Description
"Network Detection Tools" As their primary objective the DISA requests that an interface be established between their network configuration change management (NCCM) system and DPAS in order to better know which assets are connected to the network and exist in DPAS. Secondarily, know which software and firmware are installed on each device in order to better manage their software license compliance.

Recommended solution
This process begins on the customer's network when the customer executes their Network Discovery Tool, NDT. This is a function of the customers Network Configuration and Change Management (NCCM) system. The NDT may be run for a variety of reasons using any number of filters. It is not anticipated DPAS receive all assets/software, on every run. The results of the network discovery are passed through the GEX in the form of one or more XML files. Using GEX serves to isolate the systems and makes it a hardware/software independent interface.
This interface would work similar to the automated inventory or RTLS programs in that a file would be received by DPAS and routed to either a hardware auto reconciliation program or a software auto reconciliation program. The automated reconciliation program would log and produce results. Anomalies are then made available to the operator in order to resolve manually.
High Level Task:

1. Establish a relation between the NDT and the DPAS database
2. Establish a GEX connection
3. Establish the data elements and structure of the XML file
4. Add the necessary tables to support the reconciliation
5. Add an NDT Director program to route the hardware data and software data
6. Add an NDT Auto Reconciliation program to produce exceptions
7. Add an NDT Manual reconciliation program to allow the operator to match records not found in DPAS
8. Modify the pending transactions, asset receiving, asset update, asset transfer, asset disposal, to pass a transaction identity to each called sub-programs.
9. Modify the current inventory process to conduct NDT inventories.
10. Add NDT inquiry for assets on DPAS
11. Add NDT reporting for the auto reconciliation
12. Add NDT reporting of DPAS Assets
13. Conduct the development in at least two phases. The first of which is to accommodate the asset side of the interface, as this satisfies the primary requirement. In the second phase establish the interface to the existing IT Software management program.

Mission Critical
Yes, this is mission critical for the DISA. They are investing money and effort into modernizing their network management and need to keep DPAS as their accountable property system.

Benefits
This change allows DISA to gain greater visibility of their assets and would greatly reduce the time required to conduct manual inventories.

Users
Any user who can provide the necessary data elements from their NDT should be able to make use of this interface.

Partially Completed – Release 2023.2.7 – 30 June 2023

Partially Completed – Release 2023.3.2 – 28 July 2023