COMPUTER PROJECTS OF ILLINOIS, INC. Volume 1 Issue 3 SUMMER S. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL (630) Special Interest Articles:

Transcription

1 COMPUTER PROJECTS OF ILLINOIS, INC. Volume 1 Issue 3 SUMMER 2002 Special Interest Articles: NLETS Convention Review XML Interface OpenFox goes live on Windows NT OpenFox Archive & Retrieval MQ Series Coming Soon: Inaugural Users Meeting OpenFox High Availability Overview Spotlight on the INS Installation 6416 S. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL (630) NLETS Convention Review Dine-Around at EPCOT CPI would like to thank those of you who were able to stop by our hospitality suite at the NLETS convention in Orlando, Florida this past June. We hope that you enjoyed the Dine-Around trip to EPCOT that was partially sponsored by CPI, and the predinner reception preceding the banquet, hosted by CPI. If you did not get a chance to see a demonstration of our latest products from one of our staff in the hospitality suite, or if you were unable to attend, we invite you to contact us for more information concerning our latest products. In addition, CPI, Inc. would like to thank the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the NLETS organization for allowing us to participate in the conference activities. We found the opening remarks to be informative and lively, and we Larry Grund visits with Thom Mitney and Jerry Leinberger before the banquet. especially want to thank Frank Minice for reminding us to keep all discussions open and honest. In keeping with this spirit, we are now considering changing our product line from the OpenFox System to the Open and Honest Fox system. Just kidding Frank, actually there were a couple of topics that got a great deal of attention: MQ Series and (con t page 2) Shown on the left, Kevin Sawatzky demonstrates to Gary McGuin from NCIS, the features in the OpenFox High Availability application Page 1

2 NLETS Convention (Con t) truly open systems, using XML standards as a method of information exchange. The OpenFox system supports both. Please see our overview in this edition for a brief explanation. XML Interface For quite some time now, it has become apparent that the law enforcement environment has been looking at ways to modernize the exchange of data between different computer systems. In order for applications to make use of the data exchange, the data must be formatted and the formatting scheme should be modern and easy to implement through the use of standard tools. To that end it appears that XML formatted messages will play an integral role. To meet this new challenge, CPI has worked cooperatively with Datamaxx, one of the leading law enforcement workstation vendors, to develop an XML message interface. The result of this work has become known as OFML (OpenFox and Omnixx Force Markup Language) and is a simple method of exchanging data between the Omnixx Force clients and the OpenFox message switch. Starting with the OpenFox installation for the State of Indiana message switch and moving forward, OFML will serve as the basis of all communications between Omnixx Force clients and the OpenFox. In addition, for the State of Indiana implementation, CPI will be supplying Hot File and CCH responses as OFML formatted documents. One of the primary considerations CPI has made while working on our approach to XML was the ability to create an easy transition for the client agency to the adoption of XML. To achieve this, the message switch will fully parse and translate XML messages so that an XML capable device and a non-xml capable device can seamlessly communicate. For example, an OFML formatted Administrative Message received from an Omnixx Force client will be translated to a legacy format for delivery to a terminal and / or application residing on the mainframe, and vice-versa. Also, OFML formatted messages will continue to use the same set of configuration records (MKE/MFCs) as non-ofml messages for data verification and routing rules. This will greatly ease the maintenance load on systems administrators, as well as permit a client agency to support both XML and non-xml devices indefinitely. Another benefit of using the current configuration records is that while OFML messages will tag and arrange the data in a different manner than NCIC/NLETs formatted messages, the data elements themselves will be readily apparent to anyone familiar with current law enforcement messages. This will greatly ease the learning curve for system operators and administrators as they begin supporting XML devices out in the field. The final aspect to consider is how the OpenFox message switch handles XML internally. For our implementation, we have chosen to use IBM s XML for C++. This product is supported by IBM and is based on Apache's fully validating XML parser Xerces- C. We have used this API to fully integrate XML support into the message switch. There are no additional applications or hardware required. The OpenFox message switch supports OFML in exactly the same manner as we support NCIC formatted messages or legacy state host formatted messages. So, as we move forward, and as databases and end user devices look to take advantage of XML, the OpenFox system will be prepared to meet those needs. Page 2

