EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) has transitioned more than 1,000 Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) computer users from the company’s corporate network to the Hanford Site network.
Office of Environmental Management
July 11, 2023
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Network and engineering staff from Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) and its subcontractor, North Wind Solutions, helped bring Bechtel National Inc. computer users onto the Hanford computer network. From left: Andy Onica, Gavin Creach, and Mike Yale with North Wind, and Phil Budde and Cristal Robinson with HMIS.
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) has transitioned more than 1,000 Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) computer users from the company’s corporate network to the Hanford Site network.
The move was required for BNI, which is designing and commissioning Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), to certify that the plant's information systems meet DOE cybersecurity requirements and are approved for operations under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program.
“DFLAW required significant infrastructure upgrades, including many projects coordinated by our site integrator and One Hanford contractors,” said Brian Harkins, EM assistant manager for mission support. “Establishing access to the Hanford network services is an important step toward the start of the WTP’s Low-Activity Waste Facility at Hanford.”
After a multiyear effort, users on the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program computer network transitioned from the Bechtel National Inc. corporate network to the Hanford network. This effort was managed by Hanford Mission Integration Solutions and subcontractor North Wind Solutions.
The multiyear transition project began with creating a virtual holding area to temporarily stage BNI user accounts before moving them to the Hanford network. HMIS technicians developed and tested hundreds of user accounts supporting all required privileges and functionality, including basic tasks like network printing, information access and retrieval, and email.
During this same process, information technology teams installed multiple fiber-optic lines to and from WTP to support connectivity and appropriate firewalls to meet all user needs, and added supporting infrastructure like servers and data storage.
“These accomplishments took a heavy lift and a tremendous cross-organizational, cross-contractor effort,” said Todd Eckman, HMIS vice president of Information Management Services. “This is a big step toward DFLAW going into operations — the highest priority project for Hanford — and I am so very proud of our team.”
Additional accomplishments included issuing new logical access control system cards, establishing two-way radio communications for first responders, integrating emergency event notifications, and creating virtual desktop guides for users.
BNI Information Services & Technology and Plant Engineering teams also managed the separation of the computer systems critical to waste vitrification operations from other project systems. They transitioned the vitrification operations programs to the Hanford network with HMIS. Vitrification is a process in which tank waste is immobilized in glass.
“This separation ensures the plant systems and applications are protected from internal and external threats during operations,” said Rick Holmes, general manager for Waste Treatment Completion Company, a subcontractor to BNI.
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