The World Intelligence Review (WIRe) held its 2010 Conference Feb 24-25 (see: https://thewireconference.com ). I was allowed to provide some thoughts to the folks gathered there and used the briefing below to help generate some discussion. I hope the briefing made the key point that users are responsible for articulating requirements and for ensuring their chain of command understands what they need in order to accomplish their mission. I know it is … [Read more...]
Enhancing IT Support to the Counter Terror Effort: Design Criteria
February 24, 2010 By
This is the concluding post on enhancing IT innovation in support of the Counter Terror effort. The first part focused on the challenge and importance context relevant to design criteria. This post focuses on design criteria and proposes next steps. Transforming the Challenge Into Design Criteria: The legacy IT environment of the counter-terror community is complex. Changes to the environment must be done by design or they may cause unintended … [Read more...]
Enhancing IT Support to the Counter Terror Effort: The Challenge
February 22, 2010 By
Several specific and new requirements have been given to the national security community as part of the White House review of security and intelligence systems following the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas day. Collection, processing, organization, and dissemination of information is a priority in the new requirements. This post provides an articulation of some of the technology dimensions of the challenge our nation's counter terror IT … [Read more...]
Twelve Principles of DoD Cyber Conflict
February 13, 2010 By
While rummaging through old files on my hard drive I encountered a piece I wrote in June 2002 which captured in writing something I had been briefing for several years. I had been briefing "Principles" which I had observed/learned while the J2 of DoD's JTF-CND and then later J2 of JTF-CNO. My theory was that just as Admiral Bill Studeman has helped intelligence professionals understand their craft better by articulating principles, I could help … [Read more...]
Oracle, Sun and the Enterprise CTO
February 6, 2010 By
The CTOvision.com assessment of the Oracle Acquisition of Sun: This is positive for the enterprise IT across the board, but the biggest determinate of what it means for your enterprise is what decisions you make now. If you are an enterprise CTO, the ball is in your court. The following provides a bit more context. First, some opinions/assessments: 1) The joining of Oracle and Sun will deliver what they are promising. 2) The open source software … [Read more...]
Larry Ellison on the Sun-Oracle Close, January 27, 2010
February 6, 2010 By
The clip below is Larry Ellison giving some context on the Oracle Acquisition of Sun. His mantra: complete, integrated, focused on business value for customers. I have more context and opinions coming in a follow-on post. … [Read more...]
The iPad is the Ultimate Thin Client
February 2, 2010 By
In my earlier post, when I railed against the iPad, it was mostly personal disappointment and letdown. I was disappointed by the technical specs, most notably the aspect ratio, and the exclusion of USB, HDMI, and webcams. Those items can all be added on in later iterations (which I firmly believe they will - perhaps the iPad HD?). And when they are released, people (Nerds/Geeks - maybe even I) will pay the upcharge for them. A lot of blogs have … [Read more...]
A CTO’s favorite list of lessons from the Miracle of the 1980 Olympics
February 2, 2010 By
I've previously posted the below, but it is a favorite story, one of leadership, vision, experience and mastery of art and science and my hope is that even of you have thought these lessons through in the past you might want to check them out again. The lessons below come from the true story of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team. The guys that did the impossible by defeating the Soviets. We all know the story. And there is a GREAT movie titled "Miracle" … [Read more...]