National Aeronautics and Space Administration

IT Talk May / June 2011 Issue 3

Social Media at NASA

www.nasa.gov Photo used in cover comp by Laura A. Burns

IT Talk In this Issue May/June 2011 Issue 3

Office of the CIO NASA Headquarters 300 E Street, SW Message Washington, D.C. 20546 3 from the CIO Chief Information Officer Linda Y. Cureton OCIO Chief of Staff John Hopkins Editor and Publication Manager Eldora Valentine Graphic and Web Design Social Media Michael Porterfield 4 at the Nation's IT Talk is an official publication of the Space Agency Office of the Chief Information Officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Headquarters, Washington, D.C. It is published by the OCIO office for all NASA employees and external audiences.

For distribution questions or to suggest a story idea, email: Finding Web [email protected] or [email protected] Based Tools To read IT Talk online visit: 8 nasa.gov/offices/ocio/ittalk

For more info on the OCIO: v www.nasa.gov/ocio v insidenasa.nasa.gov/ocio (Internal NASA network only) v facebook.com/NASAcio v twitter.com/NASAcio 10 ACES 102 NASA HQ hosts Microsoft Office for Mac Demo By John D. Sprague, End User Message Service Executive, OCIO On April 5, 2011, Microsoft and from the Apple joined forces to demon- strate the capabilities of the new CIO Microsoft Office for Macintosh 2011. The demonstration at NASA By Linda Cureton Headquarters had quite a few Mac enthusiasts who showed up to hear the features of the product. And they were not disappointed. For two hours the improved Office product was put through the paces Recently, I wrote my 100th blog post. It was an invigorating with plenty of questions from us- experience. Social networking technology has become part of our ers. Some of the top features were daily lives today, which we cannot escape anymore. It is my belief (1) the ability to collapse multiple that digital relationships are as legitimate as real relationships. e-mail threads into one view; (2) the Office for Mac ribbon, which puts Social media technology has proven valuable for my leadership commonly-used commands at your needs as an Associate Administrator and Chief Information Officer fingertips; (3) the ability to reorder (CIO). I am able to learn faster and stay in touch a little better with multiple layers in your documents with ease; (4) the broadcast slide- my customers, peers, stakeholders, and employees. Here are my show feature (although it would reasons for blogging: require extensive firewall changes); and (5) the impressive photo-editing ҆҆ To learn and demonstrate the value of Web 2.0 technologies supporting the spirit of innovation function, which lets you edit inside all your documents. One question that should be required of a NASA CIO. that came up was, “When can we get it loaded?” The answer is that all ҆҆ To focus my thoughts and learning to the things that matter in my role as the CIO. Centers have been given the prod- uct for testing against Center-unique ҆҆ To increase my leadership abilities to those I software loads, but that should be serve by providing a means for them to get wrapped up in the next few weeks, to know what the “real” me is like. and then Office for Mac will be coming to a computer near YOU! Web 2.0 and social networking provide amazing technology innovations that empower the end user and give us the ability to make quantum leaps in IT. Using and understanding this technology is helpful for me to learn and demonstrate its capability, and helps me walk the talk as a CIO. The CIO of the future must learn and behave differently. Take Twitter for example; with the sustained explosive growth in the use of Twitter, it seems we can’t just view it as a fad that will pass soon. Twitter provides a powerful way of adding richness to conversations and interactions. Todd Hoffman, Microsoft NASA Account Manager; John Sprague, End There are many leadership challenges that surround the usage User Service Exec; Shawn Carlson, of social media in organizations. In this issue we will explore how Microsoft Team Architect; Michael Mills, Apple Engineer; Russ Pond, social media has evolved at NASA and how employees at the Apple NASA Account Manager NASA Centers are using it. l

