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8. Information Technology Laboratory
Pages 229-276

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From page 229...
... 8 Information Technology Laboratory 229
From page 230...
... Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Report to the NRC Assessment Panel for Information Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md., February 2001; U.S. Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Information Technology Laboratory Publications 2000, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md., January 2001.
From page 231...
... The Advanced Networking Technologies Division works with industry to address the technical challenges of an increasingly connected world; areas of emphasis include wireless communications and pervasive, optical, and multimedia networks. The Computer Security Division addresses needs in information technology security by developing standards, metrics, tests, and validation programs for security in systems and services and by acting as advisors on issues related to information technology security risks and vulnerabilities.
From page 232...
... expertise to NlS l scientists has joined the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division and is strengthening the collaborative efforts that are the focus of that division. Finally, the research functions, like work on standards for electronic books, of the High-Performance Systems and Services Division formed the core of the new Convergent Information Systems Division.
From page 233...
... Areas in which the panel felt increased communication and coordination between divisions would be helpful include activities relevant to biometrics in the Computer Security, Convergent Information Systems, and Information Access Divisions and the streaming media efforts in the Convergent Information Systems and Advanced Networking Technology Divisions. The panel also continues to emphasize the importance of integrating the laboratory-wide efforts in pervasive computing and suggests that connections between this work and the projects related to interactive television in the Convergent Information Systems and Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Divisions could be strengthened.
From page 234...
... The standard has already been incorporated into the product lines of major providers of Fortran compilers, including Compaq Computer Corporation and Lahey Computer Systems, Inc. Other projects worthy of mention are the Braille reader produced by the Convergent Information Systems Division and the information technology architecture initiative in the Information Services and Computing Division.
From page 235...
... Information Technology Laboratory managers have indicated that they plan to create a position with responsibility for enhancing the laboratory's reputation outside NIST, and the panel encourages this step. Overall, the panel is impressed with the programs under way and believes that the Information Technology Laboratory is well-positioned to have an even greater impact than in the past.
From page 236...
... As of March 2001, staffing for the Information Technology Laboratory included 368 full-time permanent positions, of which 302 were for technical professionals. There were also 92 nonpermanent or supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and temporary or part-time workers.
From page 237...
... Last year's report mentioned that NIST's network connectivity to the outside world was significantly poorer than that available to many universities and industrial research organizations via the Internet2 Project (12 Mbps for NIST versus 155 Mbps or faster on Internet2~. This issue is discussed in detail in the section on the Information Services and Computing Division.
From page 238...
... DIVISIONAL REVIEWS Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division Technical Merit According to division documentation, the mission of the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division is to provide technical leadership within NIST in modern analytical and computational methods for solving scientific problems of interest to U.S. industry.
From page 239...
... This question of how users could obtain function values is a fundamental issue, and the panel believes that it will require some original thinking to find the right solution. In addition to the work on established and traditional projects, the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division is exploring a number of important new directions, such as combinatorial methods, quantum computing, bioinformatics, and mathematical metrology.
From page 240...
... In the Java Numerics project, staff convened an international forum to help improve a commercial standard used around the world. Similarly, division staff convened a group of relevant international vendors and provided a conformance tester to facilitate the development and adoption of the Interoperable Message Passing Interface protocol standard to support the writing of parallel scientific applications.
From page 241...
... For the division's work with other NIST laboratories, a primary source of projects is the web of connections that division staff have built up with personnel across the campus. The strength of this approach is that successful technology deployment takes place readily in a collaboration based on past relationships and mutual trust.
From page 242...
... Division Resources Funding sources for the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division are shown in Table 8.2. As of March 2001, staffing for the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division included 39 fulltime permanent positions, of which 36 were for technical professionals.
From page 243...
... lo, While the limitations described here are a familiar story in many laboratories, the growth of NIST's customer base in the national information technology industry is certainly not being reflected by growth in the Information Technology Laboratory in general or the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division in particular. Advanced Networking Technologies Division Technical Merit According to division documentation, the mission of the Advanced Networking Technologies Division is to provide the networking industry with the best in test and measurement technology.
From page 244...
... The synergy between the two areas is good, but the panel suggests that the MANET work might productively evolve toward investigating networking protocols and distributed algorithms in order to better support sensor networking. ~ ~ _ Also in Agile Networks, the division continues to work on modeling, evaluation, and research of lightwave networks (MERLIN)
From page 245...
... The emphasis is shifting to work on critical infrastructure in collaboration with the Computer Security Division. This is an important project, and the panel believes the shift is appropriate.
From page 246...
