Episodes
-
In our newest podcast, Scott DeViney, a business development executive at SolarWinds, explained that observability offers agencies a modern approach to updating their IT infrastructures by going beyond traditional monitoring.
Unlike monitoring, which only tells you what is happening, observability provides insights into why an issue occurs, whether it is related to network activity, cloud infrastructure, or application code. For federal government agencies overseeing some of the world’s most intricate networks, this shift is especially valuable. Observability allows agencies to proactively identify issues before they become outages or security breaches by correlating data from across the IT environment.
In the most recent episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, DeViney and host Lucas Hunsicker explore the challenges civilian agencies face when updating their IT infrastructure and how observability can provide much-needed solutions. Civilian agencies tasked with delivering secure and reliable digital services to the public often struggle with complicated infrastructure and aging legacy systems. The ongoing need to balance security, compliance, and efficiency puts a strain on resources and creates major operational hurdles.
Some of the key challenges discussed included managing thousands of users spread across multiple regions, and the growing complexity of hybrid cloud environments. DeViney pointed out that observability is particularly helpful in handling these complexities because it allows IT teams to transition from reactive to proactive operations by interpreting and correlating vast amounts of data. This improved resource optimization helps to ensure compliance with constantly changing regulations and helps agencies maintain safe and efficient services.
One interesting real-world example DeViney shared was how observability assisted an agency in identifying and resolving a configuration issue that had affected user experience. Although individual IT tools reported no issues, they were able to identify the root cause and promptly restore service quality by comparing performance metrics.
-
What if you could cut information search times by 35 percent or boost customer satisfaction by 20 percent, all thanks to the power of AI? In this episode, Ruben Dedman, DevNet technical consultant and AI developer at TD SYNNEX, reveals how AI is business operations and fueling innovation. With 90 percent of top businesses investing in AI, Dedman outlines a clear roadmap for implementing AI, including no-code tools that prove even non-technical teams can harness AI. Tune in to discover how AI can revolutionize your business and supercharge your operations.
-
Missing episodes?
-
In this episode, we sit down with Jason Langone, Global AI Lead at Nutanix to discuss how agencies can jumpstart their cloud-free AI journey to deliver new capabilities and efficiencies while preserving their data sovereignty.
-
Imagine you’re working with a key customer, and they urgently need a specific file to move forward with their project. You spend hours digging through countless folders, but you never find what you’re looking for. Frustratingly, it turns out that the file was there the entire time, but someone had named it in a completely different way, making it impossible to find. This is a common challenge, especially in large organizations like TD SYNNEX and Cisco, where managing many documents can be “difficult.”
Decision making can be affected by this challenge, which can include duplicating documents, relying on outdated information, or just now knowing here the most accurate data is kept. Keeping documents organized and easily accessible is a common challenge we all are familiar with, especially as business and the number of saved files grows over time. The enormous amount of data kept in multiple wikis and databases is a major challenge partners face, causing inefficiencies and delays when retrieving current, relevant data. Ruben Dedman, TD SYNNEX Net DevOps Consultant - Cisco DevNetGovernment Technology Insider podcast to discuss how WikiBot, an AI-powered tool, is set to revolutionize how partners and teams manage documentation. aims to address these challenges head-on by streamlining documentation processes and transforming team operations.
By integrating with existing systems, WikiBot increases efficiency for partners by providing tailored access to knowledge that enhances client services and internal operations. It also helps sales teams locate product documentation and recommends solutions based on past purchases, enabling them to focus on high-value tasks. Dedman highlights WikiBot’s impact to democratizing knowledge and increasing productivity. Routine tasks can be automated to improve collaboration, reduce errors, and ensure that documentation is current and easily accessible.
Ultimately, WikiBot empowers partners to manage documentation more effectively and provide better results. As Dedman said, “Wikibot... provides real-time wiki integrations with LLM AI models... it's a game changer. It's really been an awesome solution that we've been able to apply."
For more into how WikiBot and AI are transforming documentation and boosting success, tune into the full podcast below.
-
In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker deliberates these themes with Bryan Schromsky, Managing Partner of 5G Public Sector at Verizon Business Group. In their conversation, Schromsky highlights how 5G technology offers the DoE a ubiquitous infrastructure, capable of supporting dynamic use cases across its vast facilities. The robust coverage and low latency of 5G can enhance both day-to-day operations and advanced research initiatives.
