DEFENSE LOGISTICS SERVICE CENTER:
MILITARY OFFLOADS DATABASE HEADACHES

Abstract

The Defense Logistics Service Center (DLSC) manages FED LOG, a huge database of supply system information for the Federal government. FED LOG includes supplier names, addresses and phone numbers, as well as manufacturers, part numbers, National Stock Numbers, and ordering and pricing information for over 12 million supply items. Everything from bolts to helicopters is included in the database, which is updated monthly and shipped to more than 20,000 users worldwide. The 5-gigabyte database used to be contained in seven major publications on microfiche and paper. Today FED LOG[LiveLink] is published monthly by OPTIMUS Corporation and shipped to government and military installations on four CD-ROM discs.

Challenges

Cost of distribution

Distributing a 5-gigabyte database to every government installation around the world represents a huge expenditure of time and money, shipping costs were exorbitant and growing larger each year with paper and microfiche distribution.

Cost of Processing

Transferring over 20,000 copies of a 5-gigabyte database from mainframe to microfiche or paper required a major investment in computing and support resources. DLSC use to produce a master image of each different publication containing FED LOG data. The masters were then reproduced on microfiche by various contractors.

Accessibility of Information

To locate or order parts using a microfiche or paper database required manual searching through several indexes just to reach the appropriate category of parts. A search for one item could take 40 minutes or longer.

Volatility of Data

Some prices, part numbers and suppliers in the FED LOG database change daily, while others change monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. In microfiche form, the entire FED LOG database had to be updated to reflect changes. Database managers often had to locate obsolete sections and replace them with current information. Occasional misfiling or loss of information resulted in unnecessary delays and a lack of confidence in the microfiche system.

Solution

Turnkey Optical Publishing

FED LOG is now produced by OPTIMUS and distributed monthly on four CD-ROMs. The database is transferred to an OPTIMUS mainframe, where custom software is used to convert, index and compress the information for consistent formatting on CD-ROM media. The four-disc database is distributed to over 20,000 military users worldwide. Each site receives an entirely new FED LOG database system each month. Old discs are destroyed, so there is no chance of misfiling entries or inadvertently mistaking old and new information.

Results

By using OPTIMUS to produce FED LOG, DLSC has reduced distribution and processing costs by approximately 33%. Access to information is about eight times faster, dropping from approximately 40 minutes to under 5 minutes thanks to custom retrieval software and multiple-index searches. Plus, users are relieved of the burden of having to manage and search through thousands of individual pieces of media.

Company Profile: The Defense Logistics Service Center

In addition to managing FED LOG, DLSC maintains and operates FLIS, the Federal Logistics Information System, which is used by the Military Services, civil agencies, NATO, and foreign governments. DLSC also operates an on-line database that provides up-to-the-minute ordering information for government users worldwide.