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Cloud Computing Thoughts – Part I

The Cloud Computing freight train roars on, if not with a lot of motion, at least with a lot of noise and tumult.

I have been part of a number of panels over the last few months which focused on the subject of Cloud Computing, the current state of the’art’, and as usual what barriers exist that need to be dealt with to make it easier to utilize. There certainly has been much written about it both pro and con and it remains a high-priority focus for the current Administrator and, in particular, Vivek Kundra, the Federal CIO.

For one of the graduate classes I am teaching this semester at the University of Maryland University College, the subject is touched upon as part of a broad look at technology changes and implications. The topic generated much comment by my students.

It seems to me that the subject starts from the wrong side of the discussion, the technology side. When the discussion turns to the impact, it starts at an important but not the most important concern, that of return-on-investment (ROI).

Today and in a number of future blog entries, I will talk about what I think are the current important issues associated with cloud computing. Today I start with what I perceive as a foundational issue, cost, but later in the week will move to what I believe are more important considerations and goals.

Note: I do not plan to rehash what cloud computing is, or is not, there are too many other write-ups that do this. Look at the National Institutes of Standards work on such definitions, I think it is pretty good.Cloud Computing Thoughts – Part I

Remember to Vote

Two events happened today that are at least in my mind related. First when I woke up I checked my emails for the two classes I am teaching through distance learning, at the University of… Remember to Vote

The Problem With Government Security

During the time I served as the CIO at the US Department of Transportation when I wanted to annoy my Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the CISO staff, I would point out that in my opinion there were two things wrong with computer security within the Federal Government.

First, we put security in charge.

Second, we kept secrets.

If we solved for those two issues, we would not have a security problem.

Of course, I was joking. Well sort of.The Problem With Government Security

My Slides from the University of Maryland University College 2010 Annual Cybersecurity and Homeland Defense Symposium

Last month I was the keynote speaker at the University of Maryland University College 2010 Annual Cybersecurity and Homeland Defense Symposium and Job Fair, http://www.umuc.edu/securitystudies/cybersymposium_agenda.shtml.

A few people asked me to post my presentation, but I have found that my current job as the COO at Powertek Corporation has caused me to miss many of my self-imposed deadlines for doing many things, including updating my blog.My Slides from the University of Maryland University College 2010 Annual Cybersecurity and Homeland Defense Symposium

Webinar on Cybersecurity: Building Secure Federal Systems

I was pleased to be asked to be part of a webinar sponsored by Government Executive this Thursday at 2:00pm EST and even happier when Pat Howard, the CISO from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission accepted an invitation to join me.

The webinar, moderated by Adam Ross, the Managing Editor from the SANS Institute, will focus on some of the challenges faced in creating secure Federal Systems. With the growing movement for speed-to-market and the movement to the cloud, and associated buzz words, and with the increased publicity about cyber-attacks, how we should best deal with such issues is becoming a still greater issue.Webinar on Cybersecurity: Building Secure Federal Systems

Social Media and Open Government – My Presentation

I was honored to be invited to speak at the Potomac Forum’s conference held February 3-4 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, “Planning and Implementing Social Media and Open Government Strategy and Efforts: What Executives and Managers Need to Know”, http://www.potomacforum.org/.

I discussed two topics under the topic of Bringing Governance, Performance Management, and IT Together.

Social Media and Open Government – My Presentation

SCADA Conference Presentation

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I am one of two representatives from CSC speaking at a SCADA Conference on Tuesday.

My focus, as usual, will be on the strategic reasons behind the movement to SCADA. Oops, perhaps I should back up. SCADA is an abbreviation for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. It usually is used as a catch-all term dealing with computer controlled equipment or machinery (or plants or smart grids or, well you get the idea).

Many of these systems were controlled individually by locally provised systems and thus security, while relevant, wasn’t the most critical factor when designing such solutions. Now that many of these systems are managed over the Internet and an increasing percentage of what most would consider our/US economic critical infrastructure touches these systems, cyber issue have become a very hot topic.

So my presentation will focus on why this is happening and also touch a bit on some of the issues the Government is facing in this space. The second presenter from CSC is an industry expert in the utility, chemical and natural resource market and will provide some more detailed oversight and advice.SCADA Conference Presentation

Social Networking & Cybersecurity

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Earlier today, October 28, I was priviledged to give a talk at the National Defense Industrial Association about Social Network & Cybersecurity.

My focus was to review why Social Network has taken off in the last few years and what implications for the future based on those conclusions. I also briefly reviewed Cloud Computing using some of Peter Mell’s slides from his presentation at the same conference on Monday, with his permission of course.

I had three major points.

Social Networking & Cybersecurity

Cyber-Security Discussion at the Fedscoop Conference

I was lucky enough to be part of a panel discussing cyber-security at a Fedscoop conference Wednesday, October 14, at the Newseum. The agenda for the conference is here: http://fedscoopevents.com/agenda.php. I thought it might be useful to summarize my general points for those who were not able to attend.

The theme of the conference was Lowering the Cost of Government with Technology though the panel’s comments ranged from cost issues to government 2.0 and social networking to cyber-security in general.

The panel was moderated by Chris Dorobek, the afternoon co-anchor for WFED. The other panelists included Vance Hitch, the Department of Justice CIO, Pat Howard, the Chief Information Security Officer, CISO, for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dr. Ron Ross, a key figure in defining security requirements and policy at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, Gary Galloway, the Deputy Director for Information Assurance at the Department of State, and Rue Moody, the Director of Strategic Technology at Citrix.

Cyber-Security Discussion at the Fedscoop Conference