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 →
In the wake of last week’s eleventh hour debt deal, government workers have been left wondering what will become of their jobs in this new age of austerity. While the agreement forged between Congress and the White House does not include specific cuts, many suspect that retirement and health benefits will be slashed in addition to pay and hiring freezes. In an already struggling economy, government employees are going to have to serve more people with fewer and fewer resources.
In a bad situation, we often advise people to “make lemons into lemonade.” Tighter budgets mean cutting out the fat and thinking of creative ways to solve problems. We literally can’t afford the red tape anymore, especially without a source of revenue in the debt agreement. Can public servants find a silver lining by using budget cuts to streamline the government operations? 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 →
While 23 out of 24 major federal agencies now routinely use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to interact with the public, a new report by the Government Accountability Office released Thursday warned that only seven of the 23 agencies had taken necessary safeguards to protect against malicious activities.
The new report highlighted what amounts to mixed progress in agencies’ effort to use social media to inform and engage the the public, citing concerns in managing and identifying federal records, protecting personal information, and ensuring the security of federal information and the systems that host that information. Keep reading →
A long-standing reliance on proprietary technology solutions and antiquated acquisition rules have left the Defense Department “pretty much in the stone age as far as IT is concerned,” the nation’s second highest ranking military officer said today.
Marine Gen. James Cartwright, outgoing vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said speeding up acquisition cycles is essential if the America is to maintain its military advantage. Keep reading →
The fight to obtain additional wireless communications spectrum capable of providing police, firemen and emergency managers with the same capabilities most 15 year-olds have on their smart phones has been ongoing since the attacks of September 11, 2001, when outdated radios prevented firefighters and police from communicating evacuation orders. Hundreds died because they could not hear those orders.
And while little has changed in the decade since then, the Obama Administration last month publicly announced its support to transfer a swath of wireless spectrum known as the D block to first responder agencies for the purpose of building a nationwide, interoperable wireless public safety network – a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. Keep reading →
The fifth in a series of “Seven Management Imperatives” for government leaders, based on the insights provided by some 300 senior government officials and more than 300 research reports, courtesy of IBM Center of The Business of Government.
Government leaders and managers have a fundamental responsibility to protect citizens from security threats. The weapons and tactics employed in many of today’s security threats do not require the traditional armies of the past. Malicious groups of people, down to a hostile individual operating within the homeland, can acquire and employ commercially available technology to inflict major destruction. Keep reading →
COMMENTARY:
Many cybersecurity professionals and military strategists have anxiously awaited the public version of the Department of Defense’s Cyber Operations Strategy and on July 14 the wait ended when DoD released the 13 page document.
The document follows much of what has been talked about or insinuated in discussions that have taken place in the not so distant past. It breaks down the strategy into five distinct stratagems and initiatives that frame DoD’s operational intent. Keep reading →
During my four decades of public service I have worked with many amazing people – some heroes who have risked their lives to save others, some who have risen to the occasion during crises like the Gulf oil spill and Hurricane Katrina, and many who have quietly gone about the business of serving the public with great dedication day-in and day-out. I was born while my father was at sea on a Coast Guard cutter.
In the current political climate and discourse over the national debt, we have done a poor job of distinguishing between the need for fiscal responsibility and the value of public service, which is enduring. Keep reading →
Mobile Mania: Securing The New Frontier
By John LinkousThe traditional model of centralized applications and data are rapidly fading away as users continue to exploit the value of on-demand information regardless of geographic boundaries. From the user’s perspective, mobile technology is fantastic. Keep reading →