mdlandrec.net Version 3 Roll Out

Load testing of application server cluster configuration is well under way. Archives has brought in AboutWeb, a ColdFusion consultant, to assist with system optimization. We have identified a problem with session fail over (i.e. what happens when one of the application servers fails and the user is re-directed to another server) that needs to be addressed before functional testing can begin.  We have come up with a solution, and the necessary code changes should be in place and tested over the next few weeks. This has put us a bit behind schedule, but is necessary to permit scalability of the application. Once cluster load testing is successfully completed, internal and external functional testing can begin in August.

Functional testing should take an additional couple of months, and is expected to reveal user issues that will need to be addressed and corrected. Once these issues are corrected, we will need another round of internal and external functional testing before the system can "go live".

plats.net Enhancement

We have been able to make substantial strides with plats.net enhancements. Our main focus has been on Worcester County plats, where Mr. Hales kindly volunteered to act as a pilot. Here are some of the things that we have done so far to enhance plats.net:
 

The original six large three-ring binders detailing plats.net problems identified by court staff in Worcester County have been reviewed and, for the most part, corrected. As of this date, there remain about 60 poor quality online images that need to be replaced. The holdup has been with the Bowe Bell and Howell scanner the Archives purchased specifically for the purpose of scanning these dark, poor quality, low contrast original plats. This scanner has not functioned properly since we acquired it, and both the manufacturer and re-seller have been slow to respond to our complaints. Bowe Bell and Howell believes that they have a Beta hardware fix that will work. As of this date, the software has not been installed, but it should be within the next few days. If the fix is successful, we will replace the remaining poor images over the next week or so.

Since June 17th 2009, we have been posting PDF images for all prospective Worcester County plats added to plats.net. Archival staff were very pleased with quality and printability of pdfs in testing. We want to know what system users think, and welcome feedback from Court staff and the public in Worcester County and elsewhere.

Archives has scanned traditional Worcester County plat indexes from archival microfilm copies in our possession. These will be made available on plats.net using the same presentation format already available in 9 other jurisdictions. Once that is done we will be turning off the electronic index series for Worcester County currently available in plats.net. This will eliminate those search returns for which there are no associated images that have been the source of confusion for many years.

We have instituted new quality assurance procedures that add an additional level of quality inspection into the process. This will help us catch errors that were missed in the initial quality assurance inspections. This additional level of review has so far kept us from posting some indexing errors (misspellings, incomplete information), and incomplete multi-page filings.

• May 1, 2009
• June 1, 2009