3 OpenFox Windows NT/2000 Goes Live! On October 1st 2002, CPI's first OpenFox application running on a Windows NT/2000 platform went live. The system is installed at the USNCB (United States National Central Bureau) in Washington, DC. USNCB is the organization tasked with providing the liaison between the United States and Interpol. The system services 34 countries through a web browser interface and an SMTP interface to Interpol's ASF (Automated Search Facility). The system provides countries with the capability of submitting vehicle and boat queries to NCIC and NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau). The project was brought to a successful conclusion through the efforts of Mr. George Saymon III of NCIC, the project manager, Mr. Henry Coffman, the USNCB Technical Director, Mr. Wayne Towson, the USNCB system administrator, and Ms. Linda Smith, the USNCB technical specialist. CPI would like to thank all of the above for their efforts in making the first OpenFox Windows NT/2000 implementation a success. CPI Inaugural Users Meeting In August 2001, our customers who attended the Validation Conference were in agreement that a users conference would be both informative and productive. As a result of their suggestions, CPI is planning the Inaugural Users Meeting for the second week in April The meeting will be held in Westmont, IL at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center. There will be a $200 registration fee for the two-day conference, which will include: accommodations for two nights at the hotel, transportation between Midway Airport and the hotel, buffet breakfast, cocktails and appetizers daily, and lunch and dinner the first full day of attendance. The topics for the conference will be determined over the next several months and your recommendations are welcome. More information will be coming as the agenda gets developed. Registration for the event will be via the OpenFox website. We look forward to seeing all of you at the Inaugural CPI Users Meeting to determine how we can better assist you with your business requirements and improve our service to you. We firmly believe our customers success is our success. In order to assist us with our plans, we need to know if this idea is something that interests you. If you are interested in attending, please psawatzky@openfox.com by December 15 th and leave a message indicating the number of people that would be attending. CPI has installations in 21 States. CPI has installations in 6 Federal Agencies. CPI has installed the OpenFox system in the New York City Police Department. Page 3

4 OpenFox Archive & Retrieval This quarter, our spotlight product is the OpenFox Archive & Retrieval System. This relatively new product offered by CPI was developed to store, secure and display large amounts of accumulated data. The product provides the user the capability to store, log, access and display the message traffic that has been processed by the OpenFox Message Switch. The Archive & Retrieval product allows for the easy archival of critical data for months, and even years, in a relational database. The OpenFox Archive & Retrieval System has been implemented using the latest technology in Oracle Relational Data Base Management tools. These tools provide the client fast and easy to use friendly functionality. The user can select messages based on date and time, a specific value in an MFC (or multiple MFC s), or a string of characters that would appear in the message. The Archive & Retrieval System includes the following capabilities: Fully automated Extract and Store OpenFox Message Switch traffic at regular intervals; the recommended interval is daily. An Administration utility that assists in the archiving and restoration of extracted data sets to and from disk and/or tape for longer term management of accumulated data Powerful and flexible access/display using Oracle Forms and Reports that allows the user to search and select logged data using index values and strings. The retrieved message data can be displayed, printed or selected for forwarding to any destination known to the Message Switch. search criteria. In the example illustrated below, the user has entered the date of 3/2/2000 and has provided the search criteria to find all messages sent or received in the first minute after midnight. When the user clicks on the Run Query button, a message displays, informing the user that the query is indeed running: After the user finishes the entry of selection values in the first form and presses the execute query button, a second form appears with the results of the query. If there are no records found for the search, a message informing the user will be displayed on the screen. The Summary Screen The Summary Screen provides the user with the messages found during the query, allowing the user to quickly scan through the returned messages. The total number of messages found by the search is displayed in the header area. The results of the query are displayed in the following screen. The Query Transaction The Query Form or Transaction is utilized by the user to locate messages by the users Page 4

