Posted on 11/18/2004 11:07:59 AM PST by gorio
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Air Force's chief information officer John M. Gilligan will be available to discuss the launch of the Air Force's enterprise-wide Microsoft software initiative tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Pentagon.
The Air Force consolidated 38 previously decentralized software contracts for Microsoft products and nine support contracts into two mandatory enterprise-wide agreements in support of the One Air Force, One Network initiative. This effort is expected to save the service more than $100 million during a six-year period.
Core Microsoft desktop and server software, capabilities, and configurations will be standardized and mandated for use by Air Force personnel worldwide. This design will enforce rigorous security profiles and will be updated on-line with security patches and software updates.
Widely used, mission-essential, net-centric software will be managed and supported with disciplines similar to those used with weapon systems.
Security, performance and software feature settings will be specifically designed for Air Force operations.
An Air Force wide network compliance policy will be implemented in an effort to increase enterprise-wide cyber security and network performance.
Air Force and major command-level help desk support will be available for base-level units. Program network security and operations will be under the control of the 8th Air Force Air Force Networks Operations commander at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
All current commercially available versions of core Microsoft software will be configured, tested and approved for use service wide by Dec. 16 2004. Air Force personnel will be offered the option to purchase a licensed copy of Office desktop applications for use on a single home computer at a nominal cost.
Media who wish to attend Friday's event or plan to conference call-in should contact Jackie Hampton in the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs at (703) 697-4425 or Jacqulyn.Hampton@pentagon.af.mil. Media without Pentagon access should arrive at the metro building entrance by 3:30 p.m.
One Air Force; one airplane.
bttt
this scares the hell out of me..
one OS, one virus, one grounded network.
This will be 'handled' via India and China?
/sarcasm
Policy based on sloganeering hardly ever makes sense.
Thank goodness they chose a tried and tested security strategy.
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