U.S. GAO - Space Acquisitions: DOD's Goals for Resolving Space Based Infrared System Software Problems Are Ambitious

U.S. GAO - Space Acquisitions: DOD's Goals for Resolving Space Based Infrared System Software Problems Are Ambitious

In the data center, power and cooling costs more than the IT equipment it supports

In the data center, power and cooling costs more than the IT equipment it supports: "Historically, the cost of energy and the cost of the data center power and cooling infrastructure have not been on the radar for most Chief Financial Officers (CFO) and Chief Information Officers (CIO) and have not been considered in TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) models. As a result, almost all of the focus has been on driving down the cost of IT equipment in the data center. This was a reasonable assumption during the 90’s when server power and energy costs were substantially lower. However, as shown by the ASHRAE power trends curve in Figure 1, power density has been increasing at an alarming rate. During this same period of rapid power growth, server costs have stayed virtually flat and raw performance has increased substantially as shown in Figure 2."

Data center locations ranked by operating cost

Data center locations ranked by operating cost: "What are the three most important considerations when building a successful data center? Location, location, location.

To that end, Princeton, N.J., location consultants, The Boyd Company Inc., recently published its list of the top data center cities in the U.S. The study compares the cost of operating a data center in 35 U.S. cities -- including 25 of the nation's largest financial centers as well as 10 other locations -- ranked by estimated annual operating costs, scaled to a data center employing 75 workers and occupying 125,000 sq. ft. of new space."

Determining Total Cost of Ownership for Data Center and Network Room Infrastructure

Determining Total Cost of Ownership for Data Center and Network Room Infrastructure: "Determining Total
Cost of Ownership for
Data Center and
Network Room
Infrastructure"

APC - InfraStruXure Total Cost of Ownership

APC - InfraStruXure Total Cost of Ownership: "The InfraStruXure Total Cost of Ownership tool will compare APC InfraStruXure lifecycle costs to conventional Legacy data center architecture lifecycle costs. The prices depicted include all costs associated with the design, implementation, and maintenance of an Infrastructure required to support the Design Power Rating specified."

U.S. GAO - Information Technology: FBI Is Implementing Key Acquisition Methods on Its New Case Management System, but Related Agencywide Guidance Needs to Be Improved

U.S. GAO - Information Technology: FBI Is Implementing Key Acquisition Methods on Its New Case Management System, but Related Agencywide Guidance Needs to Be Improved: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is 3 years into its 6-year, $451 million program known as Sentinel, which is to replace its antiquated, paper-based, legacy systems for supporting mission-critical intelligence analysis and investigative case management activities. Because of the importance of Sentinel to the bureau's mission operations, GAO was asked to conduct a series of reviews on the FBI's management of the program. This review focuses on whether the FBI is employing effective methods in acquiring commercial solutions for Sentinel. To do so, GAO researched relevant best practices; reviewed FBI policies and procedures, program plans, and other program documents; and interviewed appropriate program officials."

U.S. GAO - DOD Business Systems Modernization: Key Marine Corps System Acquisition Needs to Be Better Justified, Defined, and Managed

U.S. GAO - DOD Business Systems Modernization: Key Marine Corps System Acquisition Needs to Be Better Justified, Defined, and Managed: "GAO has designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization as a high-risk program because, among other things, it has been challenged in implementing key information technology (IT) management controls on its thousands of business systems. The Global Combat Support System-Marine Corps program is one such system. Initiated in 2003, the program is to modernize the Marine Corps logistics systems. The first increment is to cost about $442 million and be deployed in fiscal year 2010. GAO was asked to determine whether the Department of the Navy is effectively implementing IT management controls on this program. To accomplish this, GAO analyzed the program's implementation of several key IT management disciplines, including economic justification, earned value management, risk management, and system quality measurement."

U.S. GAO - DOD Business Systems Modernization: Important Management Controls Being Implemented on Major Navy Program, but Improvements Needed in Key Areas

U.S. GAO - DOD Business Systems Modernization: Important Management Controls Being Implemented on Major Navy Program, but Improvements Needed in Key Areas: "he Department of Defense (DOD) has long been challenged in implementing key information technology (IT) management controls on its thousands of business system investments. For this and other reasons, GAO has designated DOD's business systems modernization efforts as high-risk. One of the larger business system investments is the Department of the Navy's Enterprise Resource Planning (Navy ERP) program. Initiated in 2003, the program is to standardize the Navy's business processes, such as acquisition and financial management. It is being delivered in increments, the first of which is to cost about $2.4 billion over its useful life and be fully deployed in fiscal year 2013. GAO was asked to determine whether key IT management controls are being implemented on the program. To do this, GAO analyzed, for example, requirements management, economic justification, earned value management, and risk management."

U.S. GAO - Defense Budget: Independent Review Is Needed to Ensure DOD's Use of Cost Estimating Tool for Contingency Operations Follows Best Practices

U.S. GAO - Defense Budget: Independent Review Is Needed to Ensure DOD's Use of Cost Estimating Tool for Contingency Operations Follows Best Practices: "Defense Budget: Independent Review Is Needed to Ensure DOD's Use of Cost Estimating Tool for Contingency Operations Follows Best Practices"

Army does about-face on data center consolidation

Army does about-face on data center consolidation: "The Army is reconsidering a plan to consolidate its essential information technology applications from hundreds of sites to a handful of regional area processing centers (APCs), despite having partially completed the task. The Army already has established two of APCs and is transitioning application bases to them."

