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."