AWIPS LOCAL APPLICATIONS POLICY

The fielding and commissioning of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) catapulted the National Weather Service (NWS) into a new era of data integration and computational capability.  Local applications developed by Weather Forecast Office (WFO), River Forecast Center (RFC), and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) enable offices to satisfy unique user requirements and improve efficiency of local operations.

This policy establishes an approach for the development, testing, implementation, maintenance, and configuration management of AWIPS locally-developed applications.  It describes local, regional, and headquarters responsibilities and defines or references procedures, guidelines, and standards for developing, implementing, and supporting local applications.  This policy and the referenced standards and guidelines will be consistent with the emerging NWS Information Technology (IT) policies, standards, guidelines, and architecture.

An AWIPS local application is defined as a set of non-baseline software instructions that perform operational functions on an AWIPS platform.  This includes locally developed high level language programs, scripts used for mission critical functions, Local Data Acquisition and Dissemination (LDAD) pre-processors and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS)/freeware packages.  This policy does not apply to scripts used for: (1) starting or stopping other processes (e.g., daemon processes), (2) building applications (e.g., makefiles, compile programs), (3) installing, initializing and localizing applications, or (4) simple management/administrative functions.

3.1  NATIONAL

The AWIPS Program Office shall:

• formulate AWIPS local application policy;
• establish a Local Applications Working Group (LAWG) consisting of representatives from Office of Systems Development (OSD), Office of Meteorology (OM), Office of Hydrology (OH), AWIPS Program Office (APO), Office of Systems Operations (OSO), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), NWS Training Center (NWSTC), the Chief Information Officer (CIO), and each region.

The AWIPS System Engineer Division shall:

• define, enforce, grant waivers to, and resolve issue with the local applications standards and guidelines;
• identify and reserve protected areas of mass storage for installation and use of local applications;
• provide a method of measuring AWIPS computer processing resources (e.g., CPU) for site and regional use;
• monitor site usage of local applications for impacts on system performance, stability, and availability;
• provide AWIPS release information to support the integration of local applications into future releases;
• review and approve local application functionality for future AWIPS releases via the Configuration Control Board (CCB).

The Office of Systems Development shall:

• chair for the LAWG;
• support the technical assessment of local application standard and guideline issues;
• maintain local application standards and guidelines and publish information in the Application Integration Framework Manual (AIFM);
• maintain the AWIPS Local Application Development web site; and
• maintain a library (AWIPS Local Applications Database) of local application software and documentation.

Each NWS regional Headquarters shall:

• participate as a LAWG member;
• monitor requirements for local applications to eliminate duplication of effort within their region;
• for applications developed within the region used by more than one site:
  1. ensure that a maintenance programmer is responsible for documenting and correcting reported software deficiencies, adding necessary enhancements, implementing changes required for the integration with new AWIPS releases, and maintaining the external documentation;
  2. enforce site compliance with the local application policy, guidelines, standards, and resource utilization limitations;
  3. coordinate the implementation of local applications region wide;
  4. coordinate the resolution of software deficiency reports and requested enhancements.

Note that Item c(1) does not apply to COTS software.  A region using a COTS program, must possess a fully-licensed, documented package and must accommodate the associated resource processing requirements within the allocation for local software.  Interfacing COTS to baseline software is the responsibility of the local developer.  Support for any COTS programs will lie with the vendor.

Each WFO, RFC, and NCEP center shall:

• designate an individual to oversee local applications;
• identify, document, and validate site unique requirements;
• develop each local application in accordance with the guidelines and standards in the AIFM;
• test each locally-developed application to insure it performs the required functionality, is valid regarding hydrometeorology and physical science theory, and does not affect or degrade the operation of the AWIPS software, AWIPS LAN or operational network;
• submit Local Application Registration (LAR) information for each locally-developed application following the standards in the AIFM Section 3.8;
• prepare user, installation, and maintenance information for each locally-developed application following the standards in the AIFM Section 3.8;
• register the use of each local application prior to implementation on an AWIPS platform;
• approve all local applications for implementation on the operational system and integrate them into station operations;
• assign to each locally-developed application a maintenance programmer who will be responsible for documenting and correcting reported software deficiencies, adding necessary enhancements, implementing changes required for the integration with new AWIPS releases, and maintaining the external documentation;
• obtain written waivers to deviate from local application policy, standards, and guidelines prior to doing so (see AWIPS Local Application Implementation Plan for instructions on how to obtain a waiver).

Note that Items c, f, and i do not apply to COTS software.  A site using a COTS program, must possess a fully-licensed, documented package and must accommodate the associated resource processing requirements within the allocation for local software.  Interfacing COTS to baseline software is the responsibility of the local developer.  Support for any COTS programs will lie with the vendor.

The Local Applications Working Group shall:

• recommend local application functionality for incorporation into future AWIPS releases;
• monitor requirements for local applications development to eliminate duplication of effort between regions;
• recommend changes to the local application policy, standards and guidelines;
• recommend waivers to local application policy, standards, and guidelines;
• coordinate responsibilities (Section 3.2 c(1), c(3)) for local applications used nation wide;
• conduct monthly conference calls and report to the AWIPS System Engineer Division.