Computing In The Cloud: Who Owns Your Files? : NPR

Computing In The Cloud: Who Owns Your Files? : NPR: "Do you have a Yahoo e-mail account? Maybe a Gmail account? Do you put up pictures on Flickr? Perhaps you've started keeping your schedule online. If so, then you are using cloud computing — that's what tech companies call it when people work and store information on the Internet."

Building a Fort: Lessons in Software Estimation - 10x Software Development

Building a Fort: Lessons in Software Estimation - 10x Software Development: "My big project this summer was building a fort for my kids. I'd wanted to build a clubhouse or treehouse or fort or something for the past few years, but we didn't have a good place to put it. Then while clearing some blackberries in the spring I discovered that our property extended about 20 feet further into the adjacent overgrown area than I had thought, and that was the perfect place for a fort."

Will 'virtual' computers shut door on Windows?

Washington Times - Will 'virtual' computers shut door on Windows?: "I often tell people that my experience with every version of Microsoft Windows - going back to 1.0, which I purchased at the very first Staples store in Cambridge, Mass. - resembles my pre-marriage dating life."

GAO-08-822 DOD Business Systems Modernization: Key Marine Corps System Acquisition Needs to Be Better Justified, Defined, and M

GAO-08-822 DOD Business Systems Modernization: Key Marine Corps System Acquisition Needs to Be Better Justified, Defined, and M: "GAO has designated the Department of Defense’s (DOD) business systems modernization as a high-risk program because, among other things, it has been challenged in implementing key information technology (IT)management controls on its thousands of business systems. The Global Combat Support System-Marine Corps program is one such system."

Newly consolidated centers return quickly in simulated disaster

Newly consolidated centers return quickly in simulated disaster: "IN APRIL, the Virginia Information Technology Administration (VITA) conducted the first large-scale disaster recovery tests of the consolidated data centers that will house the state’s executive agencies’ IT infrastructure.

“That disaster recovery test proved to be much more successful than past tests,” said Fred Duball, director of VITA’s Service Management Organization. “We were able to do things quicker…and go further than we had in the past.”"

Low-end systems still do most of the grunt work for your agency but suppliers offer improved performance

Low-end systems still do most of the grunt work for your agency but suppliers offer improved performance: "n the military, the big ships, planes and super-fast fighters get all the press. In the realm of information technology, it’s supercomputers. The Energy Department’s Argonne National Laboratories just dedicated its new Leadership Computing Facility in April, which will house the 556-teraflop Intrepid supercomputer. And a National Nuclear Security Administration supercomputer named Roadrunner made news last week when it hit 1 petaflop."

Video of EPLS System

MCSELMS: Small office bytes off huge savings

MCSELMS: Small office bytes off huge savings: "They might be just a handful of people, yet each year their Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) office saves the entire Corps tens of millions of dollars. Under Product Group 10 Information Systems and Infrastructure, their enterprise-wide reach has sped computer support to the front lines to keep the latest software at warfighters’ fingertips."

SoftLayer Opens New Virginia Data Center - Data Center Knowledge

SoftLayer Opens New Virginia Data Center - Data Center Knowledge: "SoftLayer has opened a new data center location in northern Virginia, expanding its capacity to meet growing demand. The company said the new facility provides space for an additional 10,000 servers on its growing network, which also includes data centers in Dallas and Seattle. SoftLayer announced in March that it would expand its on-demand hosting infrastructure to the East Coast through a five-year, $40 million contract with Internap Network Services (INAP)."

Virginia is for Data Centers (Still) - Data Center Knowledge

Virginia is for Data Centers (Still) - Data Center Knowledge: "arts of northern Virginia are running short of power for data center projects, but state officials say there are still plenty of quality development sites. Companies considering Virginia for data center projects may want to look beyond the most crowded data center clusters, according to Michael MacNeilly, the Project Manager for Business Development at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership."

Lesson on How Not to Build a Navy Ship - New York Times

Lesson on How Not to Build a Navy Ship - New York Times: "With the crack of a Champagne bottle against its bow, the newly minted Navy warship, bedecked with bunting, slid sideways into the Menominee River in Wisconsin with a titanic splash."

Data center locations ranked by operating cost

Data center locations ranked by operating cost: "What are the three most important considerations when building a successful data center? Location, location, location.

To that end, Princeton, N.J., location consultants, The Boyd Company Inc., recently published its list of the top data center cities in the U.S. The study compares the cost of operating a data center in 35 U.S. cities -- including 25 of the nation's largest financial centers as well as 10 other locations -- ranked by estimated annual operating costs, scaled to a data center employing 75 workers and occupying 125,000 sq. ft. of new space."

GAO: DOD wastes billions on weapons contracts

GAO: DOD wastes billions on weapons contracts: "Defense Department officials shouldn’t forbid cost-plus contracts when building major weapons systems, but they need to get a better grasp early on about the validity and specifications for expensive programs, an acquisition expert said today."

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