Bosnia and Herzegovina Information system

Intro
If there is anything that is tobe considered as a brain and a blood flow of a Mine action programs, then Information system is definitely well suited candidate. You will hardly find more criticized, yet, moreused segment of mine action. At the same time, irrelevant of their experience, everyone appear to have definitive and full knowledge and strong opinions on how the system should look and how it is supposed to behave, only the opinions differ. Bosnia and Herzegovina story does not differ from others, program started 1996 and at the beginning was all about creation of what then had a name The Database . At the time, Windows 95 made networking simple and a must, and GIS became something you can see not only hear about it then work with it so the challenge pole was set at the highest level ever. The task given to the team that was working in Bosnia and Herzegovina was unique -to develop network based information system that will be able to deal with scanned images. In addition, task was to enable standard database operations, and to provide abilities to use SQL statements.Last but not least, to have real Geographical Information System at the level of being able to make accurate, quality and clearly readable map in less than 20 minutes from request. Data workload was described by the Annex 1.Achapter 4 parts I and II, of the Dayton peace agreement,forcing former warring factions to remove minefields and to submit their data on remaining minefields and booby traps. The deadline was short, so the task was to prepare system and to have it operational from the day one. For the Stateitwas clear, from the day one, that there is no indigenous resources that can cope with the problem so help was requested from the International Community during the London Peace ConferenceThe IC replied and program implementation started in March 1996. Both basic activities were given to subcontractors, Infrastructure creation and staffing were tasksthat were given to RONCO and database creation was tasked to FGM IT company from Washington D.C.

Initial configuration
Problem to solve was there, experts were there, UN provided software. By that time, preferred database management system for UN was Borland Paradox and GIS software was MapInfo. That software combination become a software marriage that shaped entire BHMAIS existence. During the time, Paradox proved itself as a good system for networked data basing and its program language was simple enough to allow handover of database administrator/programmer position in less than seven days. Now days the database (that has evolved to Information System) is using Paradox 11 (comparedto initial Paradox 7). Other half of the marriage MapInfo proved to be an excellent tool for mapping and cartography in general. At a beginning GSGS provided initial set of Bosnia and Herzegovina maps that were to be used for initial mapping, and initial set of vector data for main terrain features (roads, rivers, city s etc.). Later UK Geographic unit provided a gazetteer, which provided basic conditions for real GIS. However, the marriage is still valid, Paradox 11 and MapInfo 10 are working well together nowadays.

Initial challenges
According to their obligations prescribed by Dayton Peace Agreement former warring factions provided more than 16.000 minefield reports to Implementation Task forces ( IFOR) of NATO. Data were entered and submitted to UNMAC. Together with some 1100 Mine incident data that were also entered into DBMS part and charted on GIS. The puzzle was getting more and more complex by days. At that time procedures for demining were mostly unclear.Peculiarityof Bosnia and Herzegovina contamination scattered, small, irregularly shaped minefield, single mines as well as well-organized minefields in the areas where terrain was allowing, set a new challenge not only to Information department. Considering that entire story was happening much before October 1996, when in Copenhagen, Denmark first Meeting on Humanitarian demining standards took place, we were absolutely and totally free to make all possible mistakes. Most of them we did.

UNMAC BHMAC
Initial structure was created primarily around minefield data and incident data. As program development was progressing, the database was getting more and more complicated.

DB S 3 GIS 3 administration and 1 server). Server used was Windows NT 3.5 the best that was available at the time.

Initial construction as of August 1997 can be described with few s uares and lines as shown below on Figure 1:

The beginning of story was a re uest for action, at that

Request

time program was based on emergency response so

report

Incident data

NO risk NO action

was a necessary. The system was using contamination

Risk

information (minefield and Incident data) and General

Task

survey was main action. Oce the assessment was completed the task was issued and clearance was

Clearance

Figure 1 First version of data structure BHMAIS

done. All these aspects were presentable on maps too. As soon as demining activities started, a dilemma appeared. GSGS maps Series M709 in 1:50.000 scale were up to date but useless, as they were not available to the warring factions during the conflict so ground features referenced on minefield reposts were not identically described. Also, the elevation points did not have same heights as on maps used during the conflict. The only cure was to scan all Yugoslavian Army maps and register them as future reference material. Therefore, the fact that information system has to be able to use same raster backdrops as miitary l forces during the conflict was the first and the biggest lesson we learned.

Getti

Statewide

After 1998 the Program was handed over to the Bosnia and Herzegovina National authorities. The first thing that was requested ( and necessary) was decentralization of the system so system was split to three locations, Mine action Centre of Republic of Srpska was keeping data for their territory, Sarajevo location got additional server for Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre data a BHMAC HQ nd was keeping a consolidated database for entire State. Scanned images were also divided among Centers and program priorities were shifted from emergency respond to planned Mine Action.Database had to be amended accordingly. So structure become a bit more complicated, as shown onFigure 2: Blue squares are new modules that we had to add in order to enable full application of the information system into Mine Action. Field activities were reshaped almost daily, so well-structured database become the very

General survey

Minefield

good re u est tracking and ability to respond quickly

Database as ce tralize

e tire ata e try was done in Sarajevo HQ on 10 networked computers ( 3

core not only of information system but also of Mine action. The situation that inability to put something into information system was indicator that business logic for the activity in matter is wrong,happened often. Changes that had to be made were never cosmetic, if we had to add something it was not at the level of attribute, it was at the level of activity and business logic. While working as emergency respond project, all data we keptwere presented by dots. Several attempts to show no risk and risk area as shapes were made but reporting accuracy was simply too low to produce maps that are updated and not misleading. Raster maps which we used (Scale 1:50.000) were not detailed enough anymore, so we had to shift to 1:25.000 scaled maps. The Cadastral mapping was also introduced at that time, but reporting was not able to follow.
Demining
activities

