Information Technology: Social Security Administration's Data Exchanges Support Current Programs, but Better Planning Is Needed to Meet Future Demands

In September 2013, SSA provided us an assessment of its existing electronic exchange architecture that identified challenges expected to be encountered as requests for data increase. For example, the agency identified an increase in the number of external partners and unpredictable demands for new types of data as factors contributing to an increase in transaction volumes associated with data exchanges. Specifically, SSA noted that spikes in traffic that could result from an increase in the number of external partners, along with an increased demand for real-time data, required a scalable throughput capacity and 24x7 system availability. By assessing its existing IT environment and determining future challenges to its ability to support external partners' data exchange needs, the agency has identified the information and data needed to help define future technical requirements and a target architecture for its data exchange IT environment. Further, by taking these actions, the agency should be better prepared to ensure that its IT infrastructure continues to support increasing demands for data exchange services and that the agency is able to support existing and future business needs of its partners.

In September 2013, SSA provided us an assessment of its existing electronic exchange architecture that identified challenges expected to be encountered as requests for data increase and resources diminish, along with descriptions of target architectural components intended to meet requirements for addressing those challenges. For example, the business reference model of SSA's target architecture described requirements and how they are supported by the data exchange environment. Specifically, it described requirements for facilitating communication with the public, including physical infrastructures, management of large amounts of information, and definitions of data standards for specific types of information; delivery of services to external business partners, including security features, contingency planning, continuity of operations, and service recovery; and management of government resources, such as help-desk services, financial management, and IT management. The SSA target architecture was also updated to include the technical specifications of the exchange architecture. These specifications address SSA's architectural business requirements, including an infrastructure for maintaining exchange agreements, partners' access to services and data, and compliance agreements; data requirements, such as definitions, structures, and services; infrastructure components, such as servers, portals, buses, and engines; security mechanisms, such as the use of firewalls, tokens, and cryptography; and future alternatives related to the implementation of data exchange systems, such as the use of open source software and cloud computing. By using information obtained from an analysis of its data exchange environment, the agency identified future requirements for meeting increasing demands of its data exchange environment. As a result of taking additional actions to integrate requirements and specifications for its data exchange environment into the agencywide target architecture, the agency should be better prepared to ensure that its IT infrastructure continues to support increasing demands for data exchange services and that the agency is able to support existing and future business needs of its partners.