Patricia Adams of LANDESK says the hard part of purchasing software occurs after the purchase, when you need to confirm you’re getting the expected value and return on investment from that software. […]

Government agencies have moved more into the app- and cloud-centric culture that is increasingly common in most enterprises. Now, privileged rights previously reserved for an administrative user are undergoing a transition where those rights are being segregated among a number of administrators for role separation requirements. That makes user authentication more important than ever when […]

In a guest commentary, Richard Beutel of Cyrrus Analytics says that Federal agencies are stuck between trying to modernize, but having to use old strategies to do it. […]

Maria Horton of Emesec examines the pros and cons of FedRAMP’s announced sweeping process changes in an effort to accelerate the accreditation of cloud solution providers to better meet agencies’ needs. […]

In a guest commentary, Richard Beutel at Cyrrus Analytics says the Federal government needs the IT Modernization Fund to be used as seed corn to accelerate the agencies off of fossil computers. […]

In a guest commentary, Alan P. Balutis of Cisco Systems wonders why the government’s reliance on outdated technology has surfaced only recently as an issue. […]

Kenneth M. Ritchhart at Oracle Public Sector argues that cybersecurity itsn’t an add-on. He says it has to be part of a network’s foundation. […]

When it comes to data protection, are you a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout–or an Eagle Scout? Your place in the IT and data security maturity life cycle is a lot like the scouts, according to guest columnist Tom Callahan of SafeNet Assured Technologies. As your organization becomes more mature, your view of protection becomes more sophisticated. […]

In April, U.S. Cyber Challenge will open their annual Cyber Quests competition, where thousands across the nation will attempt to earn an invitation to one of the three summer cyber camps by achieving a top score. With the growth of data in government, enterprise or the nonprofit sector comes growth in professional positions needed to protect that data. Yet the nation has a significant workforce gap of cybersecurity professionals. […]

The Federal government is the leading creator, collector, consumer, and communicator of information in the United States. If there are changes to its regulatory requirements, it is possible those changes will eventually spread into the commercial sector. Here’s what that sector needs to know. […]

For a manager working to drive optimal performance, proper training can be the difference maker. Yet all too often, training results in little to no demonstrable business results. There are a number of reasons for this. […]

How is this past summer’s hacking of secure personnel information at The Office of Personnel Management like the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction? […]

On Nov. 4, I testified before the joint subcommittees on Information Technology and Government Operations of the House Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. The hearing was titled “FITARA’s Role in Reducing IT Acquisition Risk, Part II–Measuring Agencies.”  The other witnesses included Federal CIO Tony Scott, Treasury CIO Sonny Bhagowalia, General Services Administration CIO David […]

When I came to Washington years ago on what was to be a one-year fellowship, the senior administrative management position in government departments and agencies was typically an Assistant Secretary for Administration (AS/A) or perhaps an Assistant Secretary for Management (AS/M). In the majority of cases, those positions and their deputies were long-time careerists, recognizing […]

The Federal government spends close to $100 billion each year on Information Technology (IT). That’s a lot more than the $80 billion figure that shows up in the President’s annual budget and reports from Deltek and others. The latter number only shows spending from the 24 so-called Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act agencies. It does […]

The recent data breach at the Office of Personnel Management has put a spotlight on the Department of Homeland Security’s Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program. There have been articles and blog posts that call into question the usefulness and logic of CDM because it didn’t detect the attackers or block the exploit at OPM. […]

Writers Guidelines MeriTalk is a property of 300Brand and provides a platform for news, information and thought leadership designed to improve the outcomes of government IT. MeriTalk welcomes new, independent voices to help improve the dialogue between the public sector and industry, enhance collaboration and facilitate sharing of best practices to address the most pressing […]

— from my colleague Frank Briguglio at Dell Software… By Frank J. Briguglio, CISSP, Security Architect, Dell Software The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has stated that any government employee, contractor or military service member that has filled out the “Questionnaire for National Security Positions SF-86” since 2000 (and possibly prior) is at risk of […]

Why can’t the government successfully complete complex IT projects? This question persists whether one is talking about Healthcare.gov or the recent data breaches at the Office of Personnel Management. The primary reason is the cumbersome way the government funds IT development. With agencies subsisting from one Continuing Resolution (CR) to the next, intermittent funding wreaks […]

If you’re involved in meeting the requirements of the 30-day Federal Cybersecurity Sprint, here’s some help from Dell Software’s Paul Christman on how our solutions can assist your agency in making real, substantive progress in the Sprint’s accelerated timeframe:   On Your Mark, Get Set – Are You Ready for the Federal Cyber Sprint? By […]

Strategic sourcing is focused on reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) while also delivering results, agility, and innovation. Private sector is well on its way to capitalizing on strategic sourcing, and in many industries, companies grow and die by how well they do strategic sourcing. Many of the public sector organizations, including federal, state […]

As you start your planning for 2014, consider three numbers: 90 83 1.05 During the 2014 fiscal year, sequestration will cut $90 billion in Federal discretionary spending. With the soft options already eliminated in 2013, the only decisions left are between bad and worse. Where can agencies find maximum savings with minimal pain? On average, […]

Crazy times. Furloughs froze contracting shops and requiring organizations. Last year’s playbook for year-end opportunities is no good. Everybody – inside and outside of government – trying to work out what September will bring. Here’s a take on how the Army will close ranks – from a fella who’s spent some time in the foxhole. […]