After 1999, after Japan government provided kind donation of equipment to Bosnia
No action

Request

Landmine Victims

General suvey Mine contamination data

Mine incident data

and Herzegovina Mine Action,the differential GPS was introduced and accuracy of less

Minefield incidents

Organisations

Victim Risk area Non Risk area

Projects

Profiles
Emirgency

marking Donors Needs

Technical

Project

than 10 cm was achievable. This

survey task Demining Task
Permanent

marking

provided bases to start development of the system that can be used to trace activities in field and to show and keep data accurately and e actly as they were taken from the field. At the

NO risk area

Minefield

Demining task

Permanent
marking task

Figure 2, Database structure at 1999-2001

same time the State showed more and more interest to our data, in both ways: positively our reports become prerequisite for reconstruction projects and negatively, a number of court cases were demanding accurate historical data. The System had to be improved once more.

Added capabilities
New requests were in the field of deminers accreditation, mechanical tools for demining accreditation, MRE activities, and also there were some things not directly connected to mine action. We were requested to take care on some logistical and HR issues as well. Donors interest was decreasing and PR activities demanded a Web presentation of the compa so ny after year 2000WWW.BHMAC.ORG become new internet address to go to in order to see what is going

on in Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action. The site was totally HTML coded, and hosted and updated on BHMAC servers. The information system structure was like shown on Figure 3:

MRE
Minefield

Landmine

Demining

Victims Donors Donations pledged Donations

given Organisation

activities Victim Request Inspection

QA

Logistics
Office

Personal
HR Evidence

Organisation

incidents

s
Projects

Resources

Vehicles

Inventory

suplies

database

Project

Profiles

Monthly
report

General suvey Mine contamination data Risk area

No action

Regular inspections
Sampling

Deminers

Donors

Needs

Dogs

Achievemets
(products)

Emirgency marking
Technical

Project
Demining

Non Risk area

Permanent

Final

Mechanical
tools

acceptance inspection

survey task
NO risk area Minefield

Task

marking

Companies

Demining
task

Permanent
marking task

Figure 3, Data structure after 2001

Previous generation of system is shown within the rounded square. All elements of the system are interacting, database is level 3 normalized and yet again data modeling was proven to be the cutting edge of the system. Procedures can now be amended on fly and information system will follow within days. Slowly but surely the system was growing and getting more and more comple . At this stage, the system is composed out of around 450 tables, 250 forms and more than 400 reports. Mapping part is containing Bosnia and Herzegovina 1:1.000.000, 1:300.000, 1:200.000, 1:100.000, 1:50.000 DMA, 1:50.000 JNA, 1:25.000 JNA and targeted areas 1:10.000, 1:5.000, 1:2.500 and 1:1.000.System contains vector data describing all aspects of Mine Action activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with the system network was also improved. At the beginning we had Sarajevo HQ connected to Internet at 128 /128 KB speed, in phase two speed was increased to 1 MB/1MB and regional offices were connected to internet at lower speed. In phase three all regional offices are connected to VPN over CISCO ASA and data are daily updated. Current performances are: Sarajevo and Banja Luka nodes in Full replication and daily updated. Regional Offices other then Banja Luka and Sarajevo location Daily updated or on demand All locations have wired network 100 . Base-T and Internet access 24/7. Differential GPS become standard measuring/reporting tool, points acquired are downloaded i to n system so nothing has to be hand typed, error is minimal. Having that in place Cadastral mapping

become standard backdrop for reporting. All other maps are now used for planning and wider area analysis.

How it will be i future

Mine action program evolved up to the level that real time data basing is needed. For that task, Paradox is not up to challenges, and MapInfo as a software might have difficulties processing huge amount of data through complex network. Therefore, it was necessary to retire old combination and create a new one. A new system structure of information system is shown on figure 4. The system is organized as ORACLE application and a custom made GIS application. The database relations and data complexity
Figure 4 Future structure of Information System

backdrops will be preserved and new layer of data, full vector coverage at 1:25.00 scale, will be 0 implemented. The system will use digital elevation data and 3D mapping will be possible. Mapinfo will remain a main cartographic software and entire interface will be Internet accessible, having data security in mind of course. At this moment the system is in final phase of deployment and it is expected to be put in use sometimes during this demining season.

Last but not the least

Developing information system for Mine Action is not all about data. It is also a teaching endeavor. During last 15 years information department has formed an UN Database developer, Chief operation Srbija, Chief Logistic BHMAC, Chief operation BHMAC, Microsoft certified trainers, Teachers at the online information universities, bank data analysts etc. This aspect is, by my opinion, equally important and definitely puts warmth around my heart.

will remain pretty much the same. Mapping

Author details:
ZoranGrujic joined mine action since 1996 when he became the Data Management officer of the United Nations Mine Action center for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is the originator and head program designer of the BHMAIS (Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Information system). From 1998 -2002 he held position of Assistant Director of information BHMAC. His current assignment is Chief IT at the BHMAC. He holds Mr. Sc. degree in Mechanical engineering (dipl.ing), and finishing master thesis for postgraduate studies in strategic management at the European Center for Peace and Development. He posses in depth field experience in UXO removal and M.A. capacity building.
Contact: ZoranGruji Chief IT Bosnia and HerzegovinaMineActionCenter BHMAC Tvorni ka 371000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina Phone +387 33 253 858 Cel: Fax: + 387 65 404 314 + 387 33 464 565

E-mail: Zoran_G@BHMAC.ORG Web: WWW.BHMAC.ORG