The discussion explores the practical adoption of fixed wireless access as a versatile solution for both remote and backup connectivity, enabling crucial activities like meter reading and scientific research. Furthermore, the shift from BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to GID (Government Issued Device) underscores the importance of agency-owned devices in ensuring operational efficiency and security. Schromsky emphasizes the critical role of collaboration between industry, academia, and government in continuing to drive wireless innovation forward.
-
In the ongoing discourse surrounding the use of AI, the world stands at a crossroads. While some herald AI as a transformative force, poised to revolutionize various domains, others harbor concerns about its potential to replace human roles. Amidst this debate, a profound realization emerges: the most impactful advancements in AI arise from a fusion of human ingenuity with machine learning (ML), embodying a human-centric approach. Rather than viewing AI as a threat to human relevance, forward-looking innovators recognize its potential as a tool for augmenting human capabilities. By prioritizing the development of human-centric AI/ML solutions, the federal government is working toward a future where technological progress harmonizes with human intellect and judgement the power of AI lies not in its capacity to render humans obsolete, but in its ability to amplify and enhance our collective potential.
In the second part of this Government Technology Insider podcast, Amir Bagherpour, PhD, Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services, rejoined host Lucas Hunsicker to further explore the dynamic world of cybersecurity, focusing this time on the symbiotic relationship between human expertise and AI/ML tools.
Bagherpour highlighted the critical role of AI and ML in automating repetitive tasks, enhancing threat detection, and accelerating the cognition process for cybersecurity professionals. As agencies explore the human-centric AI/ML solutions currently available, industry partners play a vital role in driving innovation and facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies within the federal government. As cybersecurity continues to be a primary concern, collaboration between government agencies and industry partners is essential in fortifying defenses to ensure the resilience of critical systems against evolving cyber threats.
-
The October 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence marked a significant milestone in the federal government’s embrace of AI technology in combating cyber threats. As the cyberthreat landscape continues to evolve, attackers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, including stealth operations, identity theft, social engineering, ransomware, and supply chain attacks. In response to these challenges, agencies are using AI and ML-powered cyber tools to triage threats and simplify the decision-making process, supporting enhanced judgement and actions recommended by SOC engineers. By harnessing the power of AI-driven analytics, agencies can transition from reactive firefighting to proactive threat anticipation. Identifying better ways to harness AI and ML technologies and improving data intelligence applications are crucial steps in this endeavor.
In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker delves into the realm of proactive cyber defense with Amir Bagherpour, PhD, Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services. Together, they explore how advancements in AI and ML not only empower agencies to anticipate, understand, and mitigate cyber threats more effectively but also enhance the judgment capabilities of cybersecurity professionals. The discussion underscores the urgency for agencies to move beyond conventional defense mechanisms, especially as geopolitical tensions add complexity to the threat landscape.
-
Growing support for worker’s rights, including work-life balance and improved access to healthcare, has led state governments to consider the ways in which they support workers and how those services can be improved. 13 states plus the District of Columbia have taken steps to support community health by adopting and implementing Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) programs, which allow workers to take protected paid leave to care for a family member or address their own medical concerns. Data from the states with active programs has demonstrated their efficacy and necessity, but their unique design and implementation requirements mean that many states are unsure of how to move forward.
In this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, we spoke with Admira Makas, Director, Paid Family and Medical Leave at TCS – Tata Consultancy Services, to discuss PFML’s potential health and economic outcomes, the benefits it can have for employers, and how more states can take the next step toward PFML implementation.
-
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was designed to provide citizens with transparency into government operations and play a critical role in maintaining public trust. However, government agencies face many challenges fulfilling FOIA requests, which often undermine trust in government even further. How can government agencies overcome these challenges – from cybersecurity concerns to siloed data infrastructures – to simplify the fulfillment of FOIA requests quickly and accurately? To answer that, Government Technology Insider talked with Amit Dungarani, Vice President of Growth Enablement and Amy Hilbert, Executive Vice President of Government Solutions at Casepoint to discuss how federal agencies can navigate legacy challenges using innovative technology to simplify FOIA requests.
-
Federal healthcare agencies have been working diligently over the last few years to modernize service delivery to improve patient outcomes and experiences. Before health agencies can modernize, they must first overcome challenges around data interoperability to improve the future of patient care. Government Technology Insider talked with Monica Rosser, Health Market Lead at Maximus, to discuss how agencies can navigate the challenges of public health to modernize successfully.
-
Federal government agencies, academic institutions, and industry partners have dedicated time, resources, labor and funding to keeping ahead of an increasingly complex technical landscape. The Federal 100 Awards, considered the most prestigious awards for the federal IT community, present an opportunity to recognize the leaders driving that innovation forward.
