Support for IMSMA V3.0
Reply to IMSMA Newsletter and Website - Reply from Alan Arnold (3) by Alan Arnold, GICHD
We requested more information from Mr. Alan ARNOLD, Program Manager Mine Action Information Systems, GICHD about the support plan for IMSMA V3 and got the following reply:
Once all of the sites have been offered the opportunity to transition to V4 we will discontinue support for V3. This will be a phased process and has already begun. We have already eliminated V3 training from our support package and will only be providing emergency updates to the system from this point forward. All support services from ETHZ will end on June 30th of this year. The team there has already been significantly reduced and no further updates for V3 are planned.
For the UNMACA/MAPA a technical support structure is essential for our IMSMA V3 system. We are very concerned about the plans of the GICHD, especially to stop the 2nd level technical support from the IMSMA V3 development team from ETHZ by mid of this year. Many of our support requests from the past have been forwarded to the IMSMA V3 development team by the IMSMA support at GICHD because it was above the capability and capacity of the support personnel in Geneva.
Mr. Arnold looks to begin a transition for the Afghan programme in late 2006. Our program will have to work with IMSMA V3 for at least the next 18 months. During that time we are only offered emergency updates and no further updates. We compiled a wish list with significant changes and updates of V3 which should be realised in a SP2 update before the support services from ETHZ will end.
Mr. Arnold tries to channel all funds to the IMSMA V4 and drastically reduce the amount going into IMSMA V3 support. Should the support services from ETHZ end before a transition to IMSMA V4 could be completed, the UNMACA will be forced to set up it's own IMSMA development and technical support capacity.
