The Information Technology (IT) organization is a service provider organization that provides state of the art technology for access to the Local Area Network (LAN) which provides access to the Internet, email, data storage, and various applications. Services are provided internally and for the Remediation Services Contractor in Paducah. In addition, applications are supported that allow the Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators, and Citizens Advisory Board personnel access to a significant number of records gathered over the years from the plant site while ensuring the security of the network.

It is noteworthy that with the winning of the contract for Swift & Staley Team (SST) there was not a stand-alone network in place in Paducah. From the ground up this team obtained equipment, Internet services, software, and network devices. A small but powerful and safe LAN was built to support the DOE contractor operations. The DOE continues to be faced with new Cyber Security challenges, and as such, flows to the contractor enhanced security requirements. The sophistication of the SST LAN grows by leaps and bounds just to protect the LAN from threats of all types.

The operation and maintenance of the LAN includes protection of valuable data from outside influences of hackers, spammers, and subversive groups that would attempt to gather data from protected areas. Firewalls are in place to block unauthorized entry to the system.  Spam blockers are in place that turn away approximately seventy percent of the email traffic that would otherwise enter the system and provide a potential risk to the LAN. Sophisticated tools are used to monitor, track and report usage to ensure a balanced system as well as stop inappropriate use of the government network.

This protection of data and LAN is governed by a set of guidelines known as Cyber Security. We are a DOE contractor; therefore all of the networks must comply with DOE Cyber Security rules and regulations. These rules and regulations encompass seventeen families of protection that range from access control to restoration of data. 

With respect to applications, the IT organization provides a Help Desk service with a centralized telephone number and a monitored email address. Telephone support, hands on support and remote PC support is provided by the IT organization. 

Support is available for certain specialized applications on a request basis that range from financial account management to records management.