NASA OCIO IT Talk May/June 2011 3 I Tweet for NASA— On Our Way to the Social Media at the 2011 Summit NASA’s first IT Summit—at National Nation’s Space Agency Harbor, Md., last August—was so well- By Stephanie L. Schierholz, Social Media Manager, NASA Headquarters received that NASA is doing it again, and this time the gathering will be bigger and social media because our fans better. The second Summit, hosted by and followers have a reasonable NASA Associate Administrator and Chief expectation that their questions may Information Officer Linda Cureton, will take be answered and their comments place Aug. 15–17 at the Marriott Marquis heard. By responding and interacting Hotel in downtown San Francisco. with them, NASA has the opportunity Interest in the 2011 Summit is building. to educate, inform, and inspire. Fans The conference can accommodate up to and followers who are passionate 2,000 participants and by mid-April—four about what we do have platforms to months before the start of the Summit— express this passion and share it with nearly 600 had signed up. About a third their friends, fans, and followers. of those were NASA employees, while more than half were from private firms. NASA Tweetups take it to the next level—bringing the online The Summit’s theme is “Making engagement to in-person gatherings IT Stellar at NASA!” where participants have an The conference will be close to Silicon opportunity to talk to NASA leaders, Valley and meeting planners expect a scientists, engineers, and astronauts strong turnout of engineers, visionaries, and the chance to see how and and executives from that innovation NASA is charged with where we work. Participants have hotspot—some as featured speakers. communicating the activities of arrived at NASA Tweetups as casual Immediately following the 2011 fans or followers and walked away Summit (in the same venue) will be the the Agency in fulfillment of its mission as widely as possible, and as enthusiastic advocates of the TEDxNASA conference, which is certain work we all are doing. A strong sense to keep the creative juices flowing. it is one of our core values. Social media sites are valuable tools that of community develops at these This year’s event will feature discussions have enabled NASA employees to events, exemplifying how social grouped into tracks by subject matter. engage the public through media media can bring together people Those will include infrastructure, that spread the word efficiently and who have common interests. innovation, the roles of chief information effectively. The Agency has come officers, IT security, organizational As usual, our team has excelled communication, open government, quite a distance since the pioneers at using social media in a way tomorrow’s workforce, and “waves of at JPL started a Twitter account that benefits the Agency and the the future.” A new track, Mission IT for the Mars Phoenix lander in taxpayers who fund us. If you are Supporting Science and Engineering at May 2008. NASA’s primary Twitter now thinking of ways you could NASA, will be launched. IBM’s Watson— account @NASA is nearing 1 million use social media to share your the Deep QA machine—will also be at followers, and we have more than story, work with your public affairs the Summit to show what it can do. 200 social media accounts Agency- officers in advance to design a wide. Don’t believe me? Check out The San Francisco Summit will also strategy that will ensure you are include a much-expanded education http://www.nasa.gov/connect. not only effective but also following component, which will bring in to Social media provides us an easy established communication policies the conference about 300 teenage way to keep the public updated with and complying with NASA and participants. In particular, a special session news delivered straight into their Government standards for legal, Wednesday morning will build on an newsfeed and homepage, Web sites security, records management, existing NASA program, the Summer of they probably visit more often than and more. The very efficient nature Innovation, that works to get America’s news sites or the NASA Web site. of the medium that allows us to young people interested in science. spread the word quickly about But the real value of NASA’s use of the great work we’re doing also Continued on page 9 social media can be seen in the level requires us to be more vigilant to of engagement and the communities ensure what we share is accurate, that form around them. It is called true, and public information. l

4 www.nasa.gov Beyond 140 Characters: Social Media @ JSC By James, McClellan, JSC Chief Technology Officer

