New IP Address Tracking System

By Roger Quirion and Karen Knox

Last fall the Information Services Policy Board (ISPB) adopted a recommendation from the Information Services Managers Group (ISMG) to bill WAN connections by IP addresses. Such action created an immediate need for accurate and up-to-date information within the IP database for the purpose of creating the monthly bill. For this reason, the Development Services Division of BIS created a web application that enables agency coordinators throughout the state to access and maintain their own IP Address information. As was the case with the old system, Network Services technicians have been provided with access to the database to troubleshoot problems.

The recent implementation of the IP Address Tracking System concluded the first of two planned phases for the project. The project scope for the first phase was limited to the migration of the old IP database system to the web. The second phase, which will begin in April, will focus on providing the agencies with additional functionality to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the system and all associated processes.

Agency coordinators and coordinator assistants were provided with training on March 19^th, and were asked to verify and correct their agencies’ IP address information by April 9. Thereafter, billing extracts will be taken from the new database, and the March wide area network bill will be created using data from this new system.