SIGNAL Connections

World’s Fastest Supercomputer Goes Classified
Roadrunner, the world’s fastest supercomputer, is transitioning to classified projects to increase the safety, security and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. Located at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Roadrunner recently finished the shakedown phase of performing accelerated petascale computer modeling and simulations on 10 unclassified, fundamental science projects, including work on nonlinear physics of high-powered lasers and modeling nanowires at small time scales. The projects put a workload on the hybrid-architecture, 1.105 petaflop/s (one petaflop/s equals 1 million billion calculations per second) system that enabled scientists to optimize the way large codes run on the machine.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to help ethnic and faith-based communities handle terror threats by adopting procedures used by the Secure Community Network (SCN). The department’s goal is to mimic the SCN platform for national security and preparedness and use it as a means to decrease the number of acts of terrorism by increasing both communications and information sharing.

The U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) is playing games with the expansion of the military’s “soft power” and decision making. Since September, the command has offered a complete training system that builds cultural awareness skills through game play and storytelling through its Joint Knowledge Online (JKO). Also available through the online management portal is a Web-based exercise application for multiplayer, small-group teams, cells and Joint Task Force (JTF) battle staff training exercises. Both tools are changing troops’ training landscape and are scheduled for integration with a major exercise next year.

The Virtual Cultural Awareness Trainer (VCAT) is a Web- and game-based training tool that builds cultural awareness in an engaging, multimedia-rich environment, offering participants the opportunity to practice skills in simulated immersive scenarios. “VCAT is distinctly different from existing cultural training methods,” says Cathleen Moran, Joint Knowledge Development and Distribution Capability Joint Management Office Advanced Technologies Division chief. “VCAT incorporates some of the most advanced learning techniques available, including game-based learning, storytelling, intelligent tutoring and remediation to help learners to quickly and efficiently develop operational cultural knowledge and acquire cultural skills.” 

Secure File-Sharing Software
Designed for secure file sharing, the GigaTribe software package allows users to share photos, videos, music and other files with GigaTribe users in a private, fully encrypted peer-to-peer environment. Only recipients selected by users can see the files and can decide whether they wish to download them. The company claims there are no files to upload, no size limitations and all transfers are encrypted. For more information, visit www.gigatribe.com.

Homefront Help is SIGNAL Connections’ effort to support U.S. service members, veterans and their families. The column highlights programs that offer resources and assistance to the military community ranging from care packages to benefits and everything in between. In that same spirit, Homefront Help presents opportunities for readers to donate time, offer resources and send words of thanks to those who sacrifice for freedom. Programs that provide services are listed in red. Opportunities for the public to reach out to service members are listed in blue. Each program description includes a link to the organization's Web site, when available.

Homefront Help is SIGNAL Connections’ effort to support U.S. service members, veterans and their families. The column highlights programs that offer resources and assistance to the military community ranging from care packages to benefits and everything in between. In that same spirit, Homefront Help presents opportunities for readers to donate time, offer resources and send words of thanks to those who sacrifice for freedom. Programs that provide services are listed in red. Opportunities for the public to reach out to service members are listed in blue. Each program description includes a link to the organization's Web site, when available.

GPS Asset Tracker

Homefront Help is SIGNAL Connections’ effort to support U.S. service members, veterans and their families. The column highlights programs that offer resources and assistance to the military community ranging from care packages to benefits and everything in between. In that same spirit, Homefront Help presents opportunities for readers to donate time, offer resources and send words of thanks to those who sacrifice for freedom. Programs that provide services are listed in red. Opportunities for the public to reach out to service members are listed in blue. Each program description includes a link to the organization's Web site, when available.

American Freedom Festival
The American Freedom Foundation will host the 2009 American Freedom Festival November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. The event is a tribute to veterans to honor them and to recognize the sacrifices members of the armed forces make every day. It raises money and awareness for veterans and their families whose lives have been affected by operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, Sgt. Maj. Jack Tilley, USA (Ret.), is a co-chair of the festival.

Leadership, like language, is caught, not taught. By being around and hearing from successful leaders, young professionals catch on to the techniques that have helped them get where they are today. And while styles differ, the results of strong leadership are the same: steadily growing organizations comprising enthusiastic individuals who not only have the opportunity for personal growth but also feel appreciated.

Not all up-and-coming talented individuals have the chance to hear from the masters of leadership. But a program sponsored by AFCEA International and the AFCEA Educational Foundation has been bettering the odds for the past two years through its Leadership Forum series. Two dozen young professionals meet in a round-table setting once a month for six months with a recognized military, government or industry leader. Each session lasts one hour and is followed by the opportunity to network with each other and the “leader of the month.” Participants in the series must be nominated by their company or government agency to take part in the series.

Cloud computing can solve many problems that state and federal governments are experiencing with traditional network-based systems. Through its cost-effective, flexible options, cloud computing enables organizations to move the burden of network management from their own staff to a host environment.

State and federal agencies are facing reduced technology budgets, a shortage of skilled technology staff members and a lack of a consistent and centralized information technology planning process, Teresa Bozzelli, vice president of government markets at Bozzelli Enterprises, says. These and other factors are driving organizations to seek the cost-effective solutions offered through cloud computing.

Bozelli and Kapil Bakshi, chief solution architect at Cisco Systems, were the guest speakers for “Why is Cloud Computing So Compelling for Government and Education?” The Digital Government Institute sponsored the webinar, which included definitions of cloud computing, discussions of the real and perspective barriers to cloud implementation, and an examination of cloud-computing architecture in relation to government and education needs.

The federal government has lengthy acquisition cycles, which increase costs to maintain legacy systems, Bozzelli notes. Bakshi says many organizations are looking for options that reduce cost and increase flexibility. Not only does cloud computing reduce complexity, cost and power, he shares, but it is more efficient and easier to operate than a network-based platform.