IT and communication toolbox- a personal, individual opinion, and just like telephones and email. To not the Agency’s. In between is address this, JSC developed a Social “professional,” who uses social media Media Working Group (SMWG) technologies in the performance of comprised of folks from PAO, the professional duties to support NASA Information Resources Directorate (i.e., communications made in a (JSC’s IT Organization and the business or professional capacity). one I represent), the Legal Office, Human Resources and other orgs Social Media Inside the Firewalls to focus on issues and guidelines Social Media has proven it’s not just associated with social media. a fad—it has fundamentally changed The group soon realized that social our culture’s behavior in the way we media was just another tool in the IT communicate and interact. It’s bound and communication toolbox—just like to also change the way we work telephones and email. Most of the together and collaborate across the existing policies worked with minor center, and, across the Agency. exceptions. For example, updates to Over the past several months the JSC NASA’s Social Network NASA Policy Directive 2540.1 included SMWG has been working to formally Right now, NASA has more than a replacing the word “teletypes” with adopt a social media tool that can million followers on Twitter, received “Facebook.” That change, combined be used internally. The tool, called more than 300,000 likes on Facebook with other modifications, resulted in Yammer (initiated by our friends at and had the first person from space the current NPD 2540.1G revision Langley), is a Twitter-like tool, but it’s check in via Foursquare. But how that allows the use of government not limited to just 140 characters. did it start? From my perspective, equipment to go to sites like Twitter Yammer connects those with a “@ it launched in 2008 when a group and Facebook, as long as it isn’t nasa.gov” email address, and, it’s also of NASA Johnson Space Center impacting your work duties. one of the “approved” apps that the employees gave a presentation Our working group also developed a U.S. General Services Administration called “The Gen Y Perspective.” One comprehensive guidelines document has developed Terms of Service of the presenters thought it would by mashing up six or seven guidelines Agreements with to address IT security be cool to tweet from space. At the from other major corporations and issues such as advertisements. time I didn’t know what tweeting government entities with NASA- Yammer also helps us follow the was, but realized it was something specific items. The resulting guidelines significant and Googled it. agency’s guidelines on the use of were ultimately adopted not only at social media, especially #17: “Do not NASA didn’t have a social media JSC, but by the OCIO for the Agency: use a public social media service for presence then, but soon, the buzz http://insidenasa.nasa.gov/ocio/ a NASA-related activity or discussion landed on NASA’s doorsteps. information/social_media.html. that is not meant for total public Characteristically, social media started access. If the topic is not for release off small – NASA’s Jet Propulsion Balancing Act to the public, use an internal social Laboratory led and then a few folks But who should use social media at media tool.” Using Yammer instead at JSC, like the Public Affairs Office work? And, when is it appropriate? of Twitter affords us the privacy of an (PAO), created accounts for Facebook, Those questions drove us to develop internal tool, but enables collaboration Twitter, Ustream, Flickr, and others – definitions for “official spokesperson,” and helps unlock information silos. It and the public loved it! Social media “professional,”and, “private individual” is not for Sensitive But Unclassified is everywhere and today, NASA’s a in our JSC social media policy. Official (SBU) type information, but leader in the social media sphere. spokespersons are charged with Yammer does allow you privacy to representing the Agency (e.g., Public communicate with fellow employees Socially Awkward: Affairs Office, associate administrators, in a more open environment without Challenges in Successfully etc.). The general public and the concern of 6 billion people on the Adopting Social Media employees (not on the clock) fall in planet reading your conversations. The group soon realized that social the “private individual” category, media was just another tool in the which means they are expressing Continued on page 8

NASA OCIO IT Talk May/June 2011 5 Ames—Engaging a Universe of Social Media Users By Penny Hubbard, NASA IT Customer Experience Office and Jessica Culler, Ames Public Affairs Officer

Kepler Mission Deputy Science Team Lead Natalie Batalha

NASA’s Ames Research Center invites globe. Social media also provide links million times. An Android version thousands of virtual visitors every day and tools for science, technology, of the app will be released soon. to access all things NASA, providing engineering, and math educators. Ames Public Affairs, which runs easy and quick insight into mission Ames is creating leading-edge the Center social media accounts, milestones, research, and events. opportunities for connecting at the hosted a “Tweetup” in February. Scientists, mission specialists, Center and Agency level. Of special The event provided 57 NASA Twitter and other members of Ames’s note, Ames developed the first official followers with a unique opportunity project and communications teams NASA application for the iPhone to learn about the Kepler and SOFIA constantly engage users with personal and iPod touch. The app collects, missions, speak with scientists and glimpses into discoveries here on customizes and delivers an extensive Center leadership, and mingle with Earth and in space by missions selection of dynamically updated fellow “tweeps” and people behind such as Kepler, which has more mission information, images, videos, the NASA accounts. The avid social than 115,000 Twitter followers. live NASA TV, satellite tracking, and media users then shared their firsthand experiences with thousands Ames’s lineup of social media tools Twitter feeds from various online in their own social networks. includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, NASA sources in a convenient foursquare, Gowalla, online chats, mobile package. Since the launch To follow, like, tweet, and check in RSS feeds, blogs, and other online of the app, the iPhone/iPod touch at Ames, visit the Ames Connect destinations. These tools reach people version has been downloaded over site at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ where they naturally spend their 3.8 million times and the follow- ames/connect/index.html. It is a online time, connecting with local on NASA App HD iPad version great way to expand your universe of communities and those across the has been downloaded over 1.2 knowledge through social media. l

