Producer: ACSYS BSC Limited

Modules: DEM Server (includes Sybase SQL Anywhere 8.0.3); DEM Client

DEM integrates with: Crime Workbench, Stellent IBPM.

Data Entry Module (DEM) is designed to enter information to the following ALERT system databases:

• Crime Workbench full text retrieval databases intended for criminal analysis (Memex Technology Ltd);

• Stellent IBMP electronic archives.

The data can be entered to both systems via HTML forms respective for each of the databases, either independently or in an integrated way. The created documents are stored in a built-in local database. They can also be managed and searched for from within the data entry workstation. The local database enables to distinguish the time and date of document creation from the time it was sent and allows for viewing the contents of the documents which have already been sent. Each document is provided with the following system data:

• document status;

• logging identifiers of the user working on the document;

• date and time of individual operations.

Documents can be directly transferred to target databases via a computer network. The possibility to transfer them between the data entry workstations on portable media such as CD or flash memory card is also provided. This allows you to create documents on the workstations which are not connected to the computer network and then transfer them to the target system via data entry workstations provided with such connections.

Data transfer via the computer network is performed with HTTP and HTTPS protocols, with the use of port numbers 80 and 443. This allows you to use the program without the need to reconfigure the access protection software, such as firewalls.

Data transmission can be either hardware or software encoded. The hardware devices used for this purpose are encoding cards. Software encoding makes use of the algorithms implemented by SSL protocol, enabled by Microsoft Internet Information Services.

The program provides for the option to select the data transmission mode which applies the authorization mechanism for the users who send documents.

Confirmation mechanism and control sum checking provide for the completeness of the transmission (the document which has been send partially is rejected and needs to be send once again).

Supported Databases and Basic Features

The DEM module supports the following ALERT system databases:

• Crime Workbench full text retrieval databases intended for criminal analysis (Memex Technology Ltd);

• Stellent IBMP electronic archives – relational databases.

The module allows you to enter the data in the form of reports and two kinds of attachments enclosed to the reports. The textual data can be entered via the keyboard or captured from other sources together with sound or image data.

The textual data entered via the keyboard with respective data entry forms can be split into the two following groups:

• (a) reports, memos and other documents which become source records in Crime Workbench databases;

• (b) details on entities such us persons, vehicles, addresses, organizations or phones which become analytical records in Crime Workbench databases.

The details on analytical entities (b) are always attachments linked to information reports which they are based on (a) and this relation is preserved in Crime Workbench databases.

The other kind of attachments to information reports are image, sound or other textual data which is sent to Stellent IBMP electronic archives after indexing.

The DEM module also allows to directly enter the images of documents from scanners provided with TWAIN interface.

The basic features of the DEM module include:

• simultaneous handling of many Crime Workbench criminal analysis databases installed on one server;

• simultaneous handling of many Stellent IBMP electronic archives within one IBMP domain;

• possibility to create integrated documents including both textual part, stored in Crime Workbench, and other parts, such as image or sound data, stored in IBMP electronic archives;

• compatibility to scanners provided with TWAIN interface;

• store documents and information on the current status of documents in a local built-in database;

• encoded data transmission to target databases via computer networks;

• possibility to export documents (packages) created on data entry workstations with no access to computer network to portable data carriers, transfer them to the workstations provided with such connection and send them to target systems therefrom;

• management of documents stored in local built-in database with the use of folder structure;

• searching for documents stored in the local database;

• audit functions;

• automatic update of configuration files and releases on data entry workstations.

Schematic Diagram

The DEM module includes two basic applications which are the DEM Client and the DEM Server. They communicate with each other via the TCP/IP network.

The DEM Client is installed on data entry workstations and allows you to enter data as well as create, edit, send and manage documents.

The DEM Server is installed on the workstation linked to a protected LAN and its role is to receive documents, sending receipt messages to DEM Client and placing documents in target databases.

Below please find the main dialog of the DEM Client. You can see the folder structure, which enables document management, on the left and the data entry form on the right.

The DEM Client includes the following two basic components:

• The application of the Microsoft Windows which provides graphical environment to handle all the functions provided at the data entry workstation.

• Access database used to store documents and all the other information related to these documents.

The DEM Server includes the following three basic components:

• DEM Listener, which co-operates with a web server. Its role is to provide for communication with data entry workstations, receive documents and transfer them to the intermediary database.

