Hybrid Cloud Shifting Agency Thinking, Security Prioritization May 18, 2018 | 3:36 pm Advances in hybrid cloud environments and specialized vendor offerings in the space have led to a dramatic shift in the way Federal agencies are planning and executing their cloud migration agendas, according to a private sector leader and government official involved in Federal cloud procurements. […]
Policy-Based Automation Key for Multi-Clouds Mar 29, 2018 | 12:35 pm Most Federal managers grasp the concept of automation, the use of technology to perform a process or procedure without human assistance. However, do they really understand the role of automation, and how it can be applied to accelerate delivery and management of IT resources and applications, especially in this era of multi-clouds? […]
How to Use Threat Intelligence to Achieve True Situational Awareness Mar 27, 2018 | 10:34 am It is imperative for Federal agencies to effectively utilize threat intelligence combined with the power and agility of the cloud to better defend their networks. But, today, agencies are lacking adequate situational awareness to give their IT and security teams more clarity about what is going on in their networked environments. So, what’s holding them back? […]
Living on the Edge: Enterprise-Generated Data Processed Outside the Cloud to Increase 400 Percent by 2022 Mar 16, 2018 | 11:20 am Cloud computing is now powering the next generation of technology–from artificial intelligence (AI) to Internet of Things (IoT) to machine learning, offering government agencies scalability and agility to support and analyze a massive influx of data for more informed decision making. […]
In a Multi-Cloud World–Don’t Forget About an Exit Strategy Feb 13, 2018 | 8:00 am It is not uncommon today for agencies to use multiple cloud services such as Amazon Web Services for putting up computing resources on demand, Salesforce for customer relationship management applications, and either Google or Microsoft for email and collaboration tools. […]
CIA is Using AWS Cloud to Stay Ahead of Threats Nov 30, 2017 | 10:32 am Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) re:Invent conference achieved the impossible dream: 700 public sector technology professionals awake at 7 a.m. in Las Vegas. At the public sector keynote, Teresa Carlson, VP worldwide public sector AWS, highlighted the new AWS Secret Region. The Secret Region was designed for the U.S. intelligence community (IC) and can operate workloads up to the Secret U.S. security classification level. […]
From Privacy to the Cloud: Hurd Chronicles Journey as IT Subcommittee Head Oct 24, 2017 | 10:39 am Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said that he almost turned down then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz when he asked him to head up the IT Subcommittee in his freshman year in Congress. But “my mama said don’t be a part of the problem, be part of the solution,” Hurd said at Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Roadmap: Tomorrow’s Data Center in a Cloud-Driven Digital World event, produced by MeriTalk, on Oct. 24. […]
Crowdsourced Map of Puerto Rico Shows Infrastructure Damage Sep 29, 2017 | 12:49 pm Esri has deployed the CrowdRescue Puerto Rico Infrastructure Map, which displays crowdsourced reports about damage from Hurricane Maria affecting the U.S. territory. The map enables a visualization of closed roads, collapsed bridges, flooding, mudslides, areas where communication is unavailable, areas that don’t have power, areas without drinking water, and areas with downed power lines. […]
MGT Fund Will Help Agencies Meet DCOI Goals Sep 26, 2017 | 2:14 pm The working capital fund created by the Modernizing Government Technology Act is the acquisition tool that agencies need to meet Data Center Optimization Initiative goals. […]
IT Professionals Say Regulations Hurt Cyber Performance Sep 18, 2017 | 7:00 am About half of government IT professionals think that regulations make it more difficult to achieve an optimal cybersecurity posture, according to a study released Sept. 18 by SolarWinds. […]
Rethinking Shared Services in Government Apr 12, 2017 | 10:53 am The problems associated with an antiquated government infrastructure replete with duplication and redundancies of mission and support services have been well documented. A 2011 Government Accountability Office report discussed the operation of 661 information technology investments in human resources management alone. More recently, at my request as a staffer on the Oversight and Government Reform […]
Worldwide Cloud Spending Expected to Reach $122.5 Billion in 2017 Feb 21, 2017 | 5:31 pm A recent update to the International Data Corporation’s (IDC) “Worldwide Semiannual Public Cloud Services Spending Guide” predicts that worldwide cloud spending will reach $122.5 billion in 2017 and $203.4 billion in 2020. […]
The Situation Report: Will 2017 Be the Year Federal Cloud Takes Off? Feb 1, 2017 | 3:30 pm Cloud computing has become virtually synonymous with IT modernization throughout the Federal government. But the government’s cloud record has been anything but consistent and predictable, making the effort to measure progress and plan for IT modernization efforts called for by Congress and the Trump administration nearly impossible. […]
Exclusive: Government Kicks Off Federal Cloud Center of Excellence Initiative Jan 27, 2017 | 1:55 pm The government officially stood up an interagency working group to develop best practices guidance aimed at helping agencies and departments move with greater speed and confidence to adopt cloud computing services. […]