... As of March 2001, staffing for the Advanced Networking Technologies Division included 21 full-time permanent positions, of which 18 were for technical professionals. There were also 5 nonpermanent or supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and temporary or part-time workers.
From page 247...
... Technical Merit Computer Security Division According to division documentation, the mission of the Computer Security Division is to improve information systems by raising awareness of information technology risks, vulnerabilities, and protection requirements, particularly for new and emerging technologies; by researching, studying, and advising agencies of information technology vulnerabilities and devising techniques for the cost-effective security and privacy of sensitive federal systems; by developing standards, metrics, tests, and validation programs to promote, measure, and validate security in systems and services, to educate consumers, and to establish minimum security requirements for federal systems; and by developing guidance to increase secure information technology planning, implementation, management, and operation. The division's programs directly support this mission and are also consistent with the laboratory and NIST missions.
From page 248...
... By virtue of the Computer Security Division's work on this project, NIST played an appropriate role in the discussions and provided a key service to the international security community. The high technical quality of the work and the balance with which the division staff led what was widely perceived as an open and fair process enhanced both the visibility and reputation of NIST.
From page 249...
... In other areas, the frequent use of the IPsec interoperability testbed and the central role of division staff in the smart card consortium, as well as staff participation in and leadership of national and international standards bodies and committees, demonstrate the value to industry of the division's efforts and how NIST personnel are uniquely qualified and positioned to perform important functions and services for the computer security community. The division has a large number of standards-related activities, including developing cryptography and security standards as Federal Information Processing Standards and serving on national and international standards committees.
From page 250...
... As of March 2001, staffing for the Computer Security Division included 40 full-time permanent positions, of which 37 were for technical professionals. There were also 13 nonpermanent or supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and temporary or part-time workers.
From page 251...
... government agencies with technical and programmatic guidance in the area of computer security policy, management, and operations. These activities are entirely suitable for NIST staff, and the laudable goal of advising and assisting government agencies is, in general, appropriately matched with the skill sets within the Computer Security Division.
From page 252...
... Information Access Division Technical Merit According to division documentation, the mission of the Information Access Division is to accelerate the development of technologies that allow intuitive, efficient access, manipulation, and exchange of complex information by facilitating the creation of measurement methods and standards. The Information Access Division is composed of four groups: Speech, Image, Retrieval, and Visualization and Usability.
From page 253...
... Building on successful past work in the Face Recognition Technology (FERET) program of the mid-199Os, the Information Access Division has begun a new effort in human identification.
From page 254...
... The value of cooperative efforts is not limited to interactions within a given program; for example, increased connections between pervasive computing and network protocol efforts might be productive for both efforts. In the area of biometrics, currently a focus of the Convergent Information Systems Division, stronger interactions with the Information Access Division personnel from the Image Group might prove fruitful.
From page 255...
... Their participation will indicate if the project is producing results relevant to this community. The Information Access Division's fingerprint-related efforts are primarily targeted at federal, state, and local law enforcement communities.
From page 256...
... Division Resources Funding sources for the Information Access Division are shown in Table 8.5. As of March 2001, staffing for the Information Access Division included 39 full-time permanent positions, of which 33 were for technical professionals.
From page 257...
... , and division staff are currently working in seven areas. In the Convergent Information Systems Division's work on optical disk storage, the primary focus is on measurement methods and testing systems for disks based on optical technologies (e.g., digital
From page 258...
... As the biometrics program expands, staff could benefit from input from and collaborations with the Computer Security Division and the Information Access Division. In the project on Digital TV Application Software Environment (DASE)
From page 259...
... For the division to work effectively in this area, it must make careful decisions about which results are most likely to be utilized by the industry and which partnerships are necessary and sufficient to encourage the widespread use of consistent standards. It also needs to utilize the expertise available in other divisions of the Information Technology Laboratory (e.g., the Computer Security Division)
From page 260...
... The Convergent Information Systems Division' s work on a prototype implementation for the DTV API is a very important project, highly responsive to industry needs. By providing a free, public reference version of the implementation, NIST facilitates industry's acceptance of the standard, which in turn will jump-start commercial efforts in this area by making it easier for companies to quickly bring interactive television products to market.
From page 261...
... Since the trust management effort could be relevant to the needs of the growing number of industries interested in distributing content digitally, the panel suggests that the Convergent Information Systems Division might consider expanding its participation in some of the standards groups, such as the Copyright Protection Technical Working Group (CPTWG) , the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI)
From page 262...
... As of March 2001, staffing for the Convergent Information Systems Division included 13 full-time permanent positions, of which 11 were for technical professionals. There were also 15 nonpermanent or supplemental personnel, such as postdoctoral research associates and temporary or part-time workers.
