Plan to Re-Engineer the IAEA Safeguards Information System, ISIS

Two main driving forces have led in recent years to the initiative to replace or re-engineer the IAEA Safeguards Information System, ISIS. Firstly the strategic requirement to access all available Safeguards data and functions from numerous applications at a single desktop, and from numerous global locations. Secondly, the age, diversity and complexity of the current ISIS applications, which are both expensive to maintain and difficult to enhance. The requirements of the Strengthened Safeguards and Integrated Safeguards initiatives require a level of interconnectivity and a degree of flexibility from the department’s computer systems, which cannot be met by the existing systems. Following the publication of the ‘Feasibility Study for the Redesign of the IAEA Safeguards System (ISIS)’ in 2001, the ISIS Re-engineering Project Planning Phase (‘IRP Planning’) was commissioned, in order to define the future architecture of the Department of Safeguards’ IT Systems; propose a migration strategy for the transition to the new systems, and estimate the cost and duration of the IRP Implementation Project. The planning project lasted from September 1st – December 13th 2002. This paper described the results of the IRP Project Planning Phase including its extended task, a Cost Benefit Analysis.