Windows 2000 Enterprise Planning for Maine State
Government
By Mike Pomerleau
Windows 2000 is Microsoft’s long awaited upgrade and replacement for Windows New
Technology (NT) Version 4. Originally titled NT Version 5, this new product departs from
previous Microsoft Operating Systems by embracing information system industry standards
found in Unix and the Internet TCP/IP protocol. Over three years in the making, and more
than ten times the size of its predecessor, Windows 2000 is aimed at the needs of business
in the twenty first century.
This product provides performance and reliability improvements over Windows NT and 98,
while helping large businesses unify their information systems. Windows 2000 can provide
immediate benefits to organizations that wish to integrate the professional desktop
products and application and file server products within existing NT version 4
installations. Microsoft advises Windows 2000 native mode services (e.g. Active Directory
and Kerberos Security) be carefully planned and tested prior to deployment.
I have personally watched the growth and refinement of this product for about a year
while trying out Beta 2, Beta 3 and Release Candidates 1, 2, and 3. My work turned into a
formal Bureau of Information Systems (BIS) project in November of 1999 when the BIS
Enterprise group took on the task of testing and planning for the deployment of Windows
2000. Phase one of the project ran from late November of 1999 through mid January of 2000.
Our goals were to research the product, set up a test lab, and chart a direction for phase
two.
Brian Desjardens and I, both Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE), went to an
early accelerated Windows 2000 course focused on upgrading our skills and teaching us
about Active Directory, the substantial new element that scales Windows 2000 to the
enterprise level. This was followed by Windows 2000 Security Services training in
Washington D.C. with MCSE’s from the banking and insurance industry, the military,
and federal government, including the Office of the President.
In January, we formed a technical planning group comprised of Dennis Stevens, Brian,
and myself of BIS and Jim Byther from the Department of Transportation. Together we
compiled our research and observations to produce a set of working assumptions. Using
Microsoft Project 2000, we documented the phase one process and designed a phase two plan.
During this process, a lab was created to test all aspects of Windows 2000 outside the
state’s production environment. Plans are underway to expand this Windows 2000
private network to other state agencies.
The Information Systems Managers Group (ISMG) and others have been briefed as to the
work conducted to date, and a Web site ( http://janus.state.me.us/w2kproject/
) keeps everyone apprised of progress. The technical planning group has been expanded to
include members from Environmental Protection (DEP), Public Safety, and Corrections.
Because of Windows 2000’s reliance on TCP/IP and Domain Name Services (DNS), the
DHCP/DNS project has been incorporated. A unified enterprise domain name space must be
established in conjunction with Windows 2000 prior to its deployment in native mode. We
are currently midway through phase two, and research, testing and observations are
coalescing into recommendations regarding how best to integrate Windows 2000 throughout
state government.
In support of this project, David Blocher (DEP) is leading an ISMG subcommittee to
review technical recommendations with an eye to the development of standards and policies
related to the deployment and operations of Windows 2000. The ISMG will work in concert
with BIS and the Information Services Policy Board to resolve the many issues surrounding
the design and deployment of Windows 2000 throughout state government.
Since Windows 2000 has the capability to serve an enterprise substantially larger than
Maine’s state government, and provide integration coupled with decentralized
management at the organizational level, it is adeptly suited to helping standardize the
delivery of information services. The Active Directory can provide a global catalog for
state government resources and an index of public information held by the departments. The
human resources database of state employees can provide the User ID’s, with state of
the art challenge response authentication by Kerberos and smart cards like Secure ID.
Windows 2000 also supports electronic commerce, with digital certificate services,
encrypting file services, built in VPN and embedded terminal services.
Questions? Comments? See the above Web site or e-mail michael.a.pomerleau@state.me.us.
Mike Pomerleau started his 25+ years of service in Maine State government as a summer
intern in the Governor’s Office. He is currently an Information Systems Support
Manager in the Bureau of Information Services, and has 15 years of experience working with
computers.
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