LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
To most people, a computer at their work station and the ability to log on to a network are conveniences taken for granted. While a lot goes on behind the scenes to ensure e-mail gets delivered to the right place, unnoticed is the daily battle against viruses and malicious attempts to disrupt or access Air Force networks.
Over the years, unique mission requirements and operational concerns have driven major commands and other organizations to stand up and operate individual e-mail and network services. This approach lacked standardization, adequate security, and was very expensive to operate and maintain. More importantly, there was no enterprise situational awareness or single organization or commander responsible for the network.
As the Air Force continues transforming its cyber operations, a project called Active Directory and Exchange will change this environment and establish a centralized user directory and e-mail service for all Air Force network users. The goal of ADX is to collapse all existing stand-alone environments into a single active directory structure within the AFNet under the operational control of a single commander.
In December, Lackland will become the second Air Education and Training Command installation to migrate its users to the AFNet. While this change is relatively transparent, the migration to centralized services will significantly improve network security, standardize the cyber environment, and reduce operational costs by eliminating redundant systems and services.
Leaderships anticipate relatively few issues as the migration takes place; however, users may be required to reboot their workstation the day after migration and e-mail profiles may need to be reconfigured. Computer support technicians, formerly client support administrators, are the first line of support before, during, and immediately after migration.
The most visible change to Lackland network users will be in the format of e-mail addresses. The migration replaces the old first.last@lackland.af.mil e-mail address with a standard first.last@us.af.mil e-mail address.
The change allows central management of accounts, and establishes an address which can be kept for the duration of a career, employment, or affiliation with the Air Force regardless of the base or organization assigned.
ADX builds on the successes of the E-mail for Life program, and as additional bases migrate into the AFNet, will provide Airmen log-on capability to any connected Air Force computer without having to re-register for computer access when deployed, on a temporary duty assignment or changing stations.
Airmen will have an account that is always active. Additionally, through the use of their common access card, Airmen will have access to e-mail and network services year round, 24 hours a day, regardless of duty location. The need to deactivate or create accounts will be eliminated.
As Lackland approaches its projected Dec. 1 start date, a team of Air Force Network Integration Center and 690th Network Support Group technicians are busy preparing equipment and resources to facilitate the migration of almost 30,000 users.
For more information concerning the ADX project, contact the lead command office at DSN 779-6815, or by e-mail at
afnic.ecso@us.af.mil.