Data centers are buildings or rooms used to store, manage and disseminate data, information and command, control, communications, computers and information management services. In keeping with Department of Defense and Office of Management and Budget directives to reduce physical information technology infrastructure, the Army will eliminate approximately 185 of its data centers between 2011 and the end of 2015, with further reductions possible thereafter. The Army will replace these data centers capacity by using a unified cloud-computing operational model to provide enterprise hosting as a managed service. The Army will move applications into designated DoD Enterprise Computing Centers as much as possible; then leverage commercial infrastructure; and, as a last resort, utilize Army-owned data centers. Read more

Apps for the Army (A4A) is a special effort to reduce drastically the time it takes to deliver applications to the Soldier. It synchronizes and integrates three strategic initiatives: deployment of standardized computing environments as part of the Common Operating Environment, establishment of agile enterprise software business processes, and implementation of an Army Software Marketplace. Read more

The Army Request for Information Technology (ARFIT) establishes Army policy and processes for the procurement of all information technology hardware, software and services, without a cost threshold and regardless of the type of procurement. A joint effort between the Chief Information Officer/G-6 and the Chief Management Officer’s Office of Business Transformation, ARFIT creates a single integrated process consistent with the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, which requires responsibility, authority and accountability at all echelons, while giving visibility of all IT procurement at the enterprise level. Read more

The Army Data Strategy implements the DoD Data Strategy. The objective is to make data visible, accessible, understandable and trusted, regardless of platform, to any authorized Army consumer or mission partner possessing the appropriate security clearance and the need to know. The Army’s approach focuses on providing users common, overarching data products and services that promote interoperability and faster access, retrieval, analysis and utilization of data. The Data Strategy will facilitate the identification and registration of authoritative data sources and establish information exchange specification guidance. Read more

Army Baseline Information Technology Services (ABITS), also known as “Good Enough” IT, represents a new information technology service management strategy for the Army. ABITS proposes two categories of customer services: user and organizational. User services are further broken into standard and priority users, who will receive the same types of services (voice, desktop, email, access to Network and applications) but different response and resolution times. Enabled by the global Network, ABITS will balance operational requirements, performance and cost (on a per user and seat basis) to extend essential communications, information assurance and automation services to Mission Command and business users at home station and outside combat zones. ABITS will establish clear performance standards, linking services and performance to cost and affordability, and measuring user satisfaction. Read more

The COE is an approved set of computing technologies and standards to which the Network itself and all applications and systems riding the Network must adhere. The COE is designed around a set of common computing environments and is paired with the Everything over Internet Protocol. Read more

Army Enterprise Collaboration Services (ECS) will improve knowledge management and promote IT efficiency through the delivery of collaboration capabilities as a managed service. By using existing licenses to provide access to centrally managed versions of Microsoft SharePoint® and IBM FileNet®, the Army will enable team collaboration, content management, records management and business process management among all Army users, regardless of location. These enterprise services also will integrate with the systems used by Army forces during training and deployment. While the Army will retain oversight of ECS, its day-to-day management will rest with the service provider, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Read more

Enterprise Email (EEmail) is one of the Army’s key IT efficiency projects. EEmail will place all Army users on a single email service. Army personnel will be able to access their Army email from any Defense Department location, and to collaborate with any Army user worldwide via a true global address list and enterprise calendar sharing. In addition, users will keep the same email address throughout their Army careers. EEmail was designed and developed to enable Joint interoperability and collaboration, to increase Network security and operational effectiveness, and to deliver significant IT efficiencies. Leveraging Army-owned Microsoft software licenses and the DoD cloud, provided by the Defense Information Systems Agency, EEmail will provision 1.4 million unclassified network users and 200,000 secret network users within the Army, Transportation Command, European Command and Africa Command. EEmail is separate from, but complementary to, the Army Data Center Consolidation Project. Read more

Identity Management is a system of procedures, policies and technologies to manage the end-to-end life cycle of electronic credentials. Common capabilities found in Identity Management systems include directory services, access management and identity life-cycle management. Directory services are a means for finding others on the Network. Access management controls access to Network resources. Identity life-cycle management addresses account creation and deletion and access privileges, and helps secure personally identifiable information. Identity Management will utilize DoD Enterprise Identity Services in conjunction with the Defense Manpower Data Center and the Defense Information Systems Agency Identity Synchronization Service. Read more

Information Technology Asset Management (ITAM) satisfies commanders’ need for visibility and situational awareness of IT assets. ITAM automatically captures, through standard Network Operations (NetOps) capabilities, data regarding systems and applications on the Army Network, down to individual printers and work stations. With this information, the Army will be able to track what and who is accessing the Network. Read more

Mobile Computing provides Army users access to Network data wherever they are, and whenever they need it. It also combines that information with situational data from mobile devices (e.g., location, events and images) via mobile applications (apps). Mobile Device Management (MDM) enables Mobile Computing in an efficient, economic, secure and defensible manner. Read more

The Army Spouse and Retiree Smartcard Pilot program is evaluating smartcard identity authentication as an alternative to username/password login to several Army and DoD websites. The pilot will analyze the smartcard and reader distribution process, the user experience with card reader installation and the overall acceptance of the card as a replacement for username/password login. The Chief Information Officer/G-6 is executing the pilot with support from the Defense Manpower Data Center, Army Knowledge Online, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Installation Management Command, Army G-1 and TRICARE Management Activity. Read more

VEUE is an end-user computing device (monitor, keyboard, thin/zero-client device) paired with supporting infrastructure, such as servers and data storage. The computing device has no dedicated local hard drive, often runs only web browsers or remote desktop software, and relies on the Network to access data and information from a central server. The supporting infrastructure stores and processes all applications and user data. (In contrast, a thick or fat/traditional client has dedicated local storage and processing capabilities that can function independently of a central server.) The Army Chief Information Officer/G-6 has identified VEUE as one of its top 16 information technology initiatives.Read more