The 299th Network Operations Security Squadron began migrating users and computers from the Air National Guard Enterprise Network to the Air Force’s network in September 2014.
The migration combined the two independent networks into one larger network domain, providing better coordination and security management at the enterprise level. This also positioned the ANG and the AF for the eventual move to the Joint Information Environment.
An enterprise network reduces communication protocols, facilitating system and device interoperability, as well as improved internal and external data management.
The 299th NOSS manages 92 Guard wings at 146 locations; each location required new network servers to be built and configured before any of the users or computers could be migrated.
In October 2015, the final users and workstations in the ANG were migrated. The final application server was migrated in January 2016.
The 299 NOSS anticipates that the old ANG network will be completely decommissioned before April 1. However, some of the services being used can’t easily be migrated, which has delayed the decommissioning process.
“We encountered many complications over the process as any major project would,” said Maj. Brian Pacchelli, assistant director of operations, 299th NOSS.
The most notable change was the working environment for the communications flights Guardwide.
“A challenge that we have had is not having the same administrative privileges that we had on the legacy ANG domain,” said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Benoit, noncommissioned officer in charge of the 184th Communications Focal Point. “This means that we have to rely on other higher-level organizations to perform functions that we were once able to perform ourselves.”
Communications flights lost some of their independence during the migration due to the standardization requirements of the AFNet. As a result, the new processes required for day-to-day jobs caused the transition to the AFNet to be difficult for most communications flights.
“The AFNet initiative has provided the Air Force with several benefits, including standardization, ensuring that all bases are operating under the same blueprint providing for increased network security and reduced maintenance cost,” said Benoit.
The 299th NOSS is one of three units that handle network defense and enterprise services for the entire Air Force. The 561st Network Operations Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and the 83rd NOS at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, combine their skills with the 299th to make up the cyber security and control system weapon system.
“The 299th handles almost all tickets and the cyber command and control chain for all of the ANG”, said Pacchelli.