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Technolgy can offer architectural firms an advantage in times when the economy is tough.

Educators and principals at large architectural firms say that IT skills, if promoted correctly, can sometimes open the door to the boardroom. In addition to stalwarts like CAD, rendering and modeling software, architects hoping to use technology as a fast track also must be adept with applications that streamline communications with clients, manage project schedules and crunch return-on-investment numbers. Added points come with the ability to create Web sites. Web technology helps practices create intranets to distribute in-house expertise to the entire staff in the form of electronic resources such as detail and image libraries, marketing materials and project schedules.

This article offers suggestions on how to succeed as a shared services provider. It cites that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shared Services Center in Mississsippi is one of the U.S. government's success stories and provides services such as information technology and financial management for NASA employees. It lists the key steps to building shared services such as developing a solid business base, locking down funding, and creating a support infrastructure.

The article discusses four misconceptions concerning cloud computing security. It warns U.S. government agencies that they should not expect the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program to eliminate all security problems. Meanwhile, Alan Paller, director of research at the SANS Institute emphasizes the importance of running reports everyday to ensure the effectiveness of continuous monitoring of information technology (IT) resources and activities.

This article reports on how innovative mobile devices and wireless applications will transform the way enterprise information technology (IT) is being done. It lists down the changes that these new mobile computing devices will bring to enterprises who will use them, and how they will fuel the shift away from clunky personal computers (PCs). It then explains the innovations that will occur on the increasing adoption of mobile computing devices and wireless applications including better interconnectivity and increase of new operating platforms.

The article focuses on data centers and its required infrastructure maintenance to yield effective service to government and private industries. It states that the budget requirement for each data center makes it a primary candidate for deficit-cutting tactics such as building more data centers. According to the article, the need for more data centers can be replaced by outsourcing information technology work. It discusses that while concerns on outsourcing are being ironed out, agencies must look for ways such data integration to deal with the budget.

The article reports on the need for government agencies in the U.S. to guard against hidden costs and performance shortfalls of managed security services. The function of managed-security service providers (MSSP) is to help information technology managers in local governments and federal agencies rein in costs, cope with shortages of technical talent and keep pace with stream of new vulnerabilities. It explains some factors agencies should consider when choosing MSSPs. It explores some pitfalls of managed security service to avoid when outsourcing security.

This article addresses the securing of continuity-of-operations plan (COOP). COOP planers are now aware of information security vulnerabilities that can open up when primary information systems go down. William Pelgrin of the New York State Office of Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Coordination said agency managers must evaluate the circumstances before deciding whether to recover quickly or recover as securely as possible. COOP experts recommend information technologies that maintain security continuity throughout a period in which a government office is closed and workers regroup at secondary sites, telework centers and home offices.

This article discusses some security management challenges faced when adopting server visualization. According to the author, some information technology (IT) managers and consultants say agencies must be alert to new types of vulnerabilities. He suggests that IT departments must protect the central management module, known as the hypervisor. He discovers that sometimes the source of a vulnerability is not the virtualization technology; it is how agencies deploy the technology that creates the vulnerability. The author recommends the use of configuration management software to address security challenges.

The article explores the strategies adopted by U.S. companies and federal agencies when selecting and purchasing information technology for their business. Chief information officers (CIO) are usually responsible for distinguishing valuable technology from technology fad. Aside from relying on technology specialists to evaluate offerings, CIO forge closer ties with program managers to help them recognize high-technology innovation that could improve programs. the strategies can counteract the objectives of trade shows. According to Transportation Department CIO Dan Mintz, aside from trade shows as source of technology cravings highly hyped product introductions force agencies to weight a new product's appeal against disruptions that accompany major upgrades.

The article reports on the new level of sophistication brought about by law enforcement and terrorist groups to the ongoing digital war due to modern computer and communications technology. The ability of terrorists to use modern technology is evidenced by the guide written by an Indonesian Islamic cleric to becoming an effective cyber thief. The fluid organizational structure of the Internet offers a communications foundation for command and control activities within centralized terrorist groups.

