Information wrt DBMSs (Information Technology)
| Multi Request | Information wrt DBMSs |
| Submitted | July 18, 2018 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Matt Chapman
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
For all DBMSs owned, maintained, operated, contracted with/through, or supported by the Information Technology - or similar - department(s) within your city, please provide me with the following information:
-Underlying engine (eg, postgres, mysql, mariadb, cockroachdb, Mongodb, Oracle database, sybase, MSAccess, SQL Server, VoltDB, RethinkDB, Chronos, Elasticsearch, etcd, cassandra, etc)
-Names of software that connect to each DBMS
-Names of departments that use information within the DBMS
-Schema of database (preferably, with granularity down to column names)
-Contract identifier for each database, if relevant
I understand that the information respondent to this request may require the creation of new documents - if that will be the case, then please provide me with documents that may contain the information (eg, documentation, contracts, etc). I am also happy to narrow the scope of my request if necessary.
Please also let me know if any help is needed with discovering any DBMS services. My background is in distributed systems systems administration and I can offer technical tips or advice if it would be helpful in any way.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. As I believe the information respondent to this request outweighs the costs and burden, I would like to kindly request a fee waiver.
I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
With gratitude,
Matt Chapman,
Free Our Info, NFP
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Texas Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 18, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Texas Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 18, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Information Technology
Good afternoon-
This wasn't sent directly to me, but I have had a chance to review your request. Please see below clarifications in red needed to move forward with this request.
Define DMMs.
For all DBMSs owned, maintained, operated, contracted with/through, or supported by the Information Technology - or similar - department(s) within your city, please provide me with the following information: I can only address Houston IT services and no other departments throughout the City of Houston. Please contact those departments for their information.
-Underlying engine (eg, postgres, mysql, mariadb, cockroachdb, Mongodb, Oracle database, sybase, MSAccess, SQL Server, VoltDB, RethinkDB, Chronos, Elasticsearch, etcd, cassandra, etc)
What does the statement "Underlying Engine" mean? Please state what you want specifically.
-Names of software that connect to each DBMS
-Names of departments that use information within the DBMS
I can only speak to this department. Please reach out to the other departments for requests regarding information connected to their departments.
-Schema of database (preferably, with granularity down to column names)
Please clarify exactly what you are asking that we provide. Define Schema.
-Contract identifier for each database, if relevant
I'm not aware of what database you are referring to, what type of databases you are referring to, or if they exist. Please clarify exactly what you are asking that we provide. Define or explain what you mean by contract Identifier.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Matt Chapman
Pardon my slow response. Answers inline:
-What does the statement "Underlying Engine" mean? Please state what you want specifically.
By this I mean the name of the database software. "Engine" is a technical term that essentially means software framework, which is often associated with a name.
-I can only speak to this department. Please reach out to the other departments for requests regarding information connected to their departments.
No worries.
-Please clarify exactly what you are asking that we provide. Define Schema.
A schema would be: table names, column names, keys, indexes, column types, etc to the extent that you would be able to provide.
-I'm not aware of what database you are referring to, what type of databases you are referring to, or if they exist. Please clarify exactly what you are asking that we provide. Define or explain what you mean by contract Identifier.
This request applies to all databases. A contract identifier an ID that you might associate with the software contract. For example an RFP number, a contract number, or similar.
Hope this helps.
Matt
From: Information Technology
In response to your request:
I will determine if such a database(s) exists within this department and the additional requested information. We are not required to create new documents and any fees required as part of the search associated with your request, are not able to be waived. I will contact you when I have additional information.
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Texas Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 18, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Texas Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 18, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Information Technology
I will follow up with you today on whether or not we have the type of information you are requesting for this department.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
You are requesting that we provide a list of the DBMSs, etc., correct?
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Matt Chapman
If records exist that include the information I'm requesting in a list format, then yes. That said, it should be noted that the records I'm requesting ought to exist as unique records on the databases themselves.
The information I'm requesting might also be available within technical documentation. Such documentation might require redaction for security reasons however.
From: Information Technology
Good afternoon-
I can’t speak to what ought to exist, if there is a document or record that contains the information I will follow up with you and act accordingly. If not, I will follow up and let you know that as well.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
Per your email below, if technical documentation requires redaction for security reasons, is that acceptable to move the process forward expeditiously?
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Matt Chapman
Yes, that works for me. Could you provide some sort of high level information about what that redaction process would look like?
The information I'm mostly interested in are the db schema records. If redaction for db schemas is required, then I would like to know in advance. That information is extremely valuable for requesting information existing in databases by removing the "battleship component" of requests.
From: Information Technology
It has been brought to my attention that there are security concerns with the information you are requesting. I will need to contact City Legal regarding the IT department’s concerns with releasing that type of information. I will get back to you when I have discussing what you are requesting and the concerns with them.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
Do you want to make any modifications to the request or go forward with a review of the request as is with Legal?
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
Following up on my clarification from Tuesday, February 26, 2019:
“Do you want to make any modifications to the request or go forward with a review of the request as is with Legal?”
This will require additional time. You stated below the highlighted, do you only want schema records?
The information I'm mostly interested in are the db schema records. If redaction for db schemas is required, then I would like to know in advance. That information is extremely valuable for requesting information existing in databases by removing the "battleship component" of requests.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Matt Chapman
Only schema records would be acceptable in terms of narrowing the scope of this request.
Matt
From: Information Technology
Ok, so you have modified your request to only include “schema records”. I will discuss with the appropriate staff if schema records only would cause any concern to be released without Legal review.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Matt Chapman
Many thanks!
From: Information Technology
You’re welcome.
From: Information Technology
When trying to determine when and where the request original was sent, it became difficult to gauge a proper timeline since it wasn’t sent to me, the Public Information Officer of Houston IT Services and instead was sent to the City Houston Webmaster. Please note again, there is no Texas Public Information Act Office, at the highlighted below. I am the only email address you should submit requests for public information from Houston IT Services to. For that reason, it was determined that the best course of action would be for you to resubmit your request to me and we proceed from there.
Please resubmit your original request to me. Feel free to modify this request as an original request to me if you wish.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
Per my email March 8th, please provide your response.
Thank you,
Jamil Whalen, CTCM
Contract Manager - Senior Contract Administrator
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Houston IT Services
[cid:image001.jpg@01CC4315.498B6C70]611 Walker Street 8th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-0220
Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov<mailto:Jamil.whalen@houstontx.gov>
From: Information Technology
Good afternoon-
“The City has conducted a diligent search regarding your clarified request for “schema records” and no responsive documents exist. Please note, the Act does not require a governmental body to create new documents. Because the City has no responsive documents, we will close our file on this matter. Thank you.”
Jamil Whalen
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