Statement Of Requirement

SAS server based model

Version 0.3

Sponsor: Stuart Halson

Date: 20th March 2013

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 Summary of changes
This section records the history of significant changes to this document. Only the most
significant changes are described here.

Version Date Author Description of change

th
0.1 February 5 2013 S Halson Initial draft
th
0.2 March 20 2013 S Marshall Updated following
comments from team
0.3 March 22nd 2013 S Marshall Updated Functional
Requirements following
discussions between DC
and IT Lead

Where significant changes are made to this document, the version number will be
incremented by 1.0.

Where changes are made for clarity and reading ease only and no change is made to
the meaning or intention of this document, the version number will be increased by 0.1.

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 Approvals and Reviews

The approvals below are for all documents which form part of this process (narrative,
process flow, forms, meeting charters, etc). Revisions of these documents are
approved and reviewed by the job roles identified below. The formal approvals are
stored in the Programme Document Library on SharePoint

Approvers:

This document was approved by:

Name Title Date

Dave Collett Assistant Director, Stats and Audit 22/03/13
Stuart Halson Head of BI and Data Management
Mike Potter Director, BTS

Reviewers:

This document was reviewed by:

Name Title Date

Dave Collett Assistant Director, Stats and Audit 22/03/13
Stuart Halson Head of BI and Data Management 28/02/13
Darren Hutton Senior Systems Engineer 28/02/13
Steve Marshall BTS Project Manager 28/02/13
Milan Stanojovic Systems Engineer 22/03/13

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Requirement Definition

1.1 Background

Formerly UK Transplant, ODT is the directorate of NHSBT that supports organ donation and
transplantation throughout the UK and has received and still requires much statistical support for its
activities.
Registry data is the basis for most of the work in this area, and ODT maintains two important
databases:

The UK Transplant Registry which contains details of patients listed for a transplant, donors who have
donated organs and the transplants themselves including extensive follow-up information

The Organ Donor Register which contains details of all people expressing their willingness to donate
after their death.

SAS is used in the analysis and reporting on Organ Donation and Transplantation, it is used by two
directorates to support ODT, The Data Services (internal ODT support team) and Statistical and Clinical
audit (NHSBT group service) functions use SAS in the analysis and reporting on ODT activity. It has
been being used in the organisation since the early 1990’s, and all the current ODT based analyses
and procedures are coded for use with SAS. This cover all reports for internal use (e.g. weekly
statistics), those provided for advisory groups, Trust specific reports on donation activity, and those
provided to Commissioners. In addition, all of the statistical enquiries received from within NHSBT,
government (PQ’s), devolved administrations, are all answered using SAS, and all our software for
simulating the complex organ allocation schemes is written for use with SAS.

1.2 The Challenge

ODT currently utilises the SAS statistical software package for modelling and analysis. Suppliers are
requested to tender for the replacement of the existing individual desktop licences with a server based
licensing model, and offer recommendations for extended support services to add value to the overall
service proposition.

This is the business case for renewing the current licences for the Statistical software package SAS
which expire on 31st July 2013.

1.3 The Scope

ODT currently hold the following licences:

 27 SAS Analytics Pro and SAS Access to Oracle Desktop licenses (a seat license rather than a
named user license associated with a local install).

 3 SAS IML (Specialist Modeling language used for modelling and simulating Allocation
Schemes).

The licenses include access to SAS Support via telephone, email and internet, and Version Upgrades
and Patches.

All the SAS licenses are fully utilized on a daily basis, except the IML licenses which are used when
required.

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If the current licensing arrangements lapse then the right to use SAS Software is lost. To use the
software again NHSBT would incur a fresh First Year Fee, an additional cost in the order of £200K.
Maintenance and support for the SAS Analytics Pro software used by Stats and Audit expires on 31st
July 2013. Expiry warning will become more and more frequent on each of the 28 installations until
either a new key is purchased and applied or the software ceases to function after 60 days.

NHSBT also have 10 SAS ABM (Activity Based Management) server based licenses with 10
associated users which are not included in this renewal but should be included in future years through
consolidation of all SAS licensing. Mick Burton and Louisa Robinson manage separately the ABC
licensing, which is due for renewal on 30th October 2013.