The article discusses the success of the Vodafone Group PLC in deploying Semantic Web technology. The technology enables mobile phone users to download content more easily. Semantic Web standards promise an end to complicated, hard-wired mappings among data sources that can become inflexible integration nightmares. Vodafone uses its document markup language to integrate its Vodafone Live Web site with the third party providers that create content for the portal.

This article discusses changes in command centers in the U.S. Command centers can pull in more raw data than ever thanks to an increasing wired world that features surveillance cameras on highway overpasses, biosensors, countywide geographic information system maps and instantaneous voice communications. But that is a cause for new concerns. A data floor might slow response times for emergency operations center (EOC) managers. Emergency response officials throughout the U.S. are grappling with ways to build a cohesive, central view of their jurisdictions, especially under the pressure and time constraints of an unfolding crisis situation. Technologies, including specialized Web portals and customized search engines, may ease data integration and bring order to incident response. For Arlington County, data assimilation begins with the standard Internet protocol network that officials launched in 2004. The network sends voice, data and video via a single communications pipeline. County officials also consolidated the 911 call center and EOC into a central emergency management department. Now, if a homeland security emergency arises, the county can package disparate information for officials working at the tech-laden command center. INSET: Portal powers Anaheim's center.

The article focuses on desktop modernization. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is undergoing a sweeping modernization that will not only give its employees the newest desktop hardware, applications and operating systems but also will narrow standard configurations to about four images or basic computing footprints. The ATF is not alone in trying to work out the complexities of desktop modernization, which requires discipline and centralized control and must recognize individual needs so employees do not upgrade systems themselves. It is a task made difficult by quickly changing technology and plug-and-play products that make guerilla customizations easy. Changes in desktop modernization practices in the headquarters of the Department of the Army became a priority after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and eventually led to the Desktop Realignment Initiative, a multiyear effort focused on centralized management and revisions to its standard hardware and software configurations. The Army's Information Management Support Center (IMCEN) manages about 8,500 Army personal computers (PC), which will grow to 10,000 in Fall 2005 and nearly 15,000 in about two years. The backbone of the refresh effort is a network that connects IMCEN support staff to the desktop PC. That allows them to service PC and load new software without a lot of touch labor. INSETS: State guarantees service levels;TF's upgrade advice;Air Force PC program making headway, by Frank Tiboni.

The article highlights the proliferation of knowledge management (KM) technologies to support government operation in the U.S. as of April 2004. Despite its appeal, KM remains difficult to define, partly because its information focus overlaps with other enterprise technologies. Nevertheless, large organizations are showing a growing realization of the promise and sales potential of KM. According to market research firm Input, the U.S. government could increase its KM spending for products and services during the next five years to approximately $1.3 billion, compared to the $820 million spent in 2003. Recently, vendors with KM offerings, such as Autonomy Corp., Open Text Corp., IBM Corp., and Tacit Knowledge Systems Inc. have introduced tools to simplify wide-scale collaboration. Other vendors, such as Verity Inc., have focused on newer and easier user interfaces. Because KM requires the careful integration of people, business processes and technology, success can be elusive. It is estimated that only about half of the KM implementations in commercial and military organizations yielded tangible benefits and only half again have seen major performance improvements as a result. INSETS: Knowledge vs. content management;Pieces of the KM puzzle.

Provides information on several government services and training resources that can help information technology (IT) managers with cybersecurity plans. Provision of a lifeline by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the U.S. Department of Education; Information on the Web services of the Patch Authentication and Dissemination Capability of the Federal Computer Incident Response Center; Efforts of the Secure Michigan Initiative to minimize cybersecurity risks. INSETS: Lessons learned;Where to go.

The article looks at the appeal of modular data centers to agencies that need some physical capacity to support servers and storage systems. Modular data centers are described as compact containers with core information technology (IT) infrastructure components such as power supplies, server racks and cooling systems. IT managers are presented to value modular data centers as they come pre-assembled. Vendor lock-in is cited as a hurdle with modular solutions as it reduces choices.

