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New NKO Instant Messaging Expands Communications Capability

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060512-08
5/12/2006

By Jon Gagne, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Navy Knowledge Online (NKO), the Navy’s knowledge management portal for personal and professional development and life-long learning, has added two new management tools that allow users to collaborate in an encrypted environment in real time with other service users around the world.

The tools, Inter-Domain Messaging (IDM) and Presence Management, open new doors for communicating with users of Army and Air Force knowledge portals, as well. The Army and Air Force initiated the new tools in January, and the Navy added the capability to NKO in April.

Using Presence Management, NKO users can identify which users are online at any given time around the world. This provides them the opportunity to reach out and communicate with peers, mentors and subject matter experts, and collaborate on education and training initiatives or share support information. Users will be able to use the Instant Messaging (IM) tool to further these working relationships and build their own personal networking community.

“NKO is providing this service in a safe, encrypted environment to make the NKO experience more user-friendly and capable,” said Peg David, NKO program manager for the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

“IM also expands the possibilities for chat and joint-service communication as the military continues to further its joint-service concept, especially in times of conflict," she added. "By eliminating the barriers that used to exist in communicating service-to-service in real time in a secure environment, operational readiness for joint-service venues will be greatly enhanced.”

The Navy began the move toward joint-service, real-time communication in 2002 by selecting a contractor to incorporate an IDM and Presence Management tool into the NKO portal in much the same manner the technology was being used by the Army on its Army Knowledge Online (AKO) site. This technology is presently being employed by financial institutions, telecommunication companies, and government and educational outlets throughout the United States, to enhance communication and collaboration in a global marketplace.

“The Navy recognizes that instant messaging and presence are powerful tools that will greatly improve information exchange,” said David. “The Navy’s decision to employ this capability reflects the important role these tools will play in enhancing NKO and improving operational productivity on a much larger scale throughout the joint-service arena.”

Navy personnel are already realizing the benefits of the new tools in networking and communicating with other users around the world. Family members are also using the IM tool to communicate with deployed personnel.

“We are discovering that Sailors and civilians are excited about the new capabilities for NKO,” said Kenneth Decker, a functional administrator for NKO in Norfolk, Va. “Whether it be building personal networks or sharing ideas and technology with their joint-service colleagues, or simply communicating with family members back home, these new tools and capabilities are well-received by Sailors and civilian employees. We’re excited about the possibilities they present for the Navy’s knowledge network.”

NKO users can check out the new services on the Navy Knowledge Online Web site at https://www.nko.navy.mil.