Stats and Clinical Audit and Business Transformation Services have discussed and agreed the
following points:

 SAS offers capabilities that are complementary to the existing Enterprise-wide reporting tool
Business Objects and responsibility for support of SAS should lie with the Business Intelligence
team

 The current 28 installations of SAS are on individual PCs which presents BTS with an extremely
difficult maintenance issue. The PCs based at ODT all require upgrading from version 9.1 to 9.3.
Moving to a Citrix delivered, server based model is recommended by both SAS and NHSBT
BTS and will be a strategic aim before renewal on July 31st 2013

 The current 28 installations also present a risk in the context of Information Governance and
Security. Transplantation and personal data is downloaded and held locally on each PC. A
server based installation would remove the associated risks.

Business Transformation Services and SAS have had a face to face meeting as well as several
telephone conversations to discuss the move to a server based model and the associated costs.
NHSBT have already moved the SAS Activity Based Costing software to a server model (a
concurrenct licence for 10 users has been purchased at a cost of £23,280) and SAS strongly
recommend moving the 28 individual SAS Analytics Pro licences to a server-based model. No other
organisation known to SAS uses such a high number of individual Analytics Pro licences.

The conclusion is that the existing 28 user licence model should be migrated to a server-based SAS
Analytics Pro offering delivered via NHSBT’s existing Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 infrastructure.

1.4 The Deliverables for This Statement of Requirement

There is a clear requirement to migrate the existing 28 user licence model to a server-based SAS
Analytics Pro offering.

Suppliers should frame this requirement, and their proposals for realising its conclusions, in terms
of the following deliverables:
1. SAS Analytics Pro server based licensing and support to replace the existing SAS estate at
ODT.
2. SAS Server pricing for the current NHS B&T Desktop licences which utilise SAS Personal
Analytics, Access to Oracle and IML
3. Recommendations on the adoption of appropriate development, test and production
environments, informed by NHSBT’s Information Systems, skills, experience and technology
platforms.
4. Advice on the potential to use the existing SAS Activity Based Costing hardware platform to
also deliver SAS Analytics Pro.
5. A costed proposal to deliver the following required benefits to achieve most likelihood of
success, most benefit, least time, least cost and least risk to business as usual:

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Functional Requirements
The following high level operational requirements will be further developed during the detailed
design stage to become the definitive user requirements.
 R – Regulatory requirement
 E – Business critical/Essential requirement
 D – Desirable able requirement
 N – Nice to have

Core Functional
Reqt ID Description
FR01 The system should provide an
integrated environment for
predictive and descriptive
modelling, data mining, text
analytics, forecasting,
optimization, simulation and
design of clinical studies.
FR02 The system should be able to
use the SAS code as currently
used in local SAS 9.3 client
installations
Comments Priority
Within ODT, SAS is used for the
development of organ allocation schemes, E
monitoring centre specific transplant
outcomes, complex analysis of registry data
including ODR
This allows for continuity without
interruption to service E

FR03 The system should be able to The system requires input from a number of
natively support import of data different sources to allow for a complete set E
from Oracle databases, SQL of data to support report writing and
databases, Access databases, analysis.
Excel, CSV, flat file.
FR04 The system should be able to This is to enable reports production for
export data to MS Office formats, individual customers E
PDF, CGM.
FR05 The system should be available *
for access from a choice of E
different client platforms
FR06 The system must provide all *
users with access to the E
following SAS modules:
SAS BASE
SAS STAT
SAS IML
SAS GRAPH
ACCESS MODULE
FR07 System should be accessible *
from all NHSBT client devices D

FR08 The system should provide

systems for scheduled tasks and E
batch processes, with multiple
threads running at the same time
if required

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 Costed proposals for the following:

 Application support offerings for standard business hours.

 Assistance in the technical architecture decisions
 Migration of customers to new server based model (includes existing data)
 Clear guidance on the integrity and security requirements for the server based licensing model
 A 3 month overlap with the current licensing arrangements may be required in order to complete
parallel testing.

