OPEN Data

Through the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act, all non-sensitive government data assets must be made available as open, machine-readable data. And as Federal agencies work towards implementing this mandate, Chief Data Officers (CDOs) must lead the way. […]

Raising Your Content IQ

Federal IT managers have more guidance than ever on how to leverage cloud for embracing modern capabilities and improving mission outcomes. If agencies need to get “Cloud Smart,” a lesson in content management – including both structured and unstructured data – could be the smartest investment they can make. […]

AI-and-the-Infrastructure-Gap

After the AI executive order, DoD AI strategy, and recently passed OPEN Government Data Act, all signs point to real opportunity to liberate the potential of AI and other emerging technology. But, traditional environments (where agencies spend 80% of their budget) are not designed to meet data storage, management, and security needs at the scale required to support these technologies. How can agencies overcome this technical debt? […]

SD WAN
Rise of AI

Federal agencies are utilizing their treasure trove of data by adopting artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning to tackle critical workloads, respond to citizen requests, drive innovation, and much more. […]

Cloud Complexity

If Federal agencies want to succeed in the cloud, they must first tackle the chaos and complexity of current legacy networks. What impact are today’s network challenges having on government cloud adoption? Where are agencies successfully prioritizing modernization, and where are they falling behind? […]

Reimagining Government IT

Inertia has long plagued government IT – slowing modernization and preventing Feds from achieving IT advances and efficiencies. With today’s legislation, funding opportunities, and technologies – are things beginning to change? Is modernization on the horizon? […]

AI Journey

Federal IT managers know it’s all about the data. It has the ability to transform the way Feds approach tasks from data entry to cybersecurity, and it stands to revolutionize constituent service and mission success. Many have started optimizing their data through automation, big data analytics, deep learning, and – for some – even AI. While they still face challenges, agencies are making progress. And AI is the next frontier. […]

Buck Stops Here

Funding received from the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act is a loan – not a grant. The average tenure of a federal CIO is 18 months; for a federal CFO, six years. For MGT-funded projects, this means that if a program does not deliver value – it’s the CFO that will be left with the bill. […]

Innovation Imperative

DoD defines mission-critical IT.  Leveraging advanced computing platforms that level silos, scale, and bring advanced capabilities like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and mobile computing – all wrapped in superior security –  increasingly define winners and losers on the battlefield.  […]

Fact or Fiction?
Hyper-Coverged-Without-Compromise

With the majority of agencies headed for a hybrid cloud environment1, Federal IT managers must find a bridge between today’s aging infrastructures and tomorrow’s cloud future.  And despite endless mandates pushing modernization, fears around change and a loss of control have stifled Feds’ progress.  However, Feds say next-generation hyper converged infrastructures (HCIs) may be the […]

Modernizing the Monolith
ViON Data_Center 2020

With the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) deadline extended to 2020, Federal IT leaders must push hard to keep data center modernization momentum moving forward. With the right technology, agencies have the opportunity to reduce OpEx and establish an infrastructure that is able to scale quickly, integrate emerging technology, and effectively support dynamic missions – but are they? […]

Cyber AI

With the advent of cloud, IoT, and other next-gen technologies, the Federal government’s digital footprint is growing at an exponential rate.  But as the amount of data continues to explode, so do the number of cyber adversaries and vulnerabilities in our government’s networks.  And without the proper resources and capabilities to manually defend against this deluge of cyber threats, artificial intelligence (AI) could be the missing link in fully securing our government. […]

Fortinet

With the non-stop cloud chatter, too many Federal agencies think that they need to choose between “all cloud” and “no cloud at all.”  But the reality is not either, it’s both.  For most agencies, their end result will be a combination of physical servers, private, and public cloud – a hybrid environment. As agency infrastructures evolve, security must evolve as well.  […]

Cisco NetApp

Modern demands are changing the way the government purchases, builds, and delivers data center solutions. Federal agencies are calling for a data center transformation that empowers IT and accelerates mission performance. Converged infrastructure promises simplicity and speed, responsiveness, dependability, and affordability to offset data center demands. […]

