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Georgia Enterprise Technology Services (GETS) Update
Volume 4, Issue No. 12December 3, 2012
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Georgia Digital Government Summit to feature innovation, insight

 

We are all keenly aware of dramatic shifts in technology, but time to consider how to take advantage of the changes can be tough to come by. Next week's Georgia Digital Government Summit will offer IT staff and business leaders in state and local agencies an opportunity to explore innovative ways to put advances in IT to work for Georgia. 

 

The event will be held at the InterContinental Hotel Buckhead on December 10 and 11. It will be especially valuable for management staff and those being groomed for management, particularly in IT. It's a rare chance for education, insight and networking in today's budget climate.

 

The summit starts on Monday, December 10, with an opening keynote from author and creative thinker Tim Gard. On Tuesday morning, General Jefferson Howell, former director of the Johnson Space Center during the Columbia shuttle disaster, will speak about lessons in leadership. Throughout the day-and-a-half-long summit, participants will explore the boom in consumer technology, the role of information technology in the workforce, data analytics, citizen engagement, cloud computing and cyber threats.

 

A highlight of the event will be the recognition of winners of the 2012 Technology Innovation Showcase. We look forward to this opportunity to honor outstanding achievements and groundbreaking IT initiatives in Georgia's public sector.

 

More information about the program and online registration are available at the summit website. The event is open only to public-sector employees, and the cost to attend is $25.

 

I hope you'll be able to take part in this worthwhile event.  Thank you for your ongoing support.

 

 

Calvin Rhodes
State Chief Information Officer
GTA Executive Director  

If it fails, fix it - fast

When it comes to the state's most critical computer systems, downtime is a dirty word. So the goals for maintaining those systems are simple: limit service interruptions, and when they do occur, fix the problem fast.

 

IBM's focus on these goals over the last year is paying off. We're on track to trim the number of GETS critical system incidents in 2012 by 10 percent compared to 2011 totals. And just as important, IBM has cut average time to resolve those incidents from an average of seven hours in the latter half of 2011 to two hours for the first eight months of 2012.

 

GETS agencies rely on these critical systems to accomplish their business and serve customers who look to them for service. Fewer system interruptions and prompt corrections translate directly into improved service for Georgians.

 

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Safeguarding state computer systems and data

Ensuring security, a pillar of the GETS program, continues to be a top priority, and recent work by our AT&T partners builds our defenses.

 

Security tools implemented at agency facilities expand our ability to detect suspicious or malicious network traffic.  And when unusual activity does come to light, quick action to address it follows.

 

AT&T also manages numerous firewalls protecting the GETS enterprise environment.

 

Taken with server monitoring, malware protection, anti-virus and encryption improvements being introduced by IBM via our IT transformation, these protective steps by AT&T carry forward our commitment to IT security.

 

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Georgia Digital Summit 2012 

December 10-11

InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta

Only $25 for public-sector employees

Planned specifically for managers, executives and policy makers

For conference topics and registration information, visit the summit website

 

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We welcome your comments about service delivery, the state's IT transformation and related topics.

You can submit comments online or call our toll-free number to leave a recorded message.

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If it fails, fix it - fast
Safeguarding state computer systems and data
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