The article discusses cloud solutions as an option for disaster recovery plan in case of Information Technology (IT) outages. According to the article, in times of tight IT budgets, cloud offers a cost effective solution with faster recovery time. However, one of the biggest challenges for cloud solutions is the lack of industry standards regarding deliverables and the need to sort out complex interconnections in existing Information Technology (IT) systems before duplicating them in cloud.

The article narrates how the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) turned to standard technologies in pretested combinations to form converged infrastructure to save time and money while still meeting expanding users demands. It enumerates key considerations in moving to a converged infrastructure. The article also discusses preconfigured appliances and a reference architecture as options for converged infrastructure.

The article discusses the importance of continuous monitoring to protect U.S. federal agencies from security threats and vulnerabilities. Continuous monitoring can improve Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) regulations. Some of steps for implementing continuous monitoring include comprehensive auditing of the information technology (IT) environment of the agency, and creation of programs to aggregate and analyze information flow.

The article discusses the methodology gap between the procurement of information technology (IT) systems and procurement of IT services for transition to cloud computing. According to the author, the government's transition in cloud computing, has in some cases, resulted in extended contract negotiations and legal challenges. The author shares that for utility computing to succeed, the cloud model has to implement new procurement and vendor management practices.

The article discusses four mammoth programs for doing U.S. government information technology (IT). It reviews the cysbersecurity program of the Federal Information Security Management Agency (FISMA) and FTS 2000 and FTS 2001, the first series of Federal Telecommunications Systems (FTS) contracts. The article also explores the U.S. Army Knowledge Online (AKO) Web portal and the transition from Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) to the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN).

The article discusses the use of double-duty continuity-of-operations (COOP) resources for nonemergency tasks. It is noted that information technology (IT) officials in Fallujah, Iraq, used their COOP to stage an orderly migration of data storehouses when commanders decided in the spring of 2009 to move camp to a new location. Two core elements of the U.S. National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) COOP plan are said to reduce the risk of downtime while increasing the day-to-day productivity of employees.

The article addresses the common misconceptions about open-source software. Many consider open-source software a replacement for commercial software or a threat to information technology (IT) departments and data security. Although the costs of acquiring open-source software are lower than for commercial software, support and maintenance contracts can devaluate the advantages. Despite the availability of the OpenOffice software line, public sector will be slow to make a transition. According to Ben Berry, chief information officer at Oregon's Department of Transportation (ODOT), the cost of switching is high due to all internal knowledge.

The article considers the advantages and disadvantages of using single-purpose information technology (IT) appliances within IT departments in the U.S. Sing-purpose IT appliances refer to stripped-down, single-purpose computers tackling various tasks such as network management and security. While IT managers can bypass the complex task of integrating hardware and software when they use these appliances, these can pose several problems including its limited architecture capability, which can complicate instead of simplify the system.

The article considers the monitoring tools for Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hat would help the U.S. administrative agencies to improve the technology's quality. Although the sales for VoIP continue to increase and public sector adoption rates at more than 35%, the voice quality of the product remains inconsistent once it is deployed and its network connection is erratic. To resolve the problems, information technology managers are turning to performance-monitoring tools to identify the source of the problems. Some companies are developing monitoring tools specifically designed to add voice capabilities to VoIP.

This article focuses on several open-source software applications used by government information technology (IT) managers. The Apache Web server is used by almost 50 million Web sites around the world as their foundation, according to Internet services provider Netcraft. The Web server is said to be fast, customizable and reliable. JBoss, a Java-compliant application server, provides an essential back-end component of IT infrastructures. The Naval Air System Command has been running JBoss for the publication of Web sites for the Aviation Data Management and Control System program for aircraft carriers. The MySQL open-source database management program has more that 5 million users worldwide and is valued for its flexibility and speed benefit. The OpenOffice suite provides a set of office productivity programs that brings open-source advantages to a software market dominated by Microsoft. INSETS: Four more contenders;Dollars sealed the deal.