For this episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, we invite a guest host, Dale Smith, Director of UI and Workforce Programs at TCS – Tata Consultancy Services, to speak with Andrew Stettner, Director of the Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization at the United States Department of Labor. In February, Stettner was recognized for his work at the Department of Labor with his induction into the Fed 100 Class of 2024.
In today’s conversation, Smith and Stettner discuss the significance of the Fed 100, developments in the unemployment insurance (UI) space, and the work Stettner is doing to continually improve how states can deliver UI programs, support their constituents, and mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse.
-
AI implementations not only revolutionize network functionalities but also play a pivotal role in elevating employee morale and help create the elusive unicorn employee. In part three of the AI and DevNet podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker once again comes together with Ruben Dedman, Technical Consulting Manager for Cisco DevNet at TD SYNNEX, to discover real-world examples of how AI-driven automation within networks empowers teams, fostering a sense of purpose and satisfaction, especially during challenging times. The benefits this creates for partners showcase the unique ways AI contributes to the development of unicorn employees—individuals with unparalleled skills and a profound sense of purpose.
-
Local government agencies have worked diligently to transform and modernize how services are delivered. But delivering unique experiences that streamline and personalize interactions with agencies isn’t always as easy as it might appear.
To better understand what makes local government modernization successful, Government Technology Insider sat down with Josh Fruecht, Senior Sales Leader at Granicus, who has over 17 years of experience working in, and for, public sector organizations. In the interview, Fruecht explains how agencies can integrate technology solutions in a strategic way using human-centered design to realize their vision to provide these unique experiences seamlessly to their key stakeholders.
-
Increasingly, nation-state sponsored cyberattacks are leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve their chances of successfully compromising an organization. But federal government agencies can also put the power of AI to work to bolster their cyber defenses. The advantage that AI brings to cybersecurity and defense is that it can analyze vast amounts of data, identify unusual patterns, predict potential security incidents, and enable cybersecurity teams to focus on verified threats instead of false positives.
In a recent podcast with Government Technology Insider, Jon S Kim, Vice President of Solutions and Services at Presidio Federal shared the potential applications of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity for federal agencies. Despite all the benefits it may bring, there are potential ethical issues when it comes to using AI. Federal cybersecurity leaders must consider algorithmic bias and the potential to unfairly target or discriminate against groups.
-
For years – if not decades – federal government agencies have been facing a quartet of cyberattacks – phishing, supply chain attacks, ransomware, and DDoS. Now, in addition to these, agencies must deal with new threats including deep fakes. Deep fakes are a type of synthetic media that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to impersonate government officials and other trusted individuals to spread disinformation. Now, however, they’re also becoming an emerging tactic that cyber-criminals are taking advantage of to launch highly effective cyberattacks.
Government Technology Insider sat down with Jon S Kim, Vice President of Solutions and Services at Presidio Federal to discuss new cybersecurity threats that federal agencies are tackling in 2024. In the conversation he highlights how critical it is for agencies to stay ahead of deep fakes and other emerging threats, as well as traditional attacks, through continuous training, investing in advanced threat intelligence, conducting regular security audits, and implementing a Zero Trust architecture.
-
Jeff Colburn, Enterprise Networking Solutions Architect at Presidio Federal, discusses the importance of incorporating Zero Trust architecture in cybersecurity practices, including multi-step verification processes for users.
Due to the increase of cloud services, mobile devices, and remote work among federal agencies, there are more opportunities for data to be breached. Compromised systems have led to the loss of confidential and personal data and have even caused economic damage from industrial shutdowns and shortages. In conjunction, security approaches must evolve to ensure secure networks. Zero Trust architecture revolves around the assumption of compromise. Instead of allowing verified users access to an entire network - segmenting networks into smaller, more isolated zones, barricades high level access for all users.
As security threats become more sophisticated, defenses around identity and access must be a top priority. Agencies must adopt an identity-centric approach with continuous verification of trust, shifting from traditional security approaches that assume everything inside the network is trusted.
-
While many partners without an engineering or coding background may shy away from implementing AI because of the perceived complexities involved, no-code tools are game-changers. These tools are revolutionizing development processes, making AI accessible to everyone, and reshaping the innovation narrative. In part two of the AI and DevNet podcast, host Lucas Hunsicker reconnects with Ruben Dedman, Technical Consulting Manager for Cisco DevNet at TD SYNNEX, to dive into the tools, trends, and considerations shaping the future of AI implementation.
- Show more
