert many rigid legacy reports to more flexible, parameter-driven reports, which are now accessible through the portal. These modern reports make it easier to visualize critical information. Additionally, Information Builders provided training to AEF Operations personnel, including basic users, power users, and application developers. Afterwards, a select cadre of power users went to Information Builders' local offices for more intensive training.
"The training was valuable since it provided a basic understanding for the user base," said Col Lala. "Information Builders did a great job arranging our on-site training, which was an important foundation to understanding WebFOCUS and its capabilities."
Subject-matter experts are now able to create meaningful reports and graphs, while developers can create applications to call those reports or integrate them with the portal. Many of these people use the WebFOCUS Managed Reporting environment since it shields users from complex data and cryptic field names, while providing secure access to specialized information. "Instead of spending several weeks figuring out the data extraction logic, our subject matter experts simply sit down and create useful reports," Lala stated. "The information can be easily visualized and converted to the formats required by other applications."
Mobilizing the Data
To control access to sensitive data, AEF Operations designated an administrator who identifies and authenticates users by setting up user accounts, reporting domains, and user groups. This ensures that the Air Force can control which reports, data, and domains each user can access. As a role-based reporting environment, WebFOCUS supports multiple types of security, down to the field level of the database. Users can run reports or leverage advanced analytical functionality within the roles they have been assigned. Once users are authenticated, WebFOCUS automatically tailors the user interface, report content, and functional privileges based on those users' unique privileges and skills.
It's an effective BI architecture that is proving its worth where AEF Operations appreciates it most: in hours saved by the team. Before they used WebFOCUS, information had to be compiled manually when commanders requested it. Now many of these jobs are automated - saving an average of five hours per day per person for one section alone. Another section has reduced data compilation chores from three hours to mere minutes.
Most importantly, users of all types have ready access to information that was not previously accessible. Thanks to the layout of the reports on the portal, users have a better understanding of what information is available and how it helps them accomplish their missions. In many cases, commanders can directly access information through the self-service reporting portal. Even users at other Air Force elements, such as the Pentagon, can simply click on a report and obtain pertinent information. Formerly, developers had to compile the information for them.
Dedicated to Continuous Improvement
AEF Operations devised a flexible and cost-effective IT architecture for the reporting environment. WebFOCUS is installed on a Windows Server. Reporting data is stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database. Developers also used Microsoft ASP.Net and C# to create the reporting framework – and they continually look for new tools and techniques to improve the environment.
With its new reporting framework in place, AEF Operations has accomplished its primary objective: to create a secure and highly accessible system for an organization that depends on timely, accurate information.
"WebFOCUS gives us a common data platform for distributing AEF deployment information," Col Lala sums up. "Not only can we respond faster to customer requests, but the answers provided can be shared across a broad spectrum of authorized users."