A while back, I took the folks over at RackSpace to task for spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) concerning Cloud APIs. Luckily for all involved they simmered down on the subject (which most likely had nothing to do with my little article), and now the OpenStack project that RackSpace incubated doesn't look like the Chicken Little of the open source software world anymore. However, just like that game of whack-a-mole, we've got another FUD top-ten hit ripping through the charts: Data Portability & Cloud Lock-in.

One common misconception is that by moving applications – or IT Services – to the cloud, one somehow absolves oneself from properly managing that platform and application. Cloud platforms do not make 40+ years of institutional IT knowledge and learnings suddenly obsolete. In Symantec’s recent State of Cloud Survey, many traditional core IT disciplines were highlighted as being problem areas for cloud adopters. Ironically, many of the issues cited, like rogue IT and backup complexity, are commonly encountered with on-premise IT, so it’s no surprise to see these issues replicated on cloud platforms.

In this edition: Big Data Saves Money & Lives; FEMA Aims to Bring Geospatial Data into Cloud Environment; Symantec Finds Stuxnet Worm Traces from 2005; Connecticut Increases Power Grid’s Cybersecurity; Seven Actions for Governors on Cybersecurity.

DLT Solutions and [acronym] Magazine cosponsored the Public Sector CAD Awards last week. This two-part, four-question series will recap a conversation with the four judges called “Digital Design Tech, Trends, and Talking Points for 2013 – A Q&A with Public Sector Industry Pros.” Acronym Online editor Caron Beesley moderated the presentation. The judges were:

In this edition: Cloud Superstars Have Their Heads in the Cloud; Why You Should Pay for Open Source Software; Identity Management Is Complicated; Converged Infrastructure is the Future of Data Centers; Red Hat’s Jim Whitehurst Looks 20 Years Into the Future; 12 IT Predictions from the Federal Government.

In this edition: DLT Solutions Adds AWS GovCloud To Its Cloud Services; NIST Wants Your Advice on Cybersecurity Document; Red Hat Embraces BYOD; Steps for Protecting Your Data Center After Virtualization; State of the Union to Discuss Cybersecurity.

A CAD event isn’t one without a certain Autodesk Evangelist showing up. Thankfully, Lynn Allen not only made an appearance during [acronym] Magazine Public Sector’s CAD Awards virtual event, she gave the keynote talk. 60 AutoCAD Tips in 60 Minutes provided users with more valuable tricks and shortcuts than a magician carries up his infinite sleeve and within his endless hat. We caught up with Lynn afterward to bring you her thoughts on her most useful tips, cloud, and the next five years of digital design.

Having AWS on GSA is just the first step. While it’s now very easy to procure AWS, there’s still a lot of educating we need to do to explain how these services should be procured.

Last Friday, I had the privilege of hearing Henry Sienkiewicz, Vice Chief Information Assurance Executive for the Defensive Information Systems Agency (DISA), at a luncheon hosted by the Northern Virginia chapter of the Air Forces Communications and Electronics Association. In his opening remarks, Mr. Sienkiewicz identified three vectors challenging their cybersecurity delivery: budget decreases, strong demand from the services, and how cybersecurity is being conducted to defend and protect the mission. My five key takeaways are the following...

In this edition: Symantec to Rely on Partners After Restructuring; Touchdown! NetApp & The Super Bowl Partner; Autodesk and NASA Developing New Technology; Red Hat Uses ManageIQ Acquisition to Further Cloud Offerings