DM 10-11.03- Replacing OPSNET Circuits With an Internet-Based Secure Socket Layer VPN
Effective: 2012/03/31 UTC

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NOXX10 KWBC  191641
DATA MGT MESSAGE 10-11.03

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Headquarters Washington DC
1055 AM EDT Mon Oct 17 2011

TO:     International Satellite Communications System Users

 FROM:     Craig Hodan
            Chief, Dissemination Systems Branch

SUBJECT:  Replacing OPSNET Circuits With an Internet-Based
          Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Virtual Private Network
          (VPN) Service Effective March 31, 2012

The International Satellite Communications System (ISCS) program
office is initiating a new service for transmitting
meteorological data to the Regional Telecommunications Hub
(RTH)-Washington in support of the Regional Association (RA)-IV
member states and international community of end users.

The new service will use SSL VPN technology to allow RA-IV
national and regional centers to securely transmit files to the
RTH using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Transition to the new
service will begin in January 2012 and is planned to be
completed by March 31, 2012.  All existing OPSNET service used
for ISCS FTP will be terminated after the successful transition
of the RA-IV member states to the SSL VPN service.  Member
states may continue to use the RTH-Washington Email Data Input
System (EDIS) as a backup service during the transition.

RTH-Washington will provide to RA-IV member states, at no cost,
client software required for the transmission interface to the
RTH SSL VPN server. Member states will have responsibility for
all costs associated with maintaining a local VPN-capable
Internet service to permit the SSL VPN connection.

The transition to the SSL VPN connection will be a cost
effective and efficient communication service, with an
acceptable level of service, reliability, and security.  Member
states requiring higher levels of service than afforded by the
SSL VPN service, should notify the ISCS program manager
identified below. One possible alternative to the SSL VPN
service would, at a minimum, require the member states to
individually contract and pay for an international private line
connection to the United States.

Coordinating information and status updates on the SSL VPN
service implementation and transition will be provided on the
ISCS Webpage:

  http://www.weather.gov/iscs/countdown.php

This Website will be continually updated to keep you informed of
progress and status of this transition.

If you have questions or comments, please contact:

  Robert Gillespie
  Program Manager, ISCS
  Silver Spring, md 20910
  301-713-9478 x 140
  robert.gillespie@noaa.gov

National Public Information Notices are online at:

  http://weather.gov/os/notif.htm

THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO POSTED ON THE NWS DATA MANAGEMENT
CHANGE NOTICES WEB PAGE. THE URL IS LISTED BELOW.

HTTP/COLON///WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/DATAMGMT/NOTICES.SHTML
DATA MANAGEMENT
TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATIONS CENTER
RTH WASHINGTON SENDS
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