Lohrmann on Cybersecurity

Microsoft released the new Internet Explorer (IE) 9 this past week, and government enterprises across the world now have another important decision to make.

As Japan strives to recovers from the devastating earthquake and tsunamis, global governments are sending aid in a variety of forms.

As state leaders gather in Washington, D.C., this weekend for the 2011 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, one topic on the agenda is cyber-security. Experts in the field will be addressing questions like: What threats in cyber-space do we now face? What are the potential ramifications of these cyber-threats? What steps can governments take now?

Egyptian democracy and high-speed Internet are not topics that typically go together, but they were both highlighted during President Obama’s speech this week in Marquette, Michigan.

A quiet, but dramatic, change is well under way in rural America. Over the next two years, Broadband Internet access will become available to many parts of the United States that have been struggling with only dial-up connectivity up until now

“What do think about that WikiLeaks situation?” I’ve been getting that question a lot lately - not only from the typical techies or security pros, but from just about everyone else.

It’s that time of year when everyone seems to be recapping 2010 and making technology predictions for 2011. Here are my favorite predictions and some important trends to watch regarding government technology infrastructures for 2011.

The Federal Government has issued a cloud first policy as a part of the Office of Management and Budget s 25-point plan to reform federal information technology management. What does it mean for state and local governments?

It s not in the contract. We hear these words every day in government. The challenge is huge: To be innovative in our RFPs or Invitations to Bid (ITBs) and still be efficient.

The US Office of Management & Budget (OMB) will be implementing fundamental changes that “entail structural changes in how programs are funded, staffed and managed.” The plans call for a “cloud-first” policy which boosts the use of government cloud computing for new systems.

There are many ramifications from the state and local government election results this week, such as this article which highlights new Governors to bring big turnover of State CIOs. So what should current (or prospective) government technology professionals be doing now to prepare for 2011?

Our Michigan Digital Summit was held this past week, and the opening keynote was truly different in a fun way.