6 www.nasa.gov Internal Social Media is Part of Everyday Work at Marshall By Kevin D. Jones, Engaged Learning

It was one of those questions you functionality. Because of the flexibility normally don’t ask because you would of the software, anyone can create never find the right person with the right a community at any time for any answer. But this time it was asked. purpose. In the first 45 days of use, employees created 61 communities, “Who in the OCIO [Office of the with some gaining over 50 members Chief Information Officer] is leading each. The communities focus on a the Green IT movement?” variety of topics, such as engineering Who responded? A paramedic, an IT photographic analysis, the J-2X specialist, an environmental engineer, upper-stage engine, specific software, and an aerospace engineer—all chiming green purchasing, and even the in with the correct answer, clarification, Marshall Cycling Club. The members and insight into how to make the Center of these groups can now collaborate even more Green. They had never on projects, no matter where spoken to each other before. In fact, they are—whether it is in several they all work in different buildings. And different buildings, at home, or from this is not an isolated occurrence. It a hotel when they are traveling. happens many times a day at Marshall. What benefits are they receiving? On February 1, MSFC introduced Some employees find that when ExplorNet—an internal social they get together for a meeting that networking tool—to its employees and many minor issues have already been contractors. It allows them to open up taken care of in ExplorNet and they lines of communication that previously can focus on the more complicated had been unavailable, increase issues. Others find that their e-mail collaboration across stovepipes, and load is lessening. Some no longer find expertise throughout the Center. manage complex e-mail distribution ExplorNet’s personal profiles and lists. Still others are able to finally ask communities make up the two main questions and receive answers that components that make this such a were previously hidden because of valuable tool. Each person automatically their limited scope of communication. has an individual profile. Some basic In the first month, over one-half of the information—name, phone, e-mail, title, employees have used ExplorNet in org code—is automatically pulled into some capacity. The stories of how it their profile. Each person volunteers is used and how they have benefited other information such as expertise, keep coming in. As an example, past projects, current projects, this article was created, edited, and and biography. No matter where it reviewed all through ExplorNet. comes from, all profile information is Sure, it is a new way of working and searchable, enabling quick access not everyone has embraced it. It will to the expert one may need. Each take some time before it becomes person is also given his or her own core to the way we do business. blog, wiki, and discussion space. Integrating it into our business ExplorNet’s second component, workflow will make the difference. communities, can have wikis, So far, the signs are good that we discussions (forums), a community blog, will be able to collaborate at a much polling, and light project management higher level than in years past. l

