DHS EAGLE & First Source Digital Guide Launched

The Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions (EAGLE) is a multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, specifically designed as the preferred source of information technology (IT) services for the majority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enterprise infrastructure and initiatives. According to Soraya Correa, Director of the DHS Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), the success of EAGLE has led to plans for EAGLE II.

Designed as a companion contract to EAGLE, FirstSource provides DHS with access to contractor's commercial catalogs which offer a full array of IT commodity products available in the commercial marketplace from multiple original equipment manufacturers, producers, and suppliers. It is built on the same strategy as EAGLE and lets DHS components place their own orders through a centralized ordering vehicle, accessible to senior leadership, where they can find data or information related to their IT needs.

Soraya Correa, Director of the DHS Office of Procurement Operations (OPO)

This newly released digital guide provides information on:

• Progress & Success of EAGLE/First Source
• The Enterprise Solutions Office (ESO) & Outreach Program
• Interview with Charlie Armstrong, CIO, CBP
• EAGLE Contractor Roundtable
• First Source for Small Business
• EAGLE Large & Small Business Listing
• EAGLE/First Source Vision for the Future
• EAGLE Perspective by Jim Flyzik

Read and download your copy of this unique guide right now.

Produced by Trezza Media Group, Public Sector Communications and The Flyzik Group, the DHS EAGLE/FirstChoice Digital Guide was sponsored by:

• Abacus Technology
• Accenture
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• CSC
• ECS
• IBM
• Perot Systems
• Raytheon; and
• SAIC

( Thank you. If you enjoyed this article, get free updates by email or RSS - KLJ )

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The Tactical Cloud

When cloud computing first came in vogue, there was a rather serious discussion about the private cloud concept. The whole idea of cloud computing seemed to argue against implementing such a capability behind organizational walls. Although in some circles, the idea of a "private cloud" is being subsumed by the more acceptable "enterprise cloud", last week's discussions at the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium brought up a different cloud concept - the "tactical cloud".

Now before you shout foul, please hear me out.

First of all, the discussion was centered on how the US Department of Defense (DoD) could possibly leverage cloud computing technology. In the view of many, the development of a "private" or "enterprise" cloud for the DoD is a fait accompli. Besides, the DoD has multiple private internets (NIPRnet, SIPRnet, JWICS, etc.) so private clouds seem like an appropriate evolution. Enterprise clouds, however, seemed to overlook the need for military formations to simultaneously leverage this new IT approach and operate independently. Individual units could combine their IT infrastructure virtually using cloud computing concepts. One use case hypothesized the use of high fidelity tactical simulations in faster than real-time to help commanders better evaluate tactical options before committing to a course of action. This "tactical cloud" would also need to seamlessly reach back and interact with the DoD's "enterprise cloud" There could even be situations where the "tactical cloud" would link to a public cloud in order to access information or leverage a infrastructure-as-a-service. A naval formation seem to be the perfect environment for a tactical or "battlegroup cloud". Although each ship would normally operate their IT infrastructures independently, certain situations could be better served by linking all the resources into a virtual super-computer.

Even more interesting is the fact that the conversations quickly started addressing the tactical needs of police, firefighters, medical professionals and homeland security organizations. If the DoD could improve their operations with a "tactical cloud" couldn't these other operating units benefit as well?

So tell me. Is there yet another cloud formation to consider?

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Virtual Machines in Virtual Networks

One of the key value propositions in cloud computing is built around increase efficiencies. These eficiencies are diven by the use of virtual machines (VMware, XEN, etc.) and the automated provisioning of these machines. While recent discussions in the Google Cloud Computing Group about VMware have levied this requirement onto the cloud providers (Amazon, Rackspace,etc.), I began to wonder how this would be addressed in a private or enterprise cloud implementation.

With Colin McNamara highlighting the many issues with integrating VMware into Cisco networks and Scott Lowe's blog headline about Cisco Switches on VMware, a replicable solution to the automated provisioning of virtual machines for enterprise/private cloud implementations may be in the works.

In view of Cisco's broad customer base in the national security space, I personally see this as a key capability for DoD/DHS cloud computing implementations. What do you think? In any case, come to the next SOA-R event and ask Cisco yourself.

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Operation Golden Phoenix

This week, Dataline is participating in Operation Golden Phoenix. Operation Golden Phoenix is a four-day multi-agency collaborative training event designed to assist federal, state and local agencies with large and complex incident response scenarios. The exercise implements FEMA's concept of an all-hazards approach to emergency management fostering every level of government to partner to achieve common goals. It's designed to integrate emergency management planning into mainstream policy-making and operational systems. The lead agency for Golden Phoenix '08 is U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Many national and international participants and observers from over 100 federal agencies will attend. These include DHS, DOD (U.S. Navy), DEA, FBI, DOJ, DOE, Marine Corps Reserve, California National Guard, NGOs and industry partners.

During the exercise, a backpack-sized, Dataline solar powered mobile communications kit (http://www.dataline.com/products.htm) will be used to provide multi-path access to a MEDWEB (http://www.medweb.com/) telemedicine infrastructure. This will be a field test of the communications kit that features mobile, fast, reliable, secure communications capabilities over multiple WAN technologies as a telemedicine tool. During the exercise, patient registration tracking and triage system with subspecialty telemedicine reach back capabilities, and HL7/DICOM integration will be demonstrated.

This exercise is an example of how cloud computing techniques and infrastructures can be use to improve mission effectiveness in the national security arena. Successful deployment and employment of this type of capability in a joint DoD/DHS cloud can lead the way to enhanced homeland security.

For more on cloud computing in support of national security missions please see Cloud Computing in a Net-Centric Environment.

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Cloud Computing for National Security

As the national security community considers cloud computing as an IT infrastructure option, it is surely looking at the value of the cloud in an information sharing world. Implementation of the recently signed Presidential Memoradum on Controlled Unclassified Information is an imporant challenge that may be met by the deployment of a government cloud.

“(1) This memorandum (a) adopts, defines, and institutes "Controlled Unclassified Information" (CUI) as the single, categorical designation henceforth throughout the executive branch for all information within the scope of that definition, which includes most information heretofore referred to as "Sensitive But Unclassified" (SBU) in the Information Sharing Environment (ISE), and (b) establishes a corresponding new CUI Framework for designating, marking, safeguarding, and disseminating information designated as CUI. The memorandum's purpose is to standardize practices and thereby improve the sharing of information, not to classify or declassify new or additional information.”

DHS has been working hard to develop and execute the appropriate business processes and associated workflows across multiple federal, state and local government information walls. Since the department inherited its IT portfolio from it's many predecessor organizations, virtualization of their infrastructure into a cloud seems to be a option worthy of study. Server and storage virtualiztion, however, is only the first step. Data and applications must also be virtualized through the adoption of a department-wide services oriented approach. A cloud platform with the appropriate embedded security capabilities seems appropriate.

In this secure cloud computing environment, access management, device management and user management will also be critical deployment aspect.

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