Pandora Analytics

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:	Pandora Analytics is a platform that provides analysis and reporting in regard to medication management and supply inventory. This product employs long term utilization patterns and enables the user to detect potential diversion of controlled substances or other diversion risks in regard to medication. Pandora enables complex data sets visualization, reporting with customizable graphs and analysis of trends. Pandora reports data across any time period and provides trending capabilities. Pandora Analytics offers flexible site-licensing that permits the user to import data from all supported system data sources. Depending on the license agreement the user may have the following options: Single Site License which permits users to run reports using data imported from a single Automated Dispensing System (ADS) or Point of Care (POC) system database and; Multiple Site License which enables users to run reports from multiple ADS and/or POC system databases.
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 v24.6
Decision Date:	06/21/2024 at 22:00:36 UTC
Aliases:	PandoraVIA
Introduced By:	SCCM
Vendor Name:	Omnicell

Vendor Release Information

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

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
2.0	12/01/2010
3.0
4.0	08/15/2013
18.0	12/05/2013
19.5.x
20.x
22.x
23.x
24.x
25.x
26.x
27.x

Current Decision Matrix (06/17/2024)

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 VA IT 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. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved 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	Unapproved: 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	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 unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint: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 approved 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 approved 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.

<Past

CY2025

CY2026

CY2027

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2.0

Unapproved

3.0

Unapproved

4.0

Unapproved

18.0

Unapproved

19.5.x

Unapproved

20.x

Unapproved

22.x

Unapproved

23.x

Unapproved

24.x

Unapproved

25.x

Unapproved

26.x

Divest
[6, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Unapproved

27.x

Approved w/Constraints
[6, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20]

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]	All patient and VA operational data collected and stored by PandoraVIA must be protected by following all VA Security policies and procedures on the protection and confidentiality of all sensitive data.

[3]	Projects using this technology must meet Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 6500 and implement Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS 199) for all laptop devices and National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-53 for all desktop devices when VA sensitive information is involved, or additional mitigating controls must be documented in an approved System Security Plan (SSP) to prevent potential disclosure of PII/PHI data. Additionally, projects which interface with external VA partners must have a Memorandum of Understanding and Interconnection Security Agreements (MOU/ISA), which detail the security requirements for users and systems that share information and resources outside of the VA production network.

[4]	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 approved, may continue to operate this technology. In the case of a project that has implemented, or been approved 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 approved or implemented as of April 22, 2015. Use of this technology in all other cases is prohibited.

[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]	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.

[7]	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).

[8]	When using the PandoraVIA server, SMTP protocol must not be configured to prevent the risk of automatically sending reports containing PII/PHI data through email.

[9]	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.

[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]	Users must ensure that Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) This product can be configured with a MySQL Database which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors should be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system. See the MySQL Database TRM entry for more details. When using the PandoraVIA server, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol must not be configured to prevent the risk of automatically sending reports containing PII/PHI data through email.

[12]	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.

[13]	Users must ensure that Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) When using the PandoraVIA server, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol must not be configured to prevent the risk of automatically sending reports containing PII/PHI data through email.

[14]	If this product uses a MySQL database, the product must be configured with a commercial edition of the MySQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use for intranet and non-sensitive data only due to its many known security issues. If a commercial edition of MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors must be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High-Risk system. See MySQL Database – Commercial Edition TRM entry for more details.

[15]	Users must ensure that Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, My Structured Query Language (MySQL) Database - Commercial Editions, Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) When using the PandoraVIA server, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol must not be configured to prevent the risk of automatically sending reports containing PII/PHI data through email.

[16]	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 ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[17]	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 ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[18]	Users must ensure that Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, My Structured Query Language (MySQL) Database - Commercial Editions, and Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’) When using the PandoraVIA server, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol must not be configured to prevent the risk of automatically sending reports containing PII/PHI data through email.

[19]	The Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification status of this technology was not able to be verified. This technology will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information, where applicable. More information regarding the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) can be found on the NIST website.

[20]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 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 or its successor 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 or 140-3 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the storage device 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 System Security Officer (ISSO) 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). By September 22, 2026, all FIPS 140-2 certificate validations will be placed on the Historical List, please refer to FIPS Transition Effort for further guidance and timeline of changes.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 27.1.18.0 is the most current version.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*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
PandoraVIA	PandoraVIA is a server application that provides users with functionality needed to explore, visualize, and deliver reports. VIA includes Pandora Clinicals and Pandora Financials, along with standard Pandora system reports, and is installed on a Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) server.
Pyxis ES Virtual OIS interface Module	This module provides an interface with the PYXIS ES System. It provides extracting, dispensing and usage data from the PYXIS ES System to be stored and utilized in multiple reporting modalities.
Remote Par Optimization (RPO) Module	The RPO module enables the Par Optimization report recommendations from Pandora to be automatically pushed to the Omnicell dispensing system.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Information Management Technologies Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse Platforms	Web Reporting Tools
Health Care Administrative	Health Delivery Support

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD)
Microsoft .NET Framework
Microsoft Report Builder
Microsoft Report Viewer
Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server
My Structured Query Language (MySQL) Database - Commercial Editions - (required for some configurations)
Pyxis MedStation Enterprise Server (ES) System

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

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.
This technology supports several industry standard file formats.
This technology may improve productivity for specific staff whose responsibilities include medication management and supply inventory.

Adoption Risks

There are other approved solutions that provide similar functionality available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.
This product can be configured with a MySQL Commercial Edition Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms.
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.
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.
There is limited publicly available technical documentation for this technology.
The technology requires the purchase of licenses from vendor, which could potentially lead to vendor lock-in.
There is no indication based on either the vendor documentation or the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) that this technology is Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 compliant.
This technology can integrate with and alter database technologies.

Architectural Benefits

This technology can use a VA-preferred database. (Applies only to Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server)
This technology is compatible with virtual machines, therefore consistent with the enterprise Server Virtualize First Policy (VAIQ 7266972 08-27-2012). (Add Virtualization and Consolidation of Servers (Server Virtualize First) to Supported Standards)

Architectural Risks

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

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VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

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Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

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Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

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Current Decision Matrix (06/17/2024)

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References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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