This week's Android/Windows/iOS/MacOS application of the week is Dropbox. I use Dropbox all the time, for both work and play. The premise behind Dropbox is configurable cloud storage that is yours to use and share, as you see fit. You can mount it to your Windows PC and use it as an additional drive, use the mobile client to access files, or use it entirely from the browser. Additionally, the most recent Dropbox update for Mac, offers Lion support, … [Read more...]
DFARS Cybersecurity Survey Results
August 30, 2011 By
In July, CTOvision.com created and distributed a survey on the new proposed Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to safeguard unclassified Department of Defense information on contractor networks. After receiving responses from government, industry, and academia, we've summarized feelings and expectations towards the policy below. Of the respondents, 73% said that they were familiar with DFARS, so we believe we hit a good … [Read more...]
Hurricane Irene: GIS, Social Media, and Big Data Shine
August 28, 2011 By
As Katherine Maher pointed out on Twitter, no one gets credit when contingency plans work. And it is truly amazing how much government-citizen information collaboration has evolved--not to mention the growth of data journalism even in the most traditional news outlets. The average citizen had a wealth of accurate (and useful) hurricane information to choose from. There was also plenty of data to be used for those seeking to tinker, and very useful … [Read more...]
An interview with PowerAssure’s CTO, Clemens Pfeiffer
August 26, 2011 By
Last week I was fortunate enough to sit down with Power Assure's CTO and co-founder, Clemens Pfeiffer. Power Assure provides data center data center infrastructure and energy management tools, but their expertise with data centers carries far beyond just power management. Clemens spoke to me about how Power Assure can help any data center identify weaknesses and move to an energy efficient modern data center. Power Assure can help CTOs identify a … [Read more...]
Common Operating Picture Technology and Operational Command and Control
August 26, 2011 By
Riot control is an odd mixture of high-tech tools (digitized command and control centers) and old-school tools. The basic tactical elements are ancient---shields to block thrown projectiles, bulky body armor, use of mounted officers on horses, and police tactical formations with Greek and Roman pedigrees. Yet as the London riots demonstrate, P2P information technology is aggravating an existing drain on operational command and control, placing a premium … [Read more...]
Splunk: Bringing Big Data Analysis to the Rest of Us
August 25, 2011 By
Today's IT departments need to deal with incredible amounts of machine data. Splunk collects, indexes and harnesses all the fast moving machine data generated by enterprise applications and devices. This is a Big Data challenges that others find intimidating, with terabytes of information in many formats and from many sources. Many large enterprises now generate hundreds of gigabytes daily without an IT staff to match. This can lead to a swamped IT … [Read more...]
So Long Steve, Welcome Tim
August 25, 2011 By
We here at Crucial Point LLC like to bring you all news about disruptive technologies and speculate upon their effects business and government. This article is not about a new technology, but is concerned with a company that has brought about several disruptive and iconic items in the last decade. This company of course is Apple. By now I am sure you have heard that Steve Jobs has stepped down as CEO of the company (though he will retain his … [Read more...]
WayIn Adds Another Dimension to Polling
August 25, 2011 By
Like others here at CTOvision.com, I've also begun playing around with Scott McNealy's new venture WayIn and already see some interesting potential. WayIn allows users to ask questions about pictures they post to make visual polls for other users. You can share your questions through Facebook and Twitter, follow others, and interact with the app online or on a smartphone, though the mobile version has a better interface and is more handy. In these … [Read more...]
Weighing in on WayIn
August 22, 2011 By
Co-founder and former CEO of Sun Microsystems Scott McNealy is in business again. This time however, instead of creating computer systems, he has ventured into the social media world. His latest venture, manifested currently at Wayin.com and launched mainly on Twitter, combines user created content and distributes it to other users. Those users then get to weigh in on the content. Here is how the WayIn website describes this concept: "Wayin gives … [Read more...]
Calling All Federal Cybersecurity Practitioners: Contribute ideas and actions to enhance the community
August 22, 2011 By
On 28 September 2011, FedCyber.com will facilitate a one-day Government-Industry Cyber Security Summit to be held at the Newseum in Washington DC. This event is free for government cybersecurity practitioners. The FedCyber.com Government-Industry Summit will bring together thought leaders who know the cyber mission in a venue designed to enhance our collective understanding of the threat, build on existing strategies to mitigate challenges, … [Read more...]