Title: Leading NOAA The Critical Role of Technology
1Leading NOAA The Critical Role of Technology
Expanding Access to Environmental Information for
Global Users
- VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN
(Ret.)Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere NOAA Administrator - Industry Advisory Council
- September 26, 2007
2Overview
- NOAA Technologys Critical Role
- Earth Observations A Case Study
- Managing IT for NOAAs Future
- NOAA Connecting with Users
3NOAAs Vision A Broad Mandate
4NOAAs MissionA Diverse Organization
5Fulfilling NOAAs MissionFor Users Across the
Nation
6Information TechnologyKeeping a Diverse
Organization Together
Phased Array Radar
NWS Supercomputing System Frost Snow
NOAA Ship RON BROWN
Global Monitoring DivisionSouth Pole
Global Monitoring DivisionSamoa
PICO Buoy
Argo Floats
7Overview
- NOAA Technologys Critical Role
- Earth Observations A Case Study
- Managing IT for NOAAs Future
- NOAA Connecting with Users
8Earth ObservationsAn Example of IT at Work
Water Level Station, MA
Air Gap Sensor, Gerald Desmond Bridge, CA
El Niño
Unmanned Aircraft VehicleManta
DART II Buoy, Thailand
9Earth ObservationsThe Value of Integration
- Developing a Global Earth Observation System of
Systems(GEOSS) - International Initiative
- Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
- Improving coordination of observation systems
- Links all platforms in situ, aircraft, and
satellite networks - Facilitates exchange of data and information
- Improves decision-makers abilities to address
pressing policy issues
10Earth ObservationsLinking Products Global Users
- Implementation of GEONetCast
- Open exchange of data and information
- Worldwide information distribution
- Delivers products to global users
11Earth ObservationsArchiving Data Stewardship
- The Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship
System (CLASS) is NOAAs premier on-line facility
for the distribution of NOAA and DOD
meteorological satellite data.
Major satellite systems archive growth 2000 - 2020
NPOESS
GOES-R
12Earth ObservationsEnvironmental Modeling
200 km resolution Current Climate Model
- NOAAs Modeling Capabilities are Broad and
Expanding - Example Climate Models
- Goal Increase model resolution and complexity
- Result More computationally expensive to run
- Adding the global carbon cycle makes the model 2x
as computationally expensive to run - Adding chemistry to address global air quality
and climate change makes the model 3x as
expensive to run
10x more computational power
50 km resolution Short-term Target
4 km resolution Observations
13IssueSeasonal to Decadal Hurricanes Climate
- Will landfalls of more intense hurricanes become
more common in the future? - Additional computational resources are needed to
- Understand seasonal hurricane activity using
models at scales of a few to ten kilometers, but
in basin-scale or global domains. - Understand the impacts of present and future
climate on hurricane activity through seasonal
and multi-decadal model runs that require 4000X
more computing - Transition this understanding into an operational
predictive capability for seasonal hurricane
activity up to a decade in advance
Correlation 0.86
Decadal and Seasonal Variability Simulation
Next generation weather/ climate/hurricane model
14IssueHurricane Modeling
- Increase model resolution
- Increasing hurricane model resolution to 1km
makes it 14,580x more computationally expensive
to run - 28 yrs at current budget with Moores Law
15IssueEcosystems Global Ocean Modeling
- Increasingly complex models are required to
support Ecosystems Based Management New
Requirement - Ecosystems Forecasts
- Ocean Forecasting
- Space Weather Forecasts
- Deposition and Runoff
- A global model for regional impacts, with carbon
and air quality, is 384x (64 x 2 x 3) more
expensive to run - Additional processes (glacial melt, ecology,
nitrogen cycle) require more computing
16Overview
- NOAA Technologys Critical Role
- Earth Observations A Case Study
- Managing IT for NOAAs Future
- NOAA Connecting with Users
17Managing NOAAs ITCore Priorities
Risks
Outcomes
18Managing NOAAs ITSecurity
Weeks
19Managing NOAAs ITContinuity Resiliency
Unknowns
Construction severs underground cables Silver
Spring HQs only internet connection goes down
Hurricane directly hits the DC metro area power
loss with incomplete generator in Silver Spring
HQ. Loss of critical operations centers
Pandemic Flu telework not supported by NOAA
remote access capacity
Working to Eliminate Single Points of Failure in
NOAA Systems
20Managing NOAAs ITMaintaining Critical Skills
Federal IT Workforce
24 Younger than 40 years old
33 Over 50years old
43 Between 40 and 50 years old
NOAA OCIO Workforce
14.4 Younger than 40 years old
59.3 Over 50 years old
26.3 Between 40 and 50 years old
Sources NOAA Human Resources Data
System Information Technology (IT) Workforce
Capability Assessment Survey (2004), CIO
Council Computer World 2006 Salary Survey
IT Management Series has over 2000 employees
21Managing NOAAs ITScalability Capacity
NOAA NESDIS Data Archive Volume ProjectionsMarch
2007(includes backup)
Data volume is outpacing the IT infrastructure to
handle it
22Managing NOAAs ITEnterprise-Wide Solutions
- Increasing Efficiency Through Enterprise-wide
Solutions - Critical to identify and implement NOAA-wide
solutions - Important to minimize stovepipes
4600 Seats
4600 Seats
63 Systems
1 System
23Managing NOAAs IT Communicating with Users
- New NOAA web presence
- http//www.noaa.gov
- Simplified front page
- Consistency across organization
- Increased resiliency to attacks
- Reaching our clientele with life saving
information
24Managing NOAAs IT Staying Connected to Users
Provide the right information, in the right
format, at the right time, to the right
people, to make the right decisions.
25Leading NOAA The Critical Role of Technology
Expanding Access to Environmental Information for
Global Users
- VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN
(Ret.)Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere NOAA Administrator - Industry Advisory Council
- September 26, 2007
26Backups
27Earth ObservationsBenefits to Society
Demand
Supply
28What is GEOSS?Global Earth Observation System
of Systems
Comprehensive Coordinated Sustained An end-to-end
system of existing systems (both in-situ and
remote sensing observation platforms)linked with
new systems
29One NOAA/Regional Collaboration
- Improved services for the benefit of NOAAs
customers - Increased value and productivity of partnerships
- Improved stakeholder relations and support
- Improved internal communications and efficiency
across line offices and programs - A more visible and valued NOAA brand
Success will be measured by NOAAs ability to
advance the work of the agency towards these goals
30How IT keeps a diverse organization together
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