From page 263...
... 2001 (estimatedja NIST-STRS, 2.4 2.6 2.2 2.2 excluding Competence _ Competence 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 STRS-supercomputing 9.5 9.9 10.0 0.6 ATP 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.4 OA/NFG/CRADA 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.4 Other Reimbursable 0.7 0.0 0.8 0.0 Agency Overhead 5.3 6.7 7.4 0.0 Total 18.9 20.2 22.0 3.6 Full-time permanent 71 75 81 13 staff Total NOTE: Sources of funding are as described in the note accompanying Table 8.1. aThe significant difference between the FY 2000 and FY 2001 funding and staff levels reflects the reorganization of the Information Technology Laboratory, in which the information technology service groups and the visualization group were moved out of this division to the Information Services and Computing Division and the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division.
From page 264...
... Managers and staff throughout NIST need to develop and buy into a shared understanding of what common IT services the Information Services and Computing Division will be responsible for providing. Once the expectations have been clearly defined 7U.S.
From page 265...
... The panel notes that current initiatives, like the development of a consolidated help desk and a life-cycle planning model for administrative applications, are good and appropriate investments for the division. Information security at NIST remains one of the highest priorities of the Director of the Information Technology Laboratory and the Deputy Director of NIST, and the Information Services and Computing Division is actively contributing to the comprehensive efforts to maintain the safety and security of NIST IT systems.
From page 266...
... Division Resources Funding sources for the Information Services and Computing Division are shown in Table 8.7. As of March 2001, staffing for the Information Services and Computing Division included 131 full-time permanent positions, of which 106 were for technical professionals.
From page 267...
... Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division Technical Merit According to division documentation, the mission of the Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division is to develop software testing tools and methods that improve quality, conformance to standards, and correctness; to participate with industry in the development of forward-looking standards; and to lead efforts for conformance testing, even at the early development stage of standards. 7 is, , The division's work in designing conformance and diagnostic tests and developing reference implementations for standards bodies clearly fulfills its mission and is consistent with the goals of both the laboratory and NIST missions.
From page 268...
... They are also developing systems that can translate between the different formal models used in industry, academia, and government; the hope is for these translators to make formal methods efforts much more interoperable and hence more widely used and effective. Overall, the Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division is leading the way for industry and government in the usage of formal methods to analyze and improve standards specifications and develop conformance tests.
From page 269...
... Everyone I've talked to is excited about your proposal ...." Given the ubiquity of the Internet and the many potential applications of electronic commerce technologies, it is not unreasonable to expect that the division's work in this area will have an impact worldwide. In all of the Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division programs, the focus on emerging technologies and on maintaining close partnerships with industry ensures that NIST efforts will have a significant impact.
From page 270...
... Division Resources Funding sources for the Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division are shown in Table 8.8. As of March 2001, staffing for the Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division included 35 full-time permanent positions, of which 32 were for technical professionals.
From page 271...
... Statistical Engineering Division staff have contributed to the NIST efforts by developing statistical signal processing techniques to correct for the effects of time-base distortion, timing jitter, and impedance mismatch in measurements using high-speed optoelectronic detectors. Recent accomplishments include new results on jitter estimation and uncertainty analysis of time-base distortion.
From page 272...
... Over the past year, at the request of the Federal Trade Commission, NIST staff have been studying how experimental cigarettes and test equipment have changed over time and evaluating the ignition properties of commercial cigarettes. Division staff are not neglecting good opportunities for appropriate collaborations within the Information Technology Laboratory.
From page 273...
... Program Relevance and Effectiveness The efforts of the Statistical Engineering Division have a broad impact on the work of the NIST scientists and engineers with whom they collaborate and also on industry practices in general. Looking again at the examples described above, the approaches developed during the project on characterization of high-speed optoelectronic devices have been incorporated into a new measurement service that will benefit industries involved in optical fiber and wireless communications as well as in ethernet and fiber channel networks.
From page 274...
... Division Resources Funding sources for the Statistical Engineering Division are shown in Table 8.9. As of March 2001, staffing for the Statistical Engineering Division included 17 full-time permanent positions, of which 15 were for technical professionals.
From page 275...
... · The Mathematical and Computational Sciences Division and the Statistical Engineering Division are still located in NIST North, despite reasonable concerns that this separation negatively affects the ability of staff in these divisions to collaborate with scientists on the main campus. The panel strongly urges laboratory and NIST management to thoroughly explore creative solutions to this problem and to communicate these efforts to division personnel.


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