This article discusses the real cost of open source software. Like dozens of other federal, state and local entities, the U.S. Marshal Service is adopting an open-source software for some information technology projects. The Marshal Service has been replacing SCO Group with Linux in some back-office systems. In 2004, officials began implementing JBOss Web application servers, another open-source package, across the agency's 94 district offices. However, open-source operating systems, Web servers, databases and desktop computer applications promise to deliver needed capabilities at significantly lower costs than traditional commercial software, and many information technology managers are hearing the message. The so-called hidden costs of open source software mean that a total conversion to Linux could cost an enterprise three to four times more than remaining with Windows. Those companies that are having the most success with Linux are the ones that are very self-reliant with in-house expertise. George Weiss, vice president of Gartner, believes that a big component of calculating the total cost of ownership is the total cost of acquisition, which includes factors such as moving data from Unix to Linux systems and sorting out the variances in the distributions and architectures of various Linux products. INSET: Making the most of open source.

The article deals with the use of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications by public agencies in the U.S. as of July 2004, to enhance safety and efficiency of their communication systems. During the past three years, officials at the Commerce Department have worked to improve its antiquated and unreliable public address system. Thanks to a new software application that runs in conjunction with the agency's VoIP network, IP speaker phones emit emergency broadcasts. Since the application's introduction two years ago, Commerce officials have not had to use it for an emergency. Nevertheless, it is paying off in peace of mind. The application, from Berbee Information Networks Corp., is one of a number of new tools that are helping to take VoIP to a new level. Federal, state, and local agencies are routinely adopting the new technology, which merges voice and data through a single IP network. Years of documented best practices and technology improvements make it easier than ever to build the proper IP network infrastructures to handle time-sensitive voice traffic, which opens the door for new applications. Next-generation IP applications promise greater collaboration and more choices for communication. INSET: Quality control.

The article highlights the development of a data-sharing system by the U.S. Department of Commerce in March 2004, to integrate its Commerce Standard Acquisition Reporting System (CSTARS) and the Commerce Administrative Management System (CAMS). CSTARS is a centralized enterprisewide procurement system built by CACI International Inc. The system could streamline everything from buying supplies to contracting for business services, which for Commerce Department represents about $1.5 billion in annual expenditures. Getting CSTARS and CAMS to share data is essential to effectively manage the agency. In the past, Commerce officials would have ordered its information technology staff to write custom software code that would hardwire the two systems together. But this method would have only resulted in an inflexible interface vulnerable to rewrites as the applications and related business processes evolved. With the integrated systems, Commerce is saving IT resources, eliminating inefficiencies in the procurement process and reducing data-entry errors. Some of the benefits of the data-sharing system include better financial planning through commitment accounting, immediate verification of purchase-order acceptance or rejection, fewer data synchronization errors and less duplication of data. INSETS: Four lessons learned;Commerce's payback.

The article comments on the need for developing the information technology (IT) infrastructure that would adequately support medical imaging and electronic health recording systems in U.S. hospitals. Part of the problem is that many hospitals view infrastructure development and disaster planning as one more task for the IT department, when in reality these concerns are core business issues that need the financial and managerial attention of all senior executives and board members.

Discusses technology challenges faced by small and rural hospitals. Percentage of the total operating budget of rural hospitals that are devoted to their information technology (IT) budget in 2003; Information on a remodeling project of Watertown Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin; Importance of including the IT staff in the overall strategic decision-making process to develop loyalties of the staff.

The article examines the feasibility of adopting agile software applications by the U.S. government. It notes that information technology (IT) departments in the U.S. government are being urged to deploy new application software in greater frequency. It states that some observers believe that adopting agile software development approach in government IT departments is unrealistic while most federal IT managers affirm that the method reduces risk and facilitates the establishment of user requirements for new software.

