Achieving interoperability through software technology

     For most agencies, the overriding concern when implementing a data sharing system is security. Granting multiple agencies access to sensitive data requires that additional security measures be established in order to protect the integrity of information and the system.

     A data sharing system should come equipped with reliable security measures to prevent unauthorized individuals from tampering with data, sabotaging or crashing the system, or accessing certain records.

     "Reliability is a must," Snyder says. "If you have (multiple) agencies on a system and a system crashes, you're dead in the water."

     One common form of securing data is through user privileges. Granting only select users access to data helps protect sensitive information. Encryption adds another layer of security. Encrypting data before it is passed between two systems helps prevent valuable information from being lost or stolen.

     To meet the demands of law enforcement in the 21st century, an agency must have the ability to communicate and share information on demand. A data sharing system that is selected carefully, with an eye toward usability and security, can help an agency serve its community for years to come.

Lynze Wardle is a marketing writer for Spillman Technologies, a public safety software provider headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Spillman has been delivering reliable data sharing solutions for more than 25 years.