Data and VID Services

Gordon-Darby has developed and operated data and VID services as part of all its decentralized and centralized I/M program implementations over the last two decades. 

Gordon-Darby’s state-of-the-art data system design incorporates online analyzer-VID communications, a vehicle registration database interface, E-Cert issuance and tracking, electronic station billings, robust data warehousing, and associated browser-based drill-down reporting.  By using this proven core technology, we are able to reduce needed development efforts / time and significantly increase the probability of implementation success. 

Data System Elements:  Key system elements include:

·         Substantial redundant availability and disaster preparedness.  The network architectural design is fully redundant at likely points of failure, including self-healing fiber optic connections to primary/backup VID sites. 

·         Each fault tolerant VID site includes UPS, dual power supplies, RAID 1 disk mirroring, fire suppression, etc.  Functions at the primary site are fully mirrored to the backup site in real time, with auto failover in the event of any failure at the primary site.  In addition to assuring a high level of system availability, this design is also the key to our proposed operational recovery plan.

·         Use of industry-standard systems, tools and procedures to assure the security and integrity of data, databases, and other systems.  A robust operational recovery plan incorporates comprehensive backup and recovery activities as well as other key elements. 

·         Primary VID location at the Gordon-Darby Data Center in Louisville, Kentucky, which is equipped with appropriate physical and electronic security.  The backup VID is located in a geographically separated location, also in Louisville, at the world-class Xodiax Data Center.  Both sites include self-healing fiber network connections that are the preferred solution for transporting high data volumes and assuring continuous network availability. 

·         Multiple servers are dedicated to handle system and user performance, reliability and speed needs.  While all servers are designed for high reliability, high availability and high speed, each is dedicated to certain functions and isolated from the functions assigned to other servers to preserve performance.  This includes full separation of online transaction processing (OLTP), data warehouse and ad-hoc query functionality from the other functions. 

·         Flexibility to provide analyzer-VID communications via dial-in calls using existing dedicated phone lines, high speed access over the public Internet or any combination of the two.  About one-third of New Hampshire stations, which account for over 50% of all inspections, have opted for secure high-speed access due to the quicker transaction times.  Dial-up calls automatically roll over to available lines at the backup site if the primary VID lines are unavailable. 

·         OLTP database servers use the Red Hat Linux operating system and Oracle Database enterprise software.  Data storage disks are sized at initial implementation to handle projected data volumes, including legacy data migrated to the new system, for full contract periods. 

·         Automated clearinghouse (ACH) transactions, virtual certificate assignments and tracking, and integrated accounting and other related functions. 

·         Rich and extensive reporting suite that provides very flexible, extremely fast and highly user-friendly online access to system data.  Separate data warehouse and ad-hoc query database solutions deliver outstanding reporting, analysis and querying performance.  This web browser-based thin client application, which can be used without impact to VID-analyzer transaction performance, includes access to:

Ø      Current inspection records, allowing an auditor to observe a station’s activity while monitoring reported data from that station in real time.

Ø      Auxiliary data (covert audits, overt audits, waiver, exemptions, etc.) in real time.

Ø      Current auditor activity, including auditor physical location.

Ø      Historical data (e.g., test, calibration, repair, audit, etc.) via the data warehouse.  Summary reports can be viewed from multiple dimensions, and reports and raw data can be easily down loaded to the user’s desktop or laptop.

Ø      Query server with an historical database (current through end of last business day).  Data are accessed via a convenient graphical user interface and point-and-click functionality (with no SQL understanding required) or using standard freeform SQL statements.

Ø      Possible enhanced business intelligence (BI) via available COTS solutions; e.g., Cognos ReportNet and Business Objects Crystal Decisions/Reports.  These BI products would seamlessly integrate with our Oracle OLTP and OLAP solutions to provide additional enterprise graphical and other analysis/reporting capabilities. 

·         Full suite of state-of-the-art quality assurance (QA) features, including OLTP transaction logging; combined Gordon-Darby VIN decoder and the Sierra I/M Lookup Table use at the VID to verify vehicle information and test logic; triggers analysis of inspector, station and test equipment performance; and overt/covert audit applications for auditor use. 

Adaptable Technology:  Our highly adaptable core technology provides the company with the means to rapidly deploy new VID implementations.  This was demonstrated in a recent project for the District of Columbia that involved replacing their existing VID with a new data system.  Using our core VID technology, we were able to deliver a fully functioning replacement system within two months—the fastest VID implementation on record—despite the need to adapt to existing ESP analyzer software, analyzer-VID communications and vehicle registration database/communications functionality.  The DC system design reflected a decision to keep analyzer-end adaptations to a minimum in order to meet the severe implementation schedule.  Instead, VID adaptations were quickly developed and implemented to match existing analyzer-VID communications functionality resident in the ESP analyzer software.