Army Knowledge Online AKO

Army Knowledge Online (AKO) is an information system that supports the United States Army and Department of Defense. The soldiers, contractors, and all other relevant positions within the greater Armed Forces can access the system via the web. Users can create pages, upload files, join discussion, view files, and many other functions via a web portal. However, the primary purpose of the information system is for email. However, there are also custom modules that can host other functions such as online training courses.

The AKO is a custom program that has integrated many off the shelf products to perform various functions. It was officially launched in 2001 and since that time it has gone through many updates and revisions. The hardware consists of several servers that operate the modules that users use. These servers run a combination of off the shelf software that has been customized as well as custom software. Users can then log onto these modules from most devices that have internet access through a browser.

Many users can even connect through mobile devices. The current version has a lot of criticism from its users. The most common complaints (Army Times, 2010): • AKO is frustratingly slow. • It has a cluttered interface. • Its security features are too cumbersome. • Its search engine is useless. The Army has decided to move away from the AKO system in favor of something more secure and more effective.

The features that are on the servers are not accessible in a timely manner and commercial versions work much faster than the AKO. The AKO has a search feature comparable to a Google search. However, the search function has been known to display unpredictable results. This can be very frustrating for soldiers who would prefer to use Google instead of the search function within the system. Many of the links that soldiers are looking for a buried within unrelated material when they perform a search.

However, the email program is much more popular and many users rate it well. Soldiers and related personnel can access their email through the basic email client that is hosted on the servers. In one poll over seventy five percent of those polls said they couldn't live without the email program. The email program does not have all the features that the commercial web-based providers like Google and Microsoft offers; however it provides basic email functionality.

Users can even have their email sent to a third party email software program, such as Microsoft Outlook, to view their email. There are also contact and calendar.