NASA OCIO IT Talk May/June 2011 7 Finding Web-Based Tools Beyond 140 By Cory Gilbert, LaRC Characters: The Information Management Branch Besides feature categories, users (IMB) at NASA Langley Research can also choose other options such Social Media@JSC Center (LaRC) is often asked for help as access restrictions (LaRC Only, Continued from page 5 in identifying Web-based tools for NASA-wide, or public) and whether various purposes. Users are familiar or not the tools support Sensitive JSC just kicked-off an 18-month with many tools on the public Web and But Unclassified/International pilot of Yammer, and has presented often want to know whether equivalent Traffic in Arms (SBU/ITAR) data. it to NASA’s Chief Information tools are available internally or if the Officer, Linda Cureton, for external tools are suitable for work Once the user has a list of tools that supports his or her needs, the user formal adoption. The kick-off is use. To help answer these questions, in conjunction with the center’s Langley’s IMB created a simple can mouse over the tool icons to see Innovation 2011 event on May resource called the Web Toolbox. a brief description or click the icon to see a detailed description, including 4. Innovation 2011 is a center- The Web Toolbox features a list of information on how to gain access. wide event that aims to foster all the Web-based tools that are an environment of creativity and With the Web Toolbox, IMB has created officially approved for use at LaRC, innovative thinking by exposing a simple resource for LaRC users to including the NASA-approved the workforce to ideas, issues find the approved tools they need. applications on apps.gov. By default, and perspectives expressed by The team is hoping to add additional a user is presented with a list of JSC and White Sands Test Facility all available tools represented by features in the future, including the colleagues outside their normal large icons. To limit the list, the ability for users to rate tools and post circle of associates. We hope user selects one or more narrowing comments about their use. Feedback options on the left side. Clicking an so far indicates users love it! the use of Yammer will further option immediately reduces the list enable collaboration throughout And while the Toolbox is not available the event and beyond. down to only the applicable tools. for use Agency-wide, other NASA For example, a user looking for Centers may want to adopt the Web If you’re on Yammer, you can tools with blogging and commenting Toolbox concept and adapt it for their follow me at @jamesbmcclellan. l features simply selects those own needs. For more information, options and the list changes to only contact Cory Gilbert at 757-864- tools with both those features. 2754 or [email protected]. l

8 www.nasa.gov Space Weather? There’s IT SUMMIT—Continued from page 4 The session will focus on the four components An App For That of the educational campaign known as STEM By Danielle Moore, Communications Lead, Information (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Technology and Communications Directorate/CIO, GSFC Mathematics). Four organizations—Raytheon, Cisco, Research in Motion/BlackBerry, and On March 7, NASA’s Space team capitalized on the need to NASA itself—will each set up a learning Weather iPhone App extended enable educators, students, and environment in a corner of the large ballroom, NASA’s space weather analysis citizen scientists to take advantage with each corner devoted to a component and forecasting capabilities to the of these NASA space weather of STEM. (For example, Raytheon, which mobile arena, becoming a top-12 resources. Now, anyone can perform has an ongoing initiative called “Math Moves weather application in the App real-time space environment You,” will lead the math effort.) Teens will be Store. Designed specifically for analysis from virtually anywhere. able to move among the presentations. the Apple iPhone, this app places both real-time observational data All data products in this free NASA In addition, the session will use Cisco’s and model simulation data at the Space Weather iPhone app are user massive networking resources to create a fingertips of millions of users. It can selectable, allowing customized large “telepresence” for the education session be accessed anytime, anywhere. display configurations that include at several NASA Centers and, it is hoped, in only the products of interest to each South Africa. Meeting planners expect that The NASA Space Weather iPhone particular end user. Custom data the interactive session will be quite amazing. App has been a joint activity of selection capability is useful as The first Summit, last year, got very favorable the Applied Engineering and the NASA Space Weather iPhone reviews. According to post-conference surveys, Technology Directorate (AETD) App has a catalog of over 200 53 percent of participants said the Summit met and the Science and Exploration unique space weather analysis data Directorate (SED) at NASA Goddard most or all of their expectations, and 32 percent products ranging from the solar felt it exceeded their expectations. That led Space Flight Center. Derived from domain to Earth’s ionosphere. NASA’s integrated Space Weather NASA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to Analysis (iSWA) System, the NASA Enormous explosions of gas and plan an expanded event with 2,000 attendees iPhone App provides free access charged particles from the Sun, this year, versus about 1,100 last year. to space environment information known as coronal mass ejections In response to the call for presentations, from the Sun to Earth, giving (CMEs), can be viewed on the Summit organizers have received 103 abstracts. users a look at complex physical NASA Space Weather iPhone App Track managers are currently reviewing and processes as they evolve, and minutes after an eruption has been ranking the abstracts. Track managers from how these processes affect the observed from satellites like the joint the Mission Directorates are working hard near-Earth space environment. European Space Agency and NASA putting together sessions with topics that mission Solar and Heliospheric iSWA was developed to provide will captivate and inspire participants. Observatory (SOHO). Users can past, present, and future space view the potential effects of such Summit presenters will have an opportunity weather information to Robotic solar storms by accessing one of to ask questions and get real-time responses Mission Operators across NASA. via TurningPoint, an application from Turning the many space weather model data With the iSWA system serving Technologies, a 2011 Summit sponsor. products that use observational data as the foundation of the NASA Participants will respond to questions with to forecast potentially hazardous Space Weather iPhone App, end handheld keypads. Real-time feedback space environment effects. In users of the iPhone app can be is displayed on a screen and collected addition to the NASA-provided assured that they are accessing in numerous, detailed reports for further observational and simulation the same world-class information analysis. Participants are instantly engaged data products, the NASA Space used by the professional and understanding is confirmed, providing space science community. Weather iPhone App also uses for a unique learning experience. external space weather resources The developers—Richard Mullinix, from a host of collaborators such Immediately after the Awards Luncheon on Marlo Maddox, David Berrios, as the National Oceanic and Wednesday, August 17, the TEDxNASA@ and Antti Pulkkinen—are a unique Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) SiliconValley 2011 will be held. This event is open team of engineers and scientists and its Geostationary Operational to the public and requires separate registration. who work at the Community Environmental Satellites (GOES). Watch for announcements concerning this event, Coordinated Modeling Center which is sponsored by the four NASA research (CCMC). The CCMC, headed by With tools like these, NASA Centers: Ames, Dryden, Glenn, and Langley. Dr. Michael Hesse, operates the aims to increase general space largest collection of real-time space weather awareness to levels For the most current information, and weather models in the community. where knowledge of CMEs and to register for the Summit, visit http:// With the iSWA system back end solar flares are as familiar to most www.regonline.com/itsummit2011. l already under development, the as hurricanes and tornados. l