DLT Quest Securing the AD Foundation

As Federal agencies move more resources to the cloud, the cybersecurity stakes are higher and the potential channels for data loss are more complex. Insiders pose the greatest risk for government data exposure and loss, but defending against insider threats has become even more challenging with cloud adoption, endpoint multiplication, and growth of the remote workforce. […]

Symantec Inside Job

As agencies move more resources to the cloud, the cybersecurity stakes are higher and the potential channels for data loss are more complex. Insiders pose the greatest risk for government data exposure and loss, but defending against insider threats has become even more challenging with cloud adoption, endpoint multiplication, and growth of the remote workforce. Federal agencies are increasing their focus and implementing formal insider threat prevention programs. But is it enough? […]

ServiceNow

Threat remediation shouldn’t be a fire drill. Federal cyber teams need new options to streamline workloads, accelerate responsiveness, and increase incident handling accuracy with improved collaboration across IT and security functions – stopping threats from spreading like a forest fire. […]

Teradata

How are Feds utilizing big data to support new missions and encourage collaboration across teams? And, what will they accomplish with the flood of IoT data? […]

Vion Calling the Plays

Agencies are finding themselves inundated with structured and unstructured data – calling for a new Federal Big Data playbook. New roles, including the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Chief Data Scientist, have been created to help agencies manage and leverage their data. Are they making an impact? And, what are they doing to help? […]

Big Data for Better Decisions

Big data is revolutionizing intelligence, but the data analytics that drive intelligent solutions are no longer just an IT back-office support service – they are a mission function. MeriTalk surveyed 150 Federal IT executives familiar with their agencies’ big data strategies to understand the challenges they face when adopting and implementing big data solutions, and […]

Agencies deal with a greater volume and velocity of cyber threats today than ever before. To achieve actionable cyber awareness and drive continuity of vital operations, Federal cyber leaders must speed cyber response times for threat prevention, detection, and mitigation for known, and more importantly, unknown threats. […]

modernization expedition

The journey to the cloud starts with a single step. Federal IT leaders must assure their data is secure, accessible, and actionable; and that they can scale as fast as the mission requires. […]

Cloud adopters are stepping on the gas – from police stations and state colleges to our nation’s capital. But how do these agencies and institutions determine the best route? And, which applications do they take along for the ride? MeriTalk asked Federal, state and local, and higher education cloud adopters about their cloud strategies. […]

To keep our data, systems, and enterprises secure, cybersecurity executives must nail down the many moving parts – training, governance, budgets, and innovation. But while cybersecurity strategies are evolving, agencies still aren’t up to code. What’s the holdup on the Hill? […]

The cybersecurity waters are swimming with threats, and agencies do not have the personnel, utilities, or time to properly handle their massive amounts of data. However, with the ability to allow agencies to sift and sort through the very data they are sinking in, big data may be agencies’ lifeline. […]

From social media and Web 2.0 to hyperscale environments and a mobile workforce, data is growing at an alarming rate. In fact, the digital universe doubles in size every two years – and by 2020, it’s projected to reach 44 zettabytes. Are agencies ready for the data deluge? And more importantly, how can they store, manage, and protect their growing data resources? […]

There’s no question Federal agencies are reaping benefits from the cloud – improved speed and agility, reduced complexity, and cost savings. But, as Federal mandates propel cloud forward, some welcome the boost, while others have cold feet. What’s causing Feds to warm up to the cloud? And what steps are they taking to realize its benefits? […]

Keeping up with – or preferably ahead of – advances in technology is absolutely necessary for those involved in government IT. MeriTalk features not only the latest research affecting federal technology, but also more in-depth studies that examine how those developments are likely to impact the government IT realm.

MeriTalk federal IT research covers a variety of subjects, including how to make the best use of Big Data, the safest use of cloud computing, and other cybersecurity topics that affect all government agencies.