The article presents tips for server virtualization of information technology. It notes that most administrative agencies in the U.S. have only virtualized a small portion of their servers, despite the benefits of server virtualization. It also explains the common errors information technology managers make when they virtualize servers. It also discusses how server virtualization affects enterprise storage systems. Information is given on computer systems and tools that are useful for managing virtual servers.

The article offers suggestions on the successful implementation of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best practice framework by state and local governments in the U.S. The ITIL framework is envisioned to help the government achieve new efficiencies in service, configuration and change management. It can be successfully launched at a smaller scale because organizations do not have to implement all the best practices to see benefits, according to Andy Atencio, chief technology officer of Greenwood Village, Colorado. Government-oriented organizations also need to identify and convey clear objectives for ITIL.

The article features the use of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework by various agencies in the U.S. in order to document best practices and train employees in the field of IT applications in public administration. The framework provides guidelines focusing on services and maintaining IT equipment and applications. Greg Smith, chief executive of Zenetex, said that the framework intends to align technology with the business mission. Savings of 20% to 30% can be achieved by state and local governments through the use of ITIL.

The article focuses on the efforts of U.S. federal agencies to comply with the deadline of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to make the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 Internet technology. Information technology managers will need to focus their efforts on acquiring appropriate switching and routing hardware, testing the effect on production networks and learning new security skills. The changes needed for major network devices are the switches and routers that manage the flow of data within local-area and wide-area networks.

This article focuses on the common mistakes in using open-source software. People often forget to consider the full life cycle costs of open-source software. Post-acquisition life cycle costs include financial hits taken during the development, deployment and management phases of software implementations. Software users should also consider long-term operations and maintenance when planning open-source projects. One of the biggest mistakes open-source users make is to think that because internal staff has access to source code, in-house information technology people can handle support tasks.

The article highlights the proliferation of Ethernet networking technology as of July 2004. Officials at Richardson, Texas and a growing number of their public-sector colleagues are deciding to use Ethernet to establish sprawling, metropolitan-area networks. A growing number of federal, state, and local entities are taking the metro Ethernet route to tighten wide-area communications and cut networking costs. They are building networks using switches from vendors such as 3Com Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., and Nortel Networks Ltd., the latter providing Richardson's hardware. Others are opting not to lay their own fiber or optical connections for private networks and are instead subscribing to metro Ethernet services from Sprint, Verizon, SBC Communications Inc., and other vendors. These services give public entities flexible bandwidth levels for a monthly subscription fee. The charges vary depending on bandwidth capacities, ranging from about $120 per megabit for 10-megabit connections to $20 for 100-megabit connections. Driving the demand for metro Ethernet is the hunger for increased bandwidth by information technology managers, who view metro Ethernet as an alternative to frame-relay or expensive Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks. INSETS: Is metro Ethernet right for you?;Weighing buy vs. build.

Reports on the application of three-dimensional (3-D) technology by online businesses, although it has yet to find wide-scale acceptance in corporate applications. Case of Bargainbid.com; Requirements for hardware and chip makers, software developers and information technology (IT) professionals; Industry observers' differing opinion about how 3-D can help in the enterprise.

Focuses on the issues related to the increasing demand for information technology professionals in the U.S. Growth on the market of storage services industry; Salary range for storage managers; In-house programs offered by CTS Professional Services Inc.

The article reports on the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) and other clinical information technologies at many U.S. hospitals and their associated physician practices. MemorialCare Medical Centers in Long Beach, California, sees IT as a key tool in the competition for physician talent with the state's Kaiser Permanente health system. Community Health Network in Indianapolis, Indiana has attracted a new hospitalist on the strength of its EMR. INSET: The System is in, But Can They Use It?.

The article discusses the factors to consider before purchasing medical innovations. It is important that hospitals give wireless infrastructures extra attention. Metal-lined wails and radio interference from clinical equipment can fit hospitals with dead zones that block wireless communications. It is also significant to identify problem areas with physical walkthroughs that can show information technology managers the best places to install extra access-point hard.