Author Archives: Joe Kidwell

The Coast Guard’s Office of Privacy Management (CG-6P) requires all program offices for software systems, data systems and Information Technology (IT) systems to conduct a Privacy Threshold Agreement (PTA) describing the use case, type of technology, data used, analysis to be performed, and expected outcome.[1]  The Department of Homeland Security Privacy Office then reviews andContinue reading “Data Lakes from a Privacy Office Perspective”

I feel an overwhelming obligation to highlight some of my previous statements.  Mostly, it was abundantly apparent the Aviation Logistics Center Infrastructure Services Division (ALC ISD) was minimally staffed, and extremely resource limited.[1]  This constrained an entirety of ALC ISD’s ability to maintain and respond to the developing needs of the legacy Information Technology system,Continue reading “A Culture of ‘No’:  A SQL vs. NoSQL Case Study in the Coast Guard”

First contact between the Data Readiness Task Force (DRTF) and Aviation Logistics Center Infrastructure Services Division (ALC ISD) was in mid-January 2022.  Unfortunately, it became apparent immediately as the data owners for Asset Logistics Management Information System (ALMIS), ALC ISD were minimally staffed and limited by resources. ALC ISD’s clear preference was to activate technologyContinue reading “Hindrance to Live Data Connections“

It is very easy to let pessimism seep into a post on automated data connections to the Coast Guard’s new Integrated Data Environment (IDE).  The truth is, after the Coast Guard’s IDE migrated onto the Coast Guard’s NIPRnet (CGONE), it was not new.  The contract Period of Performance began on September 15th, 2021 and theContinue reading “Data Connections to the Coast Guard’s Integrated Data Environment“

Who is the Commandant’s data analyst?  This question may seem to be an unproductive exercise.  If you are a data analyst, and you are in the Coast Guard, are you not the Commandant’s data analyst?  The truth is, the Coast Guard has been working around fully incorporating analysts into decision-making since Big Data rose toContinue reading “Who is the Commandant’s Data Analyst?”

In my previous post I highlighted metrics of a data driven organization.  I would like to spend some time expanding upon them.  Admittedly, I cannot claim these metrics as my own.  However, they serve as a true North as I assess organizations.  And more specifically, they serve as the true North as I judge theContinue reading “Metrics of Data Driven Organization“

This week we interrupt our regularly scheduled journaling of Coast Guard data efforts to discuss my experience at the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) 90th Symposium.  Overall, I have mixed feelings about the MORS Symposium.  I started my work as an analyst in the Coast Guard in February of 2020.  So, the MORS 88th andContinue reading “Military Operations Research Society 90th Symposium”

The Coast Guard hand selected its solution for an Integrated Data Environment (IDE) (analyst desires be damned).  Fast forward, and the Coast Guard’s Data Readiness Task Force (DRTF) awarded a contract to Enlighten IT Consulting, LLC (a BDP has not been implemented by any other company) to implement a Coast Guard Big Data Platform (BDP).Continue reading “Implementing a Big Data Platform on CGONE NIPRnet”

Upon reporting to the Data Readiness Task Force (DRTF) and upon hearing discussions for procuring a Big Data Platform (BDP) for the Coast Guard, it was understandably not apparent a BDP was a specific data analytics solution the Coast Guard had already selected.  In fact, I thought BDP and Integrated Data Environment (IDE) were beingContinue reading “Initial Analyst Hopes for a Coast Guard Integrated Data Environment”

What do you think when you hear Big Data Platform (BDP)?  When I first reported to the Data Readiness Task Force (DRTF), I assumed that BDP was interchangeable with Integrated Data Environment (IDE).  “Big Data” and “Platform”.  It obviously must be some type of cloud based data analytics system.  Cloud based because otherwise average (andContinue reading “What is a Big Data Platform?”