Mobile applications, process management, productivity applications, embedded systems, big data, and analytics: These and much other enterprise-class software present across the value chain offer a data driven competitive edge to an enterprise.

Big data is just two words and yet these two words are driving hysteria throughout the known world at a level not seen since Y2K. We supposedly create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day now and at this rate we can conclude that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone. This does sound apocalyptic as it suggests that we could drown in data far before global warming floods our coastal cities into oblivion. Are we being rational? I think not and this calls for an explanation.

With this post, I wrap up this three part series covering the findings of the GAO’s report on the overall progress of the Cloud First initiative. If you missed the first to parts, you can find them here and here respectively Quick recap: Earlier this month the Government Accountability Office released the results of their study on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Cloud First policy. The GAO assessed the progress selected agencies made and identified challenges they are facing in implementing the policy.

And just like that, Shamun is back with his expanded thoughts on the GAO’s Cloud First findings. If you missed yesterday’s review of the first of the seven findings, click here. Quick recap: Earlier this month the Government Accountability Office released the results of their study on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Cloud First policy. The GAO assessed the progress of selected agencies and identified challenges they are facing in implementing the policy. Shamun covers the next three findings in today’s post and will wrap up the series with the remaining for later this week.

Earlier this month the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released the results of their study on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Cloud First policy. The GAO assessed the progress selected agencies made and identified challenges they are facing in implementing the policy. In response to the findings, Shamun Mahmud, DLT Cloud Advisory Group team member and a contributor to NIST Cloud Computing Working Groups shares some additional thoughts on the seven implementation challenges identified in the study. In the first of a three-part series, Mahmud tackles the first of the challenges. The remaining six will be covered in two upcoming posts.

A funny thing happened at Mil-OSS LANT, I disagreed with Gunnar Hellekson! Let me be clear. Gunnar and I see eye to eye, so I feel the need to work it out in print. As usual, Gunnar put forth a very cogent and highly articulate presentation about removing complexity from software design using better design choices, fixing specialization in IT to something saner, oh and open source software. As referenced on page 18 of the presentation, "Craftsmanship is the enemy": shout it from the rooftops. Stop building better engines and start building cars, so consumers can consume not construct. If welders can weld anything, why can't system admins admin any system?

DLT’s Greg Agana provides a friendly reminder for everyone out there that troubleshooting difficult software application issues doesn't have to be as hard as quantum mechanics. When you run into an issue, like you would in Solaris or RHEL, there are a few steps we go through to figure out what exactly is causing the problem.

Maintaining seamless citizen services in a city the size of Charlotte, NC, back in 2009, was quite a challenge. From garbage pickup, administering construction permits, to street maintenance, the City its staff and customer service representatives (CSRs) needed to be able to provide a comprehensive and seamless service to its 730,000+ residents. The problem was that City staff and CSRs had to navigate several applications and conduct multiple searches when responding to inquiries and status requests. Not only was this process time consuming and frustrating to citizens, these legacy solutions were intimidating to Charlotte’s staff and CSRs.

A little over a month ago, I highlighted the differences between Big Data and data from ten years ago. I also covered how Big Data solutions unlock new approaches to turning data into information and information into knowledge that can be acted upon. Now, let’s take a closer look at some ways that Big Data might be exploited in the public sector (and in some cases is already being exploited). These examples may help to trigger specific ideas for leveraging Big Data to address your agency’s mission.

As Featured on Technology Marketing Corporation’s Website, TMCnet.com The General Services Administration (GSA) is in the midst of launching an ambitious program designed to accelerate the safe adoption of cloud services within the U.S. Government. That program, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), is a collaborative effort between the GSA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Defense (DOD). FedRAMP will ensure cloud service providers (CSP) maintain adequate information security; reduce duplicated effort; decrease risk management costs; and streamline the procurement of cloud services.