Hotfile Application and Utility

In Brief
On the national level, the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) maintains a central database of stolen articles and vehicles and wanted and missing persons. However, on a state-by-state basis, each state has unique information requirements and has no control over the central information; they may need to enhance NCIC data. Mirroring the NCIC database, OpenFox™ Hotfile allows regional, state, county, and municipal agencies to customize NCIC files while accessing, sharing and reporting that information efficiently.

Overview | Technical

Ensure Full and Relevant Information with OpenFox™ Hotfile and the Hotfile Utility Package

Hotfile Application [HFA]
The Hotfile application helps manage and control intrastate and NCIC records for efficient record sharing. The application is implemented in SQLSERVER or Oracle RDBMS technology and is fully integrated with the OpenFox™ Message Switch.

The OpenFox™ HotFiles system is currently installed in sixteen (16) State systems. The HotFiles system is generally composed of both State specific files as well as NCIC mirror files. State specific files are usually files that are not supported by NCIC , such as in-state warrants, towed vehicles, etc.

The HotFiles system can be implemented in either SQLSERVER or the Oracle RDBMS, providing a choice of environments. Much like the OpenFox™ Information Broker Message Switching system, the HotFiles system utilizes configurations rather than hard coding to define transaction processing and response creation.

The HotFiles system is fully integrated with the OpenFox™ Information Broker Message Switching system and utilizes XML message formats. The HotFiles system supports all law enforcement transactions received from the network as well as direct access to the database. In addition the HotFiles system provides maintenance and reporting capabilities for the system administrators.

Technical Capability/Compatibility Information

The Hotfile application provides support for the following important capabilities:

Transaction Support – All NCIC2000 transaction and record types, as well as many intrastate record types are fully supported, including ENTRY, MODIFY, QUERY, CANCEL, LOCATE capabilities. Full supplemental support is included.

XML Support – The HFA provides support for XML and standard NCIC presentation-style data exchanges based on endpoint requirements and capabilities.

Workflow and NCIC Synchronization – The HFA includes workflow management that ensures a high level of synchronization with NCIC. Transactions that modify the HF database or update NCIC are managed by the NCIC forwarding and control logic that ensures that updates to either database are synchronized.used to manage validation of intrastate and NCIC records. The Validation Application includes transaction processing, reporting, and utilities that automate the entire validation cycle.

Record Validation – The HFA supports the optional Validation Application that is used to manage validation of intrastate and NCIC records. The Validation Application includes transaction processing, reporting, and utilities that automate the entire validation cycle.

Flexible Response Formats – Many of the key operational characteristics of the HFA implementation are table-driven providing flexibility in defining response formats, duplicate checking definitions, and search algorithm details.

Record Retention and Purges – The NCIC record retention and purge guidelines and requirements are implemented in the standard design.

Backup and Recovery – The HFA implementation includes a comprehensive backup and recovery method that includes daily online backups.

Audit Support Application – The optional Audit Support Application provides a set of transactions auditors can use to prepare for an audit; record audit activity and results; and report on various data collected during the audit.

Reporting - The Hotfile application environment includes administration reports and some standard activity and status reports. Many reporting tools can easily support customer reporting requirements.

HotFile Utility Package

Until now, OpenFox™ users accessed the Hotfile database objects through OpenFox™ Information Broker Messagw Switch transactions. The OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility provides a simple tool for the Hotfile administrator to perform normal maintenance and administration functions on typical Hotfile implementations.

The OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility Package has been developed using Oracle Forms and Reports, which allows flexible expansion and addition of individual types of Hotfile implementations.

The OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility Package provides functions such as:

The capability to execute queries and perform enter, update, cancel, and delete transactions against database objects to master search certain identifier(s) against a certain database object

To have a simple set of database administration functions that will provide information on object sizes, and space utilization in the database

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The OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility Package includes the following components and functions.

Query, Update, Cancel and Delete Transactions
This feature allows the system administrator to run the normal message transactions against the base tables and supplemental tables. It provides access to supplemental tables and look-up tables that are related to the certain row occurrence of the base table. It also allows a simple search by key identifier(s).

OpenFox Hofile Application Update Query screenshot

Update, Query

Master Search Capability
The OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility Package provides the capability to search a certain identifier, or some combination of identifiers, against Hotfile base tables, supplemental tables and look-up tables. This function will allow the user to jump between possible search hits and the base records. Standard Oracle® Form runtime environment will also allow users to print out possible search hits and count total hits.

Master Search

Check Database Space Utilization
This feature of the OpenFox™ Hotfile Utility Package allows users to monitor the information of free space for the Oracle database instance.

OpenFox Hotfile Application Check Database screenshot

Check Database Space

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