Since reorganization is a perennial issue in the Federal government, one would expect substantial academic literature to exist on this matter, according to Alan Balutis. Almost nobody has asked the question: What difference have these reorganization plans and executive orders made? How have they been implemented and with what results? […]
Recently, John Chambers was in town for meetings of the U.S.-India Business Council, which he chairs. Chambers is now chairman of the board at Cisco Systems after having served as CEO for more than 20 years–an eternity in Silicon Valley. He spoke at a CXO breakfast attended by 20-plus government CXOs. Here are some highlights of his remarks. […]
Will the president’s new cybersecurity executive order make a difference? The answer may rest in the implementation and enforcement of the order, according to Greg Gardner. […]
Congress’ power of the purse, enunciated in Article I of the Constitution, is at the very heart of its authority and role in our democracy. That’s why I’m somewhat amused by all the concern, gnashing of teeth, press articles, and the like about President Trump’s recent release of his FY 2018 budget. […]
David Vennergrund offers eight paths to reach an enhanced, enlightened state for your data analytics efforts–a state that eases suffering, and provides deeper, more impactful experiences, both today, and with ever-increasing data volumes. […]
Several agencies are addressing the innovation gap between government and Silicon Valley with new outreach efforts and agile procurement techniques. […]
The Department of Defense’s decision to move to Windows 10 remains solid. As Microsoft’s most secure operating system ever deployed, Windows 10 offers significant security features baked right in. What’s slowing the effort at many agencies, however, is the actual migration process–it’s time-consuming, expensive, and unattainable within a year’s time frame. It doesn’t have to be, says Mike Wilkerson of VMware. […]
You may have heard the phrase “this is a marathon, not a sprint” used when discussing important programs launched by organizations. That might be the case with some business initiatives, but it doesn’t necessarily apply to Federal IT, says Jason Kimrey at Intel. […]
The 2016 Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) will gather #ChangeAgents for training and education and showcase examples of #ChangeAgents who are already making a difference today. We need to provide “safe spaces” to experiment on doing public service differently and better, says FCC CIO David Bray. […]
Often we’re so focused on locking down data access that we lose sight of whether our business can continue when data is lost, stolen, or compromised. Instead of asking if your network is secure, step back and ask yourself, “Is my network resilient?” […]
As Cloud Computing matures as an engine of cost savings, improved agility, and enhanced security, options have grown beyond the “one-size-fits-all” offerings available to early users. Organizations can choose between a mix of on-premises or off-premises clouds, or implementing hybrid architectures that combine the best features of all these choices into a tailored solution that meets their own unique needs. When […]
Most agencies tend to think of IT modernization in strictly hardware and software terms. But modernization is a different strategy…a different way of thinking that includes human beings as well as machines. All you need to start with is a mission to transform your thinking. […]
From Cybersecurity Sprint 2015, to CNAP 2016, the Federal government is building on previous cybersecurity-focused Executive Orders to bring cybersecurity to the forefront of the American public and national security discussion. […]
The only thing that is possibly growing more rapidly than the number of cybersecurity risks is the number of cybersecurity events. So why attend the 7th Annual AFCEA DC Cybersecurity Summit? Here are six reasons why Cybersecurity Summit on Oct. 11 -12 is a must-attend event. […]
The Federal government and its agencies all agree on the need to modernize IT infrastructure, though they continue to struggle with just how to do it. […]
Patricia Adams of LANDESK says the hard part of purchasing software occurs after the purchase, when you need to confirm you’re getting the expected value and return on investment from that software. […]
Government agencies have moved more into the app- and cloud-centric culture that is increasingly common in most enterprises. Now, privileged rights previously reserved for an administrative user are undergoing a transition where those rights are being segregated among a number of administrators for role separation requirements. That makes user authentication more important than ever when […]
In a guest commentary, Richard Beutel of Cyrrus Analytics says that Federal agencies are stuck between trying to modernize, but having to use old strategies to do it. […]
Maria Horton of Emesec examines the pros and cons of FedRAMP’s announced sweeping process changes in an effort to accelerate the accreditation of cloud solution providers to better meet agencies’ needs. […]
In a guest commentary, Richard Beutel at Cyrrus Analytics says the Federal government needs the IT Modernization Fund to be used as seed corn to accelerate the agencies off of fossil computers. […]
In a guest commentary, Alan P. Balutis of Cisco Systems wonders why the government’s reliance on outdated technology has surfaced only recently as an issue. […]
Kenneth M. Ritchhart at Oracle Public Sector argues that cybersecurity itsn’t an add-on. He says it has to be part of a network’s foundation. […]
When it comes to data protection, are you a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout–or an Eagle Scout? Your place in the IT and data security maturity life cycle is a lot like the scouts, according to guest columnist Tom Callahan of SafeNet Assured Technologies. As your organization becomes more mature, your view of protection becomes more sophisticated. […]
In April, U.S. Cyber Challenge will open their annual Cyber Quests competition, where thousands across the nation will attempt to earn an invitation to one of the three summer cyber camps by achieving a top score. With the growth of data in government, enterprise or the nonprofit sector comes growth in professional positions needed to protect that data. Yet the nation has a significant workforce gap of cybersecurity professionals. […]
The Federal government is the leading creator, collector, consumer, and communicator of information in the United States. If there are changes to its regulatory requirements, it is possible those changes will eventually spread into the commercial sector. Here’s what that sector needs to know. […]
For a manager working to drive optimal performance, proper training can be the difference maker. Yet all too often, training results in little to no demonstrable business results. There are a number of reasons for this. […]
How is this past summer’s hacking of secure personnel information at The Office of Personnel Management like the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction? […]
On Nov. 4, I testified before the joint subcommittees on Information Technology and Government Operations of the House Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. The hearing was titled “FITARA’s Role in Reducing IT Acquisition Risk, Part II–Measuring Agencies.” The other witnesses included Federal CIO Tony Scott, Treasury CIO Sonny Bhagowalia, General Services Administration CIO David […]
When I came to Washington years ago on what was to be a one-year fellowship, the senior administrative management position in government departments and agencies was typically an Assistant Secretary for Administration (AS/A) or perhaps an Assistant Secretary for Management (AS/M). In the majority of cases, those positions and their deputies were long-time careerists, recognizing […]
The Federal government spends close to $100 billion each year on Information Technology (IT). That’s a lot more than the $80 billion figure that shows up in the President’s annual budget and reports from Deltek and others. The latter number only shows spending from the 24 so-called Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act agencies. It does […]
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