Ronna Overview Brief

Updated August 2013

What is RonnaRonna is the unclassified information sharing website created by the ISAF Joint Command as the answer to the civil-military information gap.

Ronna was created with the intent to improve transparency and create an information-rich environment to enhance cooperation between the contributing partners in Afghanistan allowing for a smooth transition to full GIRoA control of Afghanistan.

Ronna answers the need for better access and communication with the various organizations and communities in Theater, to assist in shaping behaviors and attitudes, and create the needed cross-cultural relations with the many influential persons and groups working within Afghanistan.

RONNA

NGOs DOD/U.S Agencies

Civ-Mil PartnersGIRoA

Ronna Mission StatementTo provide Afghanistan with an Information Sharing Environment for the exchange of unclassified information across the civil-military boundaries in order to improve the Governance, Development, and Security of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.• Provide a website open to all which enables collaboration and

information sharing between the ISAF Joint Command and the full-spectrum of mission partners working across all lines of operation in Afghanistan.

• Bridge the information gap that currently exists between ISAF and our Afghan partners, as well as the many people and organizations (contributing partners) working in and for Afghanistan who do not have access to classified military information systems.

• Ronna is the IJC’s effort to grow the command’s information environment such that we are able to increase and improve the unity of understanding and the unity of effort in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Ronna Mission ImpactRonna is the only site providing unclassified information collaboration to all of the contributing partners involved in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. • With over 2,800 registered users and 3,500+ unique visitors from 76

different countries each month Ronna is a critical link to knowledge management within Afghanistan.

• There are currently 30+ Communities of Interest (CoI) set up by organizations from ISAF, USAID, the U.S. Treasury and GIRoA.

• 14 GIRoA Ministries either maintain or actively utilize Ronna CoIs.

• Ronna provides the IJC and other contributors with a means of providing key unclassified information to all of the organizations operating in Afghanistan

Ronna Public Side

Ronna Private Side

Concept of Ronna

Protected Internet Exchange (PIX)

TabulaeINDURE(Structured Database)

Foreign Service(Embassies)

UN / AidOrganizations

Internet

The only common network in Afghanistan shared by GIRoA, ISAF,

Coalition Partners, Aid Organizations, the UN, and NGO/PVOs is the Internet

GIRoA Ronna crawls all designated relevant sites for information pertaining to the mission in

AfghanistanNGO/PVO

Community

Firewall

Requirements• Create a simple, reliable, effective information

sharing process on the unclassified network.

• Utilize existing tools and technology to further efforts.

• Capture relevant Open Source Information Reporting.

• Using Federated Search capabilities link all unclassified sites through Ronna creating a ‘One Stop Shop’ for relevant Afghanistan Information.

• Be accessible for users with low-bandwidth connections.

• Leverage out-of-the-box collaborative platform.

• Facilitate mission success by making information available to a wider network of users

Ronna Overview: Main Page

Calendar of events

User submitted

articles covering key focus areas

Afghan Images

Get help, find out about Ronna or

submit an article

Translates into Dari and Pashto(26 languages)

Ronna Overview : Main Page

Links to Key sites

Contact Info

TranslationDari-Pashto

Member Tools

Help Desk Information

Request an Account

Submitted Content Overview

+ Add items by clicking here

Content feeds the pages and sites within Ronna

You must have an account and be

signed in to upload items

The Submitted Content list feeds the entire site. Items added here are found in the Wiki, Communities and Region tabs. All relevant information is welcome. Please remember we are on an unclassified website so post items accordingly

+ Add items by clicking here

Link to + add items also in the Members

tool below the list on the main page

Submitted Content OverviewThe more relevant data you fill out when submitting content will allow it to be used better throughout the site.

Link your file to a data source or

external website

Checking all relevant areas allows the data to flow to the region

pages and the interactive map

5 main topics feed the Wiki pages with many subtopics to help users narrow their

search focus

Add any file type

FOUO – Only vetted accounts will seePrivate – All Ronna members will seePublic – Open to Anonymous access

•Governance•Development•Security•Cross Cutting•Transition

Ronna Wiki OverviewAfghan Wiki Topics • Afghan Civics Guide• Afghan Country Stability Picture• Afghan National Security Forces• Counter Narcotics• Cross Cutting Issues• Development• District Assessments• Gender Awareness• Governance• Land Issues• Ministerial Outreach• Security• Theater Assessments

The Wiki pages are fed by the main users submitted

content list. Users will make this a more relevant

site.

Sites are fully customizable by identified subject matter experts. If you would like to add content to the Wiki please contact us

Ronna Communities OverviewCommunities of Interest*

• Afghan Business Center• Afghan Hands• Afghan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA)• Afghan National Security Forces• Agriculture Education and Training Archive • Contracting• COMISAF Advisory and Assistance Team (CAAT)• Counterinsurgency Training Center – Afghanistan (CTC-A)• Education• Force Reintegration Cell (F-RIC)• Healthcare• INDURE• Provincial Budgeting and Economic Development• Provincial Reconstruction Teams• Tourism Development Blog

* Many more communities are available based on your work focus within Afghanistan

Unique permissions can be set up so only certain users have access to all or identified areas of your site

Like any website the Communities are fully customizable by the site owner

Useful Tools• APAN (Adobe) Connect

– Web/video conferencing– Ronna Member must set up conference– Conference can be attended by anonymous users

• ArcGIS Mapping• Peer-to-peer Messaging

– Must be an APAN Member

• Instant Text Translator• Document Translator• Search• My Site

– Shared / Private file storage accessible form any internet connection

APAN (Adobe) Connect

Create private or open sessions*users do not have to be members of Ronna to participate in an Adobe session • Share your

computer screen or individual windows• Share documents• Create a whiteboard for free text or drawings

Create notes from the meeting

Window for text chatting

Use a microphone to speak to everyone in the meeting

If on a network that allows webcams you are able to host video chats

Document Translator• The Document Translation capability is an enhancement that allows users to upload

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and plain text documents into a document library, and then have the system translate the document into another language of the user’s choice.

• The translated document is also stored in SharePoint, allowing both versions (the original in the source language, and the translated version in the translated language) to be accessible to users of the site.

• The Document Translation capability will translate Microsoft Word documents with the DOCX file extension.

• The Document Translation capability will translate Microsoft PowerPoint documents with the PPTX file extension.

• Document Translation will translate supported documents as follows:– English to Dari– English to Pashtu– Dari to English– Pashtu to English– Dari to Pashtu or Pashtu to Dari are not presently supported.

• Creates and maintains links to both versions of the document from a single library.

Search

Search is a state-of-the-art search engine built right into RONNA that you should never outgrow.

Searches not only Ronna but also many websites deemed Afghan Relevant.

* More sites can be added * Please let us know if you have one.

My Site

Public and Personal file

storage

If user has contributed to any blogs on

Ronna the items will show here

Shared Documents is searchable by any Ronna Member

Personal Documents limited to user, more members can be added by user to the library

To Request an Account:

• Go to the Ronna Website:

https://ronna.apan.org

• Click on the “Get an Account” link

• Fill out the form for a member account It is preferable (but not required)

that you have an “official” email address (.mil, .gov, or a professional email).

Request An Account

Note: Without an APAN account, you are still able to access the PUBLIC information on the website. The account allows you to request membership to Ronna and access to member specific information.

You can check out the site at:https://ronna.apan.org

For more information or to answer any additional questions you may have, please contact the team:

Mr. John Carmack, Ronna Admin, Rear SupportEmail: ronna@apan.org

Mr. Joel Ramsey, Ronna Admin, In country SupportEmail: ronna@apan.org