Intranet on the Move
The two-day continuity-of-operations drill involved maintaining the ability to monitor the intranet while EDS’ Enterprise Network Operations Support Center (ENOSC) and the
Greg Burke, director,
Although the emergency situation that is the cause for the move is fabricated for the exercise, the network is not—it is control of the actual intranet that shifts. Burke says that during the recent exercise, none of the NMCI’s more than 700,000 users was aware of the control transfers. This is the exact goal the entire NMCI team wishes to achieve, he notes.
Clear communications is crucial to ensuring a move like this runs smoothly, Burke says. Everything from what equipment is being packed to where everyone will sit once they arrive at the satellite site needs to be arranged in advance, he explains. Even the smallest details need attention, including making sure that the guards at the gate allow the arriving team on base.
Secretary of the Navy Dr. Donald C. Winter directed that continuity-of-operations exercises take place on a regular basis: twice a year for the GNOC and four times a year for the ENOSC. While the event this spring was announced, Burke reveals that NMCI C2 watch standers will not be notified when the next one is about to occur.
The next steps for both EDS and Navy personnel will be to address problems identified during the exercise—including configuration issues—and continue to practice the evacuation drill. “This is a memory muscle exercise,” Burke says.