NASA OCIO IT Talk March/April 2011 9 ACES 102: ACES is on the Way!

By John D. Sprague, End User Service Executive, I3P Update Office of the Chief Information Officer On March 25, 2011, NASA selected Science Applications Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services Service) to provide added flexibility. International Corporation (SAIC) (HP Enterprise Services) is the new The B Seat (Build) is intended to meet of McLean, Va., for the NASA Agency Consolidated End-User more diverse needs not addressed by Integrated Communications Services (ACES) service provider, “S” or “M” solutions. The hardware, Services (NICS) contract. SAIC will replacing the Outsourcing Desktop services, and system administration provide managerial and technical Initiative for NASA (ODIN) contract. services are purchased separately. expertise to support NASA’s Office The ACES protest was decided It provides full vendor product lines of the Chief Information Officer favorably for NASA and now at a fixed (30 percent) discount for (CIO) for corporate and mission transition activities will be starting Windows-Compatible, Apple, and communications needs, including immediately, with more information to Linux/UNIX workstations. The vendor local area network management follow, specific to each Center. The families are: HP, Lenovo, Dell, and at all NASA Centers. Functions NASA Shared Services Center, the Apple. The T Computing Seat (Thin include corporate and mission host Center, is standing up an End Client) provides bundled computing enterprise services, Center and User Service Office that is working platform solution with set service associated component facility with HP Enterprise Services. level options with a “thin client” services, infrastructure projects, appliance at the desktop coupled and contract management services. Due to the protest, the previously with the Managed Virtual Machine published Period of Performance Service running on a remote server. The NICS contract is part of the dates will change and be The T seat price is by far the least NASA Information Technology advertised as soon as possible. expensive seat, excluding a bare- Infrastructure Integration Program, also known as I3P, managed by ACES offerors were allowed to bones B seat. The X-Build (not a seat) is intended to meet needs above and the Agency’s CIO. I3P focuses on choose from one or a combination consolidating NASA’s infrastructure of the options for provisioning below the current standards, such as test or lab units. This service is services in the areas of Web assets (e.g., hardware and software) services, Integrated network and HP Enterprise Services chose purchased from the ACES Product Catalog (APC) which includes all and communications services, Option B—Delivery of all new assets. Enterprise applications, End-user other product lines, and there is no HP Enterprise Services will deliver services, and Agency Service technical refresh every three years. new assets for all end-user systems Desk. The Enterprise Applications during phase-in for each wave. This Most other seats are similar to what Service Technologies (EAST) includes an exception process for is currently provided except: A contract was awarded last October some mission critical resources that Smartphone Seat (e.g., Blackberry, and began operations on Feb 1, may require retaining existing assets. iPhone) comes in two types: “S” with 2011. The Agency Consolidated It will leverage the existing email standard instrument and service level End-user Services (ACES) contract and active directory infrastructure to options, and “B” with user-selectable was awarded December 27, 2010. alleviate any operational disruption to instrument and services (17.9 percent Plans are underway for a Nov 1, end-users during transition, but will discount). The Multi-Functional 2011 contract start date. ACES will replace shortly after contract start. Device (MFD) Seat replaces the Xerox be ODIN’s replacement. The NASA MFDs. The Virtual Team Service (VTS) Shared Services Center continues HP Enterprise Services will engage 5 Seat provides capability to conduct to set up the Enterprise Service percent of Center end-users in pilot virtual team meetings. HP Enterprise Desk and Ordering System to tests to validate optimal performance. Services will eventually move this serve as the consolidated service HP Enterprise Services will deploy service to a NASA private cloud and desk and self-service Web site Transition Tiger Teams (TTTs) to each expand the VTS participant limit to for the new