Best Community Practices

A best community practice (BCP) is a document in the NIH Requests for Comments (NIHRFC) document series that is a statement of principle or an agreed upon approach to completing a process, operation, or architectural function.

The following NIHRFCs have been approved as NIH best community practices. The NIHRFC number is noted for reference:

 

0001 - Enterprise Architecture Standards Process. Documents the EA standards process. Defines the stages in the standardization process, the requirements for moving a document between stages, and the types of documents used during this process.

 

0003 - Instructions to NIHRFC Authors - How to Write a Standard. This document is a guide for NIH IT and architecture standards writers. It defines those characteristics that make standards coherent, unambiguous, and easy to interpret.

 

0004 - NIH System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) - Specifies the role of the NIH Enterprise Architecture in the SDLC for enterprise systems and provides the background for SDLC concepts, which may serve as a foundation for the SDLC approach for NIH organizations.

0008 ¹ - Active Directory Attribute Data Content and Management - Documents a set of principles for the creation and maintenance of AD attributes. Describes how the NIH Active Directory attribute administration should occur and presents recommended practices for NIH business managers, application designers/developers, and security officers. Additionally, enables application owners to decide which attributes will best meet their specific application requirements.

0009 - NIH Request for Comments Template. NIHRFC authors must use this template to submit an NIHRFC in any track. OCITA will not accept any other format.

 

0015 - Decision Criteria for Selecting NIH Standards. Documents the baseline decision criteria to be used in NIH Enterprise Architecture processes for selecting and gaining consensus on the architecture standards to be recommended to the Architecture Review Board for approval.

 

0017 - Unique Identifier for People: Best Community Practice. Documents the implementation of a Unique Identifier for People, the NIH ID Number, which provides a convenient, public representation of the identities of individuals who use NIH resources and services. Describes how the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) manages NIH ID Numbers, and presents recommended practices for NIH business managers, application designers/developers, and security officers.

 

0018 - Terminal Server Services Pattern. Proposes a terminal services design alternative for the Division of Extramural Activities Support (DEAS) access to IC file systems to allow for cross-levelling of DEAS resources.

 

0019 - Central File Store Pattern. Documents a central file store design alternative for the Division of Extramural Activities Support (DEAS) remote access to IC file systems to allow for cross-levelling of DEAS resources.

0040- SharePoint Center of Excellence. Proposes Best Practices and Usage Recommendations for SharePoint as identified by the SharePoint Center of Excellence Domain Team for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).