Integration of Resource Management Applications (IRMA)

The Natural Resource Program Center and the I&M Program are in the process of transforming the way they manage and deliver natural resource information to parks, partners, and the public. IRMA, the Integration of Resource Management Applications, is the name given to the project that is guiding this transformation. The Natural Resource Information Portal (NRInfo - NPS only) will be the gateway to the results. The portal is currently an internal NPS site, but will eventually be publicly accessible.

Links to Project Documentation

-	IRMA Project Brief
-	Natural Resource Information Portal (NRInfo) Brief
-	Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Brief
-	IRMA Project Summary: a more extensive description of the IRMA project, including an overview, project history, current status, and roadmap (approx. 25 pages) - updated November, 2009

Background

Over the past decade, NRPC has built and maintained a variety of information systems to manage data on species, water resources, GIS layers, reports and publications, and research permits, to name a few. These systems, built with the best technology at the time, have captured valuable information and provided essential tools for searching and storing natural resource information related to parks. However, almost every system looks a little different, uses different terminology, and has different ways of entering or searching for information. Moving between systems is difficult, and often the same information has to be entered in several different places. From both a content and a technology standpoint, it was becoming clear that we were outgrowing the existing “silo” systems. The goal of the IRMA project is to create a central web portal, a single sign-on system, and develop a common user interface for all natural resource data applications. The underlying architecture of this portal is based on service-oriented architecture, which allows efficient use and sharing (both within NPS and with partners) of data.

So what is SOA?

In a nutshell, service-oriented architecture (SOA) takes complex stand-alone data systems and breaks them down into smaller, interoperable and sharable “services.” Take park unit codes as an example.  Rather than each information system managing its own table of park acronyms and names, IRMA is providing a “unit service” that makes this information available to many systems. 

The benefit of this approach is that data are contained and managed in one place.  Individual applications no longer need to build and manage duplicate sets of park unit data, or other types of shared data.  This helps eliminate entering the same data in more than one place, ensures that all users are building on a common data set, and allows reusing and combining multiple services in ways that fit user needs.

The Transition Process

The transition to service-oriented architecture is neither quick nor simple, and we have made fundamental changes to our organization, hardware, and software; in particular:

• The way NRPC staff work together:  Database staff now work in collaborative, functional teams instead of within their individual “silos.” Team members have responsibilities related to, for example, user requirements, programming, or quality assurance, and work across all applications instead of just one.
  
  
• How we develop and manage information systems: Processes are being put in place for project planning, documentation, user-driven design, change control, and release management.  Collaboration tools such as SharePoint, Project Server, HP Quality Center, and Team Foundation Server provide tools for document sharing, project management, quality assurance, and software development processes.
  
  
• Software and hardware:  Development teams now all use the same software, and hardware resources have been added and reconfigured for increased speed and security.  IRMA hardware now comprises distinct Development, QA, Pre-production, Integration, and Production environments, with associated improvements in network security.

These changes have resulted in both a solid foundation and a roadmap for moving forward with how NRPC develops and manages natural resource information.

More Information

• Email Margaret Beer, Inventory & Monitoring Data Manager - ph: (970) 267-2168