1.5 Out of Scope

Any changes to processes, procedures, services or systems

1.6 Technical Details

It would seem prudent therefore to consider this Discovery and development proposal in the context of
that re-working, and ensure the respective teams worked closely together to achieve any possible
synergies and efficiencies.

1.7 Contract Award

The contract will be awarded following the completion of a mini-tender process using the CITHS
framework.

2 Non Functional Requirements

2.1 System Performance

This section describes the performance requirements of the system from the customers’ perspective
and must be used in conjunction with the “System Capacity” section to determine response to the
“Server and Storage” section.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.2 System Capacity

This section describes the size of the system from the customers’ perspective and must be used in
conjunction with the “System Performance” section to determine response to the “Server and Storage”
section.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.3 Security

This section outlines the NHSBT security requirements for any new systems design. Each requirement
is listed below with a brief description. Confirm that the system design complies with each requirement
and explain how it complies. Should any of the requirements not be relevant to the system, please
state.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

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2.4 Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery

This section outlines the NHSBT security requirements for any new systems design. Each requirement
is listed below with a brief description. Confirm that the system design complies with each requirement
and explain how it complies. Should any of the requirements not be relevant to the system, please
state.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.5 Client

NHSBT support a number of clients but is committed deploying applications via Windows Terminal
Services with Citrix Presentation Server to Windows Based Terminals wherever possible. Each type of
client required for this system is specified below.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.6 Operating System & Core Server Software

NHSBT is committed to providing appropriate levels of service to support a large number of systems
throughout the organisation. These systems are deployed and managed on a restricted set of Industry
standard platforms and components as detailed below.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.7 Server & Storage

NHSBT support a large number of server and storage components. Where possible NHSBT are
seeking to virtualise server components using VMware ESX Server 3.5.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.8 Network

This section outlines the NHSBT network related requirements for any new systems design. Each
requirement is listed below with a brief description. Confirm that the system design complies with each
requirement and explain how it complies. Should any of the requirements not be relevant to the system,
please state.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.9 Application

NHSBT is committed to providing appropriate levels of service to support a large number of

applications throughout the organisation. These can be internal web-based or Windows applications,
usually written for the .NET Framework, bespoke applications written on behalf of NHSBT by external
organisations, or commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) applications. Externally procured applications may
require non-NHSBT standard environment for operation. The majority of applications will require
access to a database for information storage.

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 See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.10 Database

NHSBT is required to support a large number of databases throughout the organisation and is
committed to providing appropriate levels of service for all the applications they support. We aim to
standardise on a small number of leading technology providers such as Oracle and Microsoft and
provide shared database resources wherever possible and appropriate. This approach is to maximise
the effectiveness of the services we provide to our customers in terms of cost, performance and
availability.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.11 Integration and Interoperability

NHSBT is required to support a large number of systems throughout the organisation. It is important
that systems have the ability to integrate and interoperate with existing systems. To enable the required
levels of integration between systems the NBS is committed to using industry standards in integration
protocols and standards as described below.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.12 System Monitoring

This section outlines the NHSBT System Monitoring requirements for any new systems. NHSBT
manage a large number of systems across multiple sites, supporting up to 6000 users carrying out
safety critical tasks. It is vitally important that the operational status and performance of each system is
easily available. Each requirement is listed below with a brief description. Confirm that the system
design complies with each requirement and explain how it complies. Should any of the requirements
not be relevant to the system, please make that clear.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

2.13 Quality Management

This section outlines the NHSBT quality assurance requirements for any new systems design. Each
requirement is listed below with a brief description. Confirm that the system design complies with each
requirement and explain how it complies. Should any of the requirements not be relevant to the system,
please state.

See Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet for detailed requirements.

3 Interfaces

Although SAS includes the ability to read data from a variety of sources – for NHSBT’s requirements
this must also include Oracle databases.

4 Other Requirements

None identified to date.

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5 Testing Strategy
The testing strategy is likely to include functional, UAT and penetration testing. There is also potential
for performance and DR testing as well.

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 Appendix 1 – Supporting Documentation

Q:\13003 Statistical
Analysis Software Upgrade\13003_Non_Functional.xls

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