DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(U//FOUO) SIREM, Son of PLUS
FROM: SIGINT Communications
Unknown
Run Date: 03/23/2004
FROM: SIGINT Communications
Unknown
(U//FOUO) The SIGINT System keeps track of its production metrics with an interface called
"PLUS." For a given report, PLUS shows the collection sources, the offices that produced the
report, case notations, etc. It also includes a customer feedback tool. When, in the aftermath of
9/11, the Agency found that it needed even better production metrics, Customer Gateway (S11)
set about evaluating the situation.
(U//FOUO) They discovered that although PLUS was technically sound, it had suffered from a
lack of investment in recent years and was long overdue for modernization. (Its underlying
technology is over 10 years old and nearly all of its commercial components are obsolete and
lack any form of support.)
(U//FOUO) In the last year or two, PLUS has been upgraded as much as possible to improve its
data sharing, system interfaces, equipment and databases. However, a still-more-powerful tool
is needed. As a result, plans are underway to acquire a new and improved "son of PLUS." This
effort is called SIgint Reporting Metrics, or SIREM.
(U//FOUO) Customer Gateway and Cryptologic Mission Management (CMM - SDN9) got together
and sent out a call for new requirements for SIREM in early December 2003. They got lots of
input and talked with many users, and the requirements have been gathered and analyzed. As
the next step, the project managers are checking out a commercial Business Intelligence tool
called COGNOS, to see if it can do the job. Between now and July, COGNOS will be tested to see
how well it meets the requirements; if it proves worthwhile, the tool will be deployed as PLUS
version 6.0.
(U//FOUO) Further down the road, the SKYCAST database (against which PLUS queries are run)
is due for modernization, and this should complete the drive to improve NSA's SIGINT
production metrics. Customer Gateway technical leaders are excited about how these efforts are
shaping up: they have enjoyed a very productive collaboration with CMM, the requirements were
gathered speedily, and the piloting effort is proceeding well, leveraging other related
investigations across SID (i.e. other Agency offices are also checking out COGNOS). With any
luck, we are well on the way towards giving the Agency the metrics tools we need for the future.
(U//FOUO) If you have any questions about SIREM, please contact
Leader, Customer Gateway, at
nsa.
, Technical
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108