mobile devices

New IT Proposals: The Rise Of 21st Century Seat Management?

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The new computing generation has burst on the federal scene in a big way. The latest manifestation is solicitations coming from two cabinet agencies.

But they remind me of a scene many years ago. I spoke at the retirement party of a federal executive who had briefly worked on a program called seat management. I joked that more people were attending the party than had signed up for seat management, and got a roar of laughter.

“Seat”, as people called it, meant a contractor would supply to federal agencies a PC and all of the required software and services, charging a per-user, per-month fee.

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Seat management, touted as the biggest thing since computers, went over like a lead balloon. But it turns out, the concept might have simply been ahead of its time.

Today, agencies one by one are putting their productivity applications in the cloud. Separately, they are providing mobile devices or letting employees bring their own under BYOD plans.

Marry cloud and BYOD and you have the 21st century version of seat management. The difference today is the seat can be in someone’s car or kitchen, at the beach or in an airplane.

About those two new request proposals demonstrating what is going on: Keep reading →

 /  Published September 13, 2012 at 7:01 AM

Security Or Access? New DISA Strategy Seeks To Strike Balance

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The Defense Information Systems Agency wants to kick down a lot of existing security boundaries so that commanders can work together efficiently without having their email, video and text messaging hung up in a thicket of contradictory security requirements. But increasing access to classified command networks calls for some tradeoffs between security and utility, Anthony Montemarano, DISA’s director for strategic planning said in an interview this week.

To meet its goals and protect military networks, DISA, is working with Cyber Command to share information and develop tactics and policies to respond quickly to cyber attacks. The agency is also working closely with the NSA on security technologies such as encryption for mobile devices, Montemarano said. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 7, 2012 at 1:30 PM

How Following Cybersecurity Standards Saves Money

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Cybersecurity is on the top of many public and private sector IT agendas these days. But while organizations focus on the software and hardware to police networks, they often don’t consider the standards necessary to have all those defenses working together, or the possible cost savings that can be achieved through improved cybersecurity.

Standards and guidelines are often overlooked in the cybersecurity space in favor of cost savings, said Donna Dodson, deputy cybersecurity advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 29, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Federal Agencies Struggle To Capture Mobile Device Savings

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Government technology officials are working urgently to enable federal employees to work using their own mobile devices. That’s in spite of a thicket of management issues and security concerns that continue to hamper their efforts.

Though the path to adoption is proving cumbersome, the rationale is simple: Bring your own device (BYOD) programs are seen as a unique opportunity to reduce agency information technology costs. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 28, 2012 at 12:15 PM

Feds@Work: VA Mobile Security Chief Slams Door on Breaches

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Like many federal leaders today, Donald Kachman spends a lot of time thinking about security for the growing number of mobile devices in his agency.

And he’s coming up with solutions. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 22, 2012 at 11:00 AM

Microsoft To Drive A More Efficient VA Through Big Data

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The Department of Veterans Affairs recently committed to a continued partnership with Microsoft Corp. to use emerging tools and technologies to harness the power of big data and drive efficiency, mobility and better service.

Spanning from the desktop to the data center and mobile devices, the renewed agreement will allow the VA to analyze big data the department has been unable to evaluate in the past. It also means continued investment in a groundbreaking data warehousing/big data analytics initiative. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 16, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Hidden Costs Can Hamper BYOD Programs

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Federal and state government agencies have been launching programs allowing their employees to use their personal mobile devices at work to access data and business applications with an eye toward saving money. But many are often unaware of hidden costs associated with BYOD programs.

While these programs can provide all of advantages of mobility, unless managed carefully, they will not deliver their primary selling point: reduced costs. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 10, 2012 at 2:30 PM

Influencing Enterprise Mobility In Government

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When most think of the US Federal government some pretty cliché images come to mind. One in particular is the man or woman standing tall with their BlackBerries sticking out of a pocket holster. While this stereotype is often accurate, one major change has occurred over the past few years that has sent a tidal wave throughout public sector IT.

The BlackBerry that once held so tightly by the hip has now been replaced with an iOS or Android device, and it’s not the change in hardware that has Washington running a muck, it’s the power behind the hardware that most of us all know too well as the “Apps”. With apps, an entire Apple and Android enterprise ecosystem has been born and mobile app management or MAM seems to be taking the center stage of both accolade and criticism and the question remains, why? Keep reading →

 /  Published August 3, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Federal Agencies Ponder BYOD Policy Details

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As the federal government moves to widespread implementation of mobile device policies, the most attractive and cost effective approach appears to be personnel using their own personal devices to do their jobs.

But while BYOD policies make economic sense, the devil is in the details. This is especially important for the Defense Department and other federal organizations responsible for handling sensitive and classified data. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 24, 2012 at 3:00 PM

VA’s Paperless Systems A Roadmap For Other Agencies

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The Department of Veterans Affairs has unleashed myriad technology tools and new management processes to cut a backlog of disability claims and speed benefits delivery that could be a roadmap for every federal agency transitioning to paperless systems.

With the help of smart technology and online self-service access, 1.67 million veterans have registered for the secure VA-Department of Defense web portal, a 400 percent increase in just one year, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 24, 2012 at 9:00 AM
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