When the New York Times reported on July 20, 2011 that the federal government plans to close 800 data centers by 2015, you would think that would be new news.
Federal agencies and those in the federal information technology community, however, have been grappling with the news for more than a year–and in particular, an ambitious set of energy efficiency requirements. Keep reading →
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s management style can be summed up in two words: Listen. Decide.
Listen, because he knows that there are many people in his department and outside of it who know a lot more about the technical transportation issues than he does. And decide, because, well, he’s got the title. Keep reading →
There are big jobs. Then there’s Chuck McGann’s job.
As the chief information security officer for the U.S. Postal Service, McGann is responsible for protecting the integrity of information and the information infrastructure used in operating one of the world’s largest enterprises. Keep reading →
Government cloud computing proponents claimed a victory yesterday with the news that all 17,000 General Services Administration employees had successfully migrated to a cloud computing-based email system.
The $6.7 million project, begun last December and officially completed this week, converted GSA’s employees from an aging IBM Lotus Notes software platform to a new Collaborative Office Solutions version of Google Apps for Government, a cloud-based software platform that among other features, gives employees access to their email on virtually any approved device. Keep reading →
Martin Virgilio, deputy Executive Director for the NRC’s Reactor and Preparedness Programs, has these tips for agencies to stay on top of their game for incident responses:
1. Have a plan on the books for responding to emergencies including facilities, procedures and staff. Be prepared to transport technically qualified and trained staff to a trouble spot immediately. Keep reading →
In the first of a series of columns on the lessons he has learned as Chairman of the Recovery Board, Earl E. Devaney describes how the Board’s fraud prevention program has encouraged federal investigators and agencies to work closely together.
Everybody loves a comfort zone. There’s no risk, no surprises. But sometimes, to succeed, it’s necessary to adjust your thinking and do things differently. The development of the Recovery Board’s oversight plan for the $787 billion stimulus program is a case in point.First, some background: In February 2009, the President appointed me to serve as Chairman of the Recovery Board, a job that requires a sustained commitment to transparency and accountability. Keep reading →