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06 13 2016

NATO Information Portal reaches Initial Operational Capability

On 24 April 2016, the implementation and configuration of the NIP pilot site (SHAPE) was completed, and IOC was achieved. This milestone represents the first important step towards reaching the full roll-out of all Bi-Strategic Commands (Bi-SC) NIP sites. NIP basic functionalities are now available online. Allied Command Operations (ACO) IKM staff will start publishing the initial content in the coming weeks.

What is the NATO Information Portal?

The NATO Information Portal project is a web-based application that enables Bi-SC Automated Information System (AIS) network users to publish and maintain web content across commands and specific communities of interest. The NIP offers dynamic web pages that pull last available content through automatic queries from the "authoring" space instead of static textual pages. The NIP will provide new functionalities such as improved web hosting capabilities, improved federated search, web interfaces to data handling systems (DHS) and tasker tracker enterprises (TTEs). It will also provide social computing/networking functionalities. The NIP will not offer new document and tasker handling capabilities until a new project from the Capability Package 150 (CP 150) renews the DHS and TTE baseline.

When authorized, the intention of the Nations was to leverage the NIP to:

- standardize and centralize a Bi-SC Information and Knowledge Management tool; the initial scope of the project is the Operational Network (ON), while the new project P100 will mirror same NIP functionalities on the Private Business Network (PBN) in 2017-2020;

- offer NATO Functional Area Services (FAS) service-oriented, on-demand web hosting capabilities and a multi-tenant environment; the initial scope of the project is the delivery of a web hosting and multi-tenant environment, until a new project from CP150 enhances interoperability online services in accordance with the STANAG 4774 and the STANAG 4778 (2018-2020 time period, following the IKM Tools Programme's roadmap).

The NIP is managed by MAJ Franck Bougeant, Project Manager of the Core Enterprise Services Service Lines (CES-SL), IKM Section. The NIP platform is based on SharePoint 2013 technology and implemented in the Mons Data Centre as the central farm, with real-time data replication to the Naples Data Centre. The geo-replication will be active by the end of May. The NIP project was awarded to a US Company, Creative Information Technology Inc., in 2014

What is the IKM Tools Programme?

The IKM Tools Programme ensures that tools used for information and knowledge management are kept in line with the approved operational vision, improving the way NATO creates, uses and records information. The NIP is a first in a series of IKM Tools implementations, which will soon be followed by P95 and P100 (from CP150). These projects will re-align Portal, Search, Tasker Tracker and Document Handling services with future operational needs.

The NIP Contract can also play the role of "framework contract" for any other NATO/non-NATO Nation (third party) that decides to implement web-hosting services consistently with the NATO offer (NATO First Solution – N1S – following a smart-defence approach). The IKM Programme is managed by Mr Angelo Talarico, in cooperation with LTCOL Alberto De Sanctis, MAJ Franck Bougeant, MAJ David Fava, LTCOL Pol Deschuyteneer, Mr Christian Mason (Project Managers), and Mr Daniel Marco-Mompel and Mr Peter Reynolds (Scientists).

What are the next steps in the NIP project?

The NIP project is currently in the site survey phase to assess any requirements "delta" from the initial project design in all Bi-SC Commands. The site surveys will enable the contractor to migrate the authorized commands' web content into the dedicated NIP centralized sites. The site surveys are sponsored and directly supported by Bi-SC AIS IKM staff members.