GAO: Defense Y2K testing meets standards

The Defense Department is far from completing its end-to-end year 2000 computer testing, but so far the agency has established a comprehensive plan to meet its deadlines, the General Accounting Office reported recently.

DoD has less than six months to finish end-to-end Y2K testing and evaluations for thousands of computer systems used by Defense agencies and the military services. End-to-end testing ensures that interrelated systems can function properly together after Jan. 1, 2000. In DoD, the intertwined computers include weapons, command and control, satellite, inventory management, financial, personnel and payment systems.

"Defense cannot afford major slippages in its test and evaluation schedule nor does it have the luxury of redoing tests that prove ineffective or incomplete," said the report, "Defense Computers: Management Controls are Critical to Effective Year 2000 Testing" (AIMD-99-172).

The good news, however, is that the agency has closely followed GAO's step-by-step guide for managing Y2K testing. DoD has organized its end-to-end testing into three categories: military services' systems; the functional lines of communications, logistics, health, personnel and intelligence; and within each of DoD's unified command (like the Atlantic Command, the European Command and the Space Command). GAO said the testing plans are strong because they specifically described how computer systems and organizations are intertwined. In addition, the department has put managers in charge of testing. they will be held accountable for Y2K success. The department has also issued clear guidance on the planning, execution and reporting phases of end-to-end testing, the report said.

Each unified command, for example, identified the minimum number of automated systems that would be needed to complete critical tasks in its end-to-end testing plan. For example, NORAD's early warning responsibility relies on 65 computer systems to function properly. So NORAD tested the ability of those systems to track and forward missile and space air threats to the proper command centers with the clocks rolled forward to Jan. 1, 2000.

The department must next get independent auditors to validate that the testing results are reliable, GAO said. Although the proper steps are being taken to ensure Y2K compliance, the department must make sure every DoD organization is following proper Y2K procedures, GAO said.

"DoD is conducting literally hundreds of end-to-end test activities and events within an intense 9-month period, and some of these activities are closely related. As a result, adherence to these controls is absolutely critical," the report said.

DoD agreed with GAO's recommendation to begin a quality assurance program for end-to-end testing. The agency has taken the first step by drafting a program that will include Inspector General independent audits of testing results.