5 At this point, the user has several options. They can click on the Go To Detail button to view the detail of all the messages found, or they can select individual messages, or groups of messages, that they wish to view in detail by clicking on the column of the message they wish to view. When the message is selected, it will become highlighted on the screen so the user can easily keep track of which messages have been selected. As the user highlights the messages they are interested in, a counter at the top shows the number of messages selected. summary screen, the summary report is generated for all found records. The screen below illustrates the selection screen. Popup Message Window Another feature available on the summary screen is the ability to scan the text of the messages. By pointing the mouse to a selected column of a message and holding the shift and the left mouse button down simultaneously, a popup window displays on the screen showing the text of the message. After viewing the message, the user can simply release the mouse button and the popup window will disappear. A report for the records selected is as follows: Printing Summary Records The Archive & Retrieval System provides the user the ability to print a report of selected items from the Summary Screen. If the user would like a printed report of the selected items on the summary screen, they can click on the Report button, as shown below. The report will first be displayed on the screen and the user will have the option to print it, if desired. If no records were highlighted on the After many years of experience in developing systems for Law Enforcement, CPI has been able to identify and evaluate the strengths and capacities of many different types of systems. We believe the OpenFox Archive & Retrieval system is a worthy addition to its line of products. If you have any questions about the OpenFox Archive & Retrieval, please contact: Thom Mitney, CPI (630) mailto:tmitney@openfox.c om Page 5

6 MQ Series Overview The OpenFox system being installed for response when it puts messages from Maryland State Police supports several MQ OpenFox onto its queue. This implementation Series interfaces. The OpenFox system guarantees message delivery since the supports this type of interface directly on the IBM pseries platform, so there is no need for a front end or other additional box. The OpenFox system will not de-queue a message until the remote queue manager confirms the arrival of the persistent message on the remote interface was developed using the standard queue. CPI highly recommends similar IBM MQ Series API. Since OpenFox implementations are generally composed of redundant hardware systems utilizing shared disk technology, the MQ Series Queue processing on the host side, therefore providing guaranteed delivery and preventing message loss for messages originating at the host for delivery to the OpenFox system. Manager and queue definition objects reside on the shared disk and, as a result, will follow the executing OpenFox application from one physical hardware system to the other in case a switchover occurs. This method precludes having to define two queue managers and prevents the loss of messages stored in MQ Series queues. If a switchover does occur, the High Availability for OpenFox will automatically start the MQ Series queue manager and all queues will be recovered. In order to tie the MQ Series software to the OpenFox system, standard stations are configured with the local and remote queue names. The local queue name is the queue to which the host system will deliver messages, and the remote queue name is used by the OpenFox system to write or put messages to the host system. All messages "put" by the OpenFox to the remote queues specify the persistent option, thus insuring that all messages delivered to the host are safe-stored to disk on the remote queue. In addition, the OpenFox requests that the remote queue manager returns a confirmation of arrival Recently, one of our State customers asked, Why have a message switch if MQ Series can be used to replace its functionality? In our considered opinion, MQ Series provides a method that can be used to exchange messages between disparate systems, and it provides queuing that is recoverable, if it is configured properly. In addition, the software and API from IBM are relatively easy to learn, install, configure and the software is relatively performant. As such, it is an excellent method of interfacing to legacy hosts. However, MQ Series does not provide any logic related to parsing, editing, routing, logging, archiving, retrieving, security checking, user authentication, or any of the many other features found in a true store and forward message switching system designed specifically for use by law enforcement. Our many customers know the OpenFox system is easy to administer, utilizing On-Line Windows based GUI Configurator for almost all aspects of the operation, including the ability to configure new transactions without restarting or changing software, as well as being the most cost effective solution in the market today. Looking Ahead h to the Next Issue: OpeO nfo x Hig h Avav ailabilit y Page 6