OVH to Establish its First U.S. Data Center in Virginia Oct 14, 2016 | 9:53 am The third largest cloud computing company in the world, OVH, will be investing $47 million to establish its first U.S. data center, and North American headquarters, in Fauquier County, Va. […]
GSA Launches Effort for Open Government Oct 7, 2016 | 9:19 am GSA recently launched the U.S. Data Federation, a new effort to support data standardization and data federation initiatives in the Federal and local governments. […]
Top 10 Visual Analytics Vendors for Education Oct 4, 2016 | 9:21 am Technavio announced the top 10 global visual analytics vendors for the U.S. education market through 2020. Educational institutions are increasing their use of dashboards and visualizations within applications and business process management systems as part of their technology strategy. […]
K-12 Schools Increasingly Move Data to the Cloud Jul 8, 2016 | 8:38 am K-12 schools are increasingly turning to the cloud to store, manage, and process data. However, cloud adoption is not without its hurdles and concerns. CDW-G recently released a new infographic, “K-12 Cloud Possibilities,” that highlights the strides schools have made in moving to the cloud, as well as the obstacles still in their way. […]
Technology: The Soft Underbelly of Public Policy Jun 22, 2016 | 9:24 am Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., outlines the many dangers facing the government’s effort to modernize its aging IT infrastructure. But the time to act is now, he said. […]
Look Who’s MeriTalking: Greg Godbout Mar 28, 2016 | 1:09 pm MeriTalk’s feature, a Q&A with prominent IT leaders, focuses this time on Greg Godbout, the Chief Technology Officer and U.S. Digital Service lead at the Environmental Protection Agency. […]
The Situation Report: When Big Data and Cloud Go Horribly Wrong Mar 24, 2016 | 2:26 pm Creepy Data It’s no secret that my D.C. network of informants are concerned about the future of the Internet of Things and the potential for major tears in the social fabric if policy does not keep pace with technological development. But some members of the D.C. network have started sounding the alarm over China’s use […]
FedRAMP Process Takes the Heat on Capitol Hill Mar 3, 2016 | 4:30 pm A “fireside chat” brought the heat to Capitol Hill on Thursday. Members of the Cloud Computing Caucus delivered a scathing review of the FedRAMP certification process, but also strong words of advice, to a roomful of Federal workers and private contractors at the Fix FedRAMP forum. […]
Look Who’s MeriTalking: Michael Valivullah Mar 2, 2016 | 4:18 pm MeriTalk’s regular new feature, a Q&A with prominent IT leaders, focuses this time on Dr. Michael Valivullah, CTO of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. […]
VAZATA Attains FedRAMP JAB Certification for Managed Cloud Services Jan 27, 2016 | 2:31 pm “With our reputation for consistently meeting stringent security and availability … customers using a proprietary cloud architecture called vStructure™. The vStructure™ IaaS platform allows for enhanced computing capabilities, accessibility VAZATA Attains FedRAMP JAB Security Authorization for Managed Cloud Services for U.S. Government Clients thumbnail courtesy of virtual-strategy.com […]
GSA’s New Cloud Purchasing Option Gains Momentum Dec 2, 2015 | 1:18 pm Faster is better, and government acquisition could move much more quickly. That’s why companies are signing up for a new way to sell cloud products and services to Federal agencies. The General Services Administration (GSA) added a new special item number to IT Schedule 70 of the agency’s Federal Acquisition Service in June. With the […]
GSA Looking at New Way for Agencies to Buy Cloud Nov 18, 2015 | 4:23 pm The General Services Administration is considering a new, governmentwide acquisition contract that will allow Federal agencies to buy a range of cloud services to replace expiring blanket purchase agreements. The new contract would allow agencies to purchase infrastructure, platform, and software services and purchase integrated delivery solutions like hybrid cloud, Stan Kaczmarczyk, director of the […]
The Cloud Takes Off for Business Nov 10, 2015 | 10:17 pm The cloud is becoming a popular tool for businesses across the country, with 88 percent of enterprises saying cloud improves responsiveness to business needs, 69 percent saying it has enabled them to re-engineer one or more of their business processes, and 65 percent saying it improves overall operations, according to Verizon Enterprise Solutions’ 2016 State […]
Agencies Weighing all Cloud Options Nov 5, 2015 | 10:47 pm Federal agencies are embracing more cloud deployment models as they become more comfortable with cloud computing and their options multiply. “Our default is absolutely public cloud,” said John Skudlarek, deputy chief information officer (CIO) at the Federal Communications Commission. “We get the scalability we want. We get the flexibility we want, and most importantly we […]
CSP Profile: Autonomic Resources Oct 29, 2015 | 5:11 pm Cloud service provider Autonomic Resources’ was the first CSP to earn compliance from FedRAMP and the first to earn compliance from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). What’s next? […]
Congressional Q&A: Rep. Lieu Discusses FITARA, ‘Cloud Czars,’ and Skype Oct 29, 2015 | 10:04 am Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., has a unique take on Federal IT. That’s because he’s one of just four members of Congress with a degree in computer science. The congressman likes to joke that he’s a “recovering computer scientist,” but his background gives him credibility when he discusses issues like two-factor authentication or IT innovation. That’s […]