SOLUTIONS Series

When it comes to the transition for C4I systems to cloud computing architectures, both the challenge-and the promise--boils down to "getting the right information to the right individual at the right time--and doing it securely," according to Teri Takai, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks, and DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO).

The second and final day of AFCEA's SOLUTIONS Series event focusing on cyberspace demonstrated that the military and government are still perplexed by this new domain.

Two leaders in the intelligence realm shared their main concerns about security and cyberspace to a packed auditorium at the SOLUTIONS Series.

Tracks panelists at SOLUTIONS discuss the foundational issues, current initiatives and long-term plans for cybersecurity.

Sherri Ramsay, director of the NSA's Central Security Service Threat Operations Center, says that the intersection of cyber, national and economic security has changed the way her organization interacts with industry.

Whether it's needs versus wants, open conversations versus regulations to protect intellectual property or oversight versus open development, agencies and the commercial sector must find the happy medium for acquisition processes to be truly reformed.

Acquisitions experts from the government and private sectors agree that the procurement system is broken, but do not necessarily agree about how to fix it. Meeting at AFCEA International's SOLUTIONS Series conference today, a consensus was achieved on contributing factors to the problem. Long acquisition cycles strip the effectiveness of many of the IT systems that are being purchased by the time they hit the field. Time and cost estimates are not realistic from the beginning of the purchasing process. Leadership to bring about true change is lacking. These were just some of the topics brought up during today's discussion, a discussion that will continue tomorrow on the second day of "IT Acquisition: Shifting to a Modern Paradigm," taking place at the National Conference Center, Lansdowne, Virginia, as well as broadcast via the Web.