With a constant influx of data, one of the biggest challenges facing government agencies is determining “What is the right data?” or “What data does my agency need for mission success?”

Then, once the data is discovered, how do you make that data actionable? How do you integrate and visualize it for better insights?

As federal, state and local agencies amass more and more structured and unstructured data, the use of data analytics can help save time and resources in making informed decisions based on that data. However, challenges remain as agencies struggle to find the right skill set and manage the complexity of implementations for multi-structured data platforms.

When your agency detects a network attack, you need to act fast to understand what’s going on. But getting the insights and analytics you need takes time and often doesn’t trace threats back to the source.

This All-Star Team Plans to Jumpstart 100 Cybersecurity Companies in 3 Years

How are BIM, cloud, big data and data management technologies changing the way our utilities infrastructure is designed and managed? Here are four fast facts:

1) BIM

Sure, BIM has made it easier to share 3D intelligent models of infrastructure design projects, but BIM is more than a 3D model. It's and entire process for creating and using that model across planning, design, and infrastructure management phases.

By Chris LaPoint, VP of Product Management, SolarWinds

Altruistic hackers are slowly becoming more prominent in pop culture, specifically in TV shows in which they are young geniuses using their skills to help those in need. Their derring-do involves taking control of everything from airplanes to traffic signals, all in the name of good. And they do it with style.

Weeding out fraud is a big priority for the public sector. From unpaid and fraudulent taxes to benefit fraud, governments are turning to data to hit back.

“Big data” and the rise in demand for database services puts increasing pressure on IT departments. End users demand access to data at higher speeds and management wants that data delivered and managed at a lower operational cost.

Data stores are expanding at an exponential rate, compromising the performance of servers and applications. This growth also adds to the daily challenges and pains that administrators face – maintaining database health while meeting ever-evolving mission requirements.

Driven by potentially compelling outcomes, big government data is growing. A 2013 study of federal IT officials by the TechAmerica Foundation, for example, found that big data delivers many benefits, including:

Big data is a big bet for the public sector.

It’s estimated that U.S. federal agencies currently store 1.61 petabytes of data – and it’s expected to do a lot more with that data than it currently is. In a 2012 survey by the 1105 Government Information Group, 63% of the almost 200 respondents agreed that unless they implement and use big data it will be more difficult to meet their agency's mission

What is Big Data?