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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.11

Business DNA (BDNA) Data Platform

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Business DNA (BDNA) Data Platform is a software solution that analyzes raw information technology (IT) data for data quality issues, such as terminology variations, conflicts and duplicates, and organizes the data into a more consistent state. Product features include the ability to normalize vendor names, product names and versions, and append market data (e.g. support dates, end-of-life dates, hardware dimensions) to existing repository data. BDNA Data Platform includes a database back-end that is compatible with Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server and Oracle.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v22.12
Decision Date:	12/05/2022 at 17:52:52 UTC
Aliases:	enterprise scanning; asset management; BDNA Normalize; Normalize
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Flexera Software

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

You must be logged into the RSAA website prior to clicking the Attestation URLs or the URLs won't open.

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
4.x	09/18/2013
5.x	11/18/2015

Current Decision Matrix (11/30/2022)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VAIT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported.

Legend:

White	Authorized: The technology/standard has been authorized for use.
Yellow	Authorized w/ Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M): This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Authorized w/ Constraints (DIVEST): VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unauthorized may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Unauthorized: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Authorized w/ Constraints (PLANNING/EVALUATION): The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M).

<Past

CY2019

CY2020

CY2021

Future>

Release

4.x

Unapproved

5.x

Approved w/Constraints
[6, 7]

Approved w/Constraints
[6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Approved w/Constraints
[8, 9, 11, 12, 13]

Decision Constraints


[1]	This Technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population.

[2]	The solution databases should not be used to store sensitive data, unless properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[3]	As of April 23, 2015, per the Deputy CIO of Architecture, Strategy and Design (ASD), all technologies in use by the VA require an assessment by the VA Section 508 office. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 is a federal law that sets the guidelines for technology accessibility. A VA Section 508 assessment of this technology has not been completed at the time of publication. Therefore, as of April 23, 2015 only users of this technology who have deployed the technology to the production environment, or have project design and implementation plans authorized, may continue to operate this technology. In the case of a project that has implemented, or been authorized for a specific site or number of users, and that project needs to expand operations to other sites or to an increased user base, it may do so as long as the project stays on the existing version of the technology that was authorized or implemented as of April 22, 2015. Use of this technology in all other cases is prohibited.

[4]	In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004 , VA Directive 6517, and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process.

[5]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[6]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[7]	In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004 , VA Directive 6517, and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process.

[8]	Users must ensure that Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server and Oracle Database are implemented with VA-authorized baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’)

[9]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[10]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[11]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[12]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[13]	In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004 , VA Directive 6517, and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 5.5.24 is the most current version.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:

Type	Name	Description
Vendor Provided*	BDNA Data Platform Data Sheet	This document describes the key benefits and features of this product.
Vendor Provided*	Data Platform Data Sheet	This link describes the value of the data platform when used with Technopedia.
Vendor Provided*	Technopedia Data Sheet	This link describes the features and functionality of Technopedia.
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.

Name	Description
BDNA Technopedia	Technopedia is a categorized repository of enterprise software and hardware information. The types of information stored address product lifecycle, hardware specifications, application compatibility and others. This repository includes over 21 million researched data points for more than 450,000 hardware products and software releases. As part of a Data Platform installation, a local copy (consisting of several database tables) is created and updated. It`s used by the application, and as part of the user`s license, can be queried locally. Technopedia is fundamentally an online catalog and as such, it is not something that is downloaded as software and does not have a version number because it is continuously updated.
BDNA User Console	This was formerly known as BDNA Analyze. Analyze is a report builder. The User Console, depending on licensing, can contain Analyze, but it doesn`t necessarily have to. User Console can be used to build and manage a Private Catalog for internal applications, or simply to view Technopedia catalog content, depending on license type. User Console connects to Data Platform to receive user access settings and/or normalized data. Data Platform must be installed prior to User Console (Analyze). User Console is a web-based application that users login to on a web browser--there is no software to be downloaded.

Name

Description

BDNA Technopedia

Technopedia is a categorized repository of enterprise software and hardware information. The types of information stored address product lifecycle, hardware specifications, application compatibility and others. This repository includes over 21 million researched data points for more than 450,000 hardware products and software releases. As part of a Data Platform installation, a local copy (consisting of several database tables) is created and updated. It`s used by the application, and as part of the user`s license, can be queried locally. Technopedia is fundamentally an online catalog and as such, it is not something that is downloaded as software and does not have a version number because it is continuously updated.

BDNA User Console

This was formerly known as BDNA Analyze. Analyze is a report builder. The User Console, depending on licensing, can contain Analyze, but it doesn`t necessarily have to. User Console can be used to build and manage a Private Catalog for internal applications, or simply to view Technopedia catalog content, depending on license type. User Console connects to Data Platform to receive user access settings and/or normalized data. Data Platform must be installed prior to User Console (Analyze). User Console is a web-based application that users login to on a web browser--there is no software to be downloaded.


Systems Management Systems Management Tools	Asset Management

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This is a mature technology.
Use of this product may improve the accuracy and quality of Information Technology (IT) asset data collected across the organization. Improvements to this data may result in more efficient hardware and software lifecycle management and compliance verification.
This product is compatible with a variety of third party vendor Information Technology (IT) data collection products.
This product can leverage Business DNA (BDNA) Technopedia, which is a structured catalog of hardware and software product releases that provides clean, consistent baseline information about products and manufacturers.
At the time of writing, no National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) vulnerabilities had been reported and no VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) bulletins had been issued for the latest versions of this technology.
In addition to normalizing data, users can also perform Technopedia Catalog updates, user access maintenance, and license key modifications.
Use of this product may Improve Service Desk service quality.

Adoption Risks

Other authorized solutions that provide similar functionality are available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.
The technology requires the purchase of licenses from vendor, which could potentially lead to vendor lock-in.
This technology may utilize external data connections.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
This technology can integrate and alter database technologies.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
System scans indicate that this technology is no longer in use within the VA network.

Architectural Risks

The technology is not portable as it runs only on Windows platforms.

- The information contained on this page is accurate as of the Decision Date (12/05/2022 at 17:52:52 UTC).

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.11

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (11/30/2022)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories

View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Optional Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.11

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (11/30/2022)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Optional Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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VA Categories

View the VA Categorization Framework