Proposed Data Administration strategy for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to provide the Coast Guard with an introduction to Data Administration (DA) concepts so that it may be better prepared to enter the fifth stage, the Data Administration stage, of Nolan's model of data processing growth. A brief history of data processing activities in the Coast Guard is presented followed by an overview of current Coast Guard efforts related to DBMS's .Issues related to data dictionaries (DD's) and data dictionary/directory systems (DD/DS's) are then presented including: the uses and benefits of DD's and DD/DS's and broad planning guidelines on how to implement a DD or DD/DS. The final two chapters are general recommendations to the Coast Guard on how to best prepare for data administration. These recommendations include developing: a central data dictionary, a DA charter, DA standards and in-house training for general DA concepts and DBMS-specific topics.