• DEM Intermediary Database, which is Sybase SQL Anywhere. Its role is to store the received documents before they are transferred to the target system.

• DEM Main application component, whose role is to periodically search the DEM Intermediary Database for received documents and send them to the target system. The DEM Main connects to Crime Workbench Server or Stellent IBMP Server.

The communication with Crime Workbench Server is performed via a shared disk folder and exchange files. The files are automatically imported to Crime Workbench with the use of Crime Workbench Importer. The communication with Stellent IBMP is performed via the TCP/IP protocol.

The DEM Main runs as Microsoft Windows service.

Schematic Diagram of Data Entry Module.

Storing and Searching for Documents

The created documents are stored in the local built-in database, which is the part of the DEM Client. You can create your own folder structure to manage the documents by placing them in appropriate folders.

After the documents are sent to the DEM Server and the receipt message is received you can delete documents from the database.

The local built-in database allows you to search for the documents on the basis of the following criteria:

• document ID;

• document status (e.g.: New, Ready for Sending, Sent, Saved, Deleted);

• log IDs of users working with documents (operations such as create, modify, send, export or import documents);

• date and time of performing operations on documents (create, modify send, export or import dates);

• used in the document summary (the string of first 128 characters of the documents contents);

• grouping documents within export/import packages.

Search Dialog

Entering Data from Non-Networked Workstations

The DEM module provides the possibility to enter data to the ALERT system from the entry workstations which are not linked to the DEM Server via the computer network. You can create documents on a non connected workstation and make use of the Import function, which encodes selected documents and saves them on indicated portable media, such as CD or flash cards. The media can be then transferred and read at another workstation, provided with network connection, with the use of Import function. The Import function decodes the documents and saves them in the local built-in database.

Transferring Documents with Export/Import Functions

The documents exported from standalone workstations and imported to the networked workstation are provided with additional information regarding individual packages of documents, i.e. all documents exported at one turn. This information includes the following data:

• ID of the user who performed the Export function together with the export time and date;

• names of the documents included in the package.

User Identification and Authorization

The DEM module does not provide authorization for individual operations performed within the application, such as create edit or search for documents. This means that anyone who is granted access to the program is simultaneously granted the access to all documents stored in the local built-in database and all functions provided by the application.

Authorization is optionally required to start the data transmission between the DEM Client and the DEM Server. This option is controlled from the level of system’s administrator. The default setting is that the user is required to enter the name and password. The authorization mechanism can be replaced (requires additional authorization software) with another one which can be based on, for example, chip card identification.

The application stores the IDs of the users who worked with a given document. The individual operations performed and their time is also respectively recorded per document. The following information is recorded in this respect:

• creation of the document;

• last modification;

• sending the document to the DEM Server via the computer network;

• exporting to portable media;

• importing from portable media to networked data entry workstation.

Data Encoding

The documents stored in local built-in databases on the data entry workstations are not encoded. They are encoded for the needs of data transmission between the DEM Client and DEM Server and when exporting from a non networked data entry workstation to portable data carriers.

The following encoding methods are available:

• Software encoding.

Makes use of Microsoft Windows symmetric encoding algorithms. Encoding keys are stored in protection dongle memory. Each data entry workstation is provided with individual protection dongle.

• SSL protocol based encoding.

Concerns only data transmission via the computer network. Requires a certificate of a public key (asymmetric encoding) to be installed on the web server which co-operates with the DEM module. The Microsoft IIS encoding algorithms, including 128 bit key encoding, are used.

• Hardware encoding.

Concerns only data transmission via the computer network. Requires specialized network transmission encoding cards.

Protection Dongles

The DEM module is protected with dongles (USB and Centronix port options available). You cannot open the application without the dongle.

The dongle additionally performs the following functions:

• Data entry workstation identifier.

Unique four-character identifier stored in the dongle memory is automatically amended to each document created on the workstation. This enables to determine the original workstation on which the document has been created.

• Document counter.

Document counter is stored and automatically updated in the dongle memory. Each document is given a unique number which, combined with the workstation identifier, enables to identify the document within the whole system. As the counter is within the dongle, the damage or replacement of the data entry workstation have no impact on identification.

• Cryptographic data store.

Keys and passwords used by encoding/decoding algorithms are stored in the dongle memory.