contracts. The Web Center to conduct asset transition 1,000 and provide the same solution Enterprise Service Technologies execution during each phase-in wave. for VTS and Instant Messaging. (WEST) contract continues work There are four types of computing in evaluating proposals, and a HP Enterprise Services also seats. The S Seat (Standard Premium) selection is expected this summer. brings Technology Infusion is a bundled computing platform with When it is all completed, this and Transformation that will be set service level options (“Best Value” Agency-wide effort will better included in the next IT Talk. solution) that includes 3-year refresh, enable the NASA mission, improve 8-hour return to service. The M Seat For more information on ACES security, and gain efficiencies. So (Modifiable) is a bundled computing please visit the I3P website at: stay tuned, more developments are platform with modifiable service http://insidenasa.nasa.gov/ocio/ to follow in the coming months. l level options (e.g., 2-hour Return To i3p/i3p_aces_faq.html l

10 www.nasa.gov Open Source Software Development Summit

The NASA Office of the Chief Goals for the summit included: 1,190,435 followers. More than 1,200 Technology Officer for Information establishing a method to support tweets tracked the many discussions Technology hosted the first Open collaboration with the public and extended the conversation even Source Summit at Ames Research throughout the development lifecycle; further into the public sphere. Center in Moffett Field, Calif. on exploring NASA's ability to release “This diverse community had multiple March 29 – 30. The event brought and develop software under varied ways to join the conversation: together engineers, policy makers, open source licenses; determining watch the live feed via Ustream, and members of the open source whether and to what extent NASA comment through chat, join breakout community. They discussed can participate in open source discussions via Maestro audio challenges within the existing software governance bodies; and conference, and submit feedback open source policy framework gleaning best practices from private on Google docs to shape the policy and proposed modifications to industry and other federal agencies. discussions,” said Skytland. enhance NASA's development, release and use of software. “Open source allows projects The summit sparked more than to tap resources that were 47 discussion topics such as Speakers included Pascal Finette, previously unavailable. This communication and publicizing director of Mozilla Labs; Robert Sutor, software development process NASA’s open source efforts, licensing, vice president of Open Systems will require identifying new ways limitations on contributing to external at IBM; Chris Wanstrath, CEO and for NASA to expand its open open source projects, and how to co-founder of Github; and Brian source activities beyond releasing close the feedback loop between Stevens, CTO and vice president of software,” said Tsengdar Lee, policy makers, developers and Worldwide Engineering at Red Hat. NASA’s acting CTO for IT. end users. Participants debated The summit sessions involved The CTO for IT team planned, top challenges and came away licensing, government restrictions, organized and implemented NASA’s with nearly 20 major issues and such as the International Traffic in first Open Source Summit in less than 66 substantive solutions. Arms Regulations, governance, six weeks, with a minimal budget. For more information about NASA's and risk assessments. This extraordinary accomplishment is Open Gov Initiative please go “Although open source development amplified by the large media impact to www.nasa.gov/open/. l and release has already provided the event had and overwhelming numerous benefits to NASA, the full participation from all corners of the benefits of open source can only be community. Initially the event was achieved if NASA is able to establish planned to be a small discussion the processes, policies, and culture with 60 industry leaders. But word needed to support open source spread quickly and for the first time at development,” said Nick Skytland, NASA, more virtual participants than director of NASA's Open Government physical ones used new media. More Initiative. Open source is an than 700 people registered for the inherently transparent, participatory, event, and 545 participated online. and collaborative approach used to Twitter alone generated 3,199,713 create, improve and use software. impressions reaching an audience of

NASA OCIO IT Talk May/June 2011 11 Ames and High School Intern— Collaborating for Success By Penny Hubbard, NASA IT Customer Experience Office

NASA Ames hosts many successful Williams, the Ames CIO, worked with educational programs at its Center. Some BAVC’s Digital Pathways program to of these include: intern programs geared arrange for Joel to become the first high- toward university and college students; school-age intern at NASA Ames. “My summer camps for K-12 children; instructors pushed me to do more and and development of numerous online learn more,” Joel said. “Without it I don’t resources for students and teachers. Yet, think I would have been prepared for what about students who desire to learn the tasks and skills required by NASA.” Building a Win-Win about real-life applications but who don’t Partnering with BAVC produced meet university internship requirements? A New Trajectory wins for all involved. NASA

Enter Ames’ Chief Information Officer IT Talk At age 15, with goals established and executives Williams and Feng James Williams, and Director of Center signed intern agreements in hand, Joel successfully illustrated that Operations Deb Feng, who worked rode the train and NASA bus shuttle it’s possible to achieve project together to identify a way for high from San Francisco to Mountain View. goals, while supporting mentoring school students to intern at the Center. The Nebula team took him under and positive outreach. The Nebula their wing right away, and began Team enjoyed influencing a bright and Two Paths Converge mentoring him. One project manager capable student, while maintaining Joel Bucheim-Moore was struggling on the team said, “He brought out their fast-paced schedule and giving to keep his grades up in high school everyone’s nurturing instincts; we back to the community. Best of all, when his parents enrolled him in a San wanted to make sure he succeeded.” Joel no longer struggles with his Francisco technology program—the Bay grades. His grade point average Joel’s first task was to write user Area Video Coalition (BAVC). To enter improved from 1.5 to 3.8. In spring of instructions for Nebula features. As the program, students must first have an 2011, he continued to help the Nebula he showed them what he could do, entrance interview. Joel recalls, “It went Group, and is now teaching computer his mentors began giving him more horribly because it was my first interview.” programming to other students at BVAC. responsibilities and challenges. However, he successfully ran the gauntlet, Joel began learning new software “My internship at NASA has given entered the program, and began focusing code, understanding more about me a lot of things, especially valuable on computer courses. With his knack for cloud computing fundamentals, work experience,” Joel said. “It technology programming skills, he was and eventually was helping develop also taught me how do deal with a great candidate match with the Nebula Nova—the code Nebula runs on. people in a professional way.” team for a summer internship. Nebula is an open-source cloud computing “This is probably one of the hardest Joel is now an excellent role model for project and service developed to provide things I have done as a programmer,” those struggling with the same challenges an alternative to the costly construction Joel said. “There were so many things he had. He has learned new skills and of new data centers whenever NASA I had to learn. Before NASA, I only had seen a glimpse of what the future holds for scientists or engineers require additional a fuzzy idea of what cloud computing him. NASA Ames Teams were positively data processing. Nebula also provides a was and I had never worked on an impacted and hope others will consider simplified avenue for NASA scientists and open source project. With the help of high-school interns for their programs. researchers to share large, complex data my coworkers I was able to grasp the What is next for Joel? We think big things, sets with external partners and the public. concepts and contribute to the project.” since he’s learned the sky’s the limit! l

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