GTA Update - Jan-Feb 2021

Update newsletter

Jan-Feb 2021 | Vol. 13, Issue 1

State CIO's column

IT capabilities relied on in 2020 will be crucial again in new year

You like to start a new year with a clean slate. We just don't have that luxury for 2021. We in Georgia government have done much already, but more remains to be tackled with COVID-19 response. January opens with Georgia and the nation in the thick of it.

To meet the still-unfolding challenges, we’ll need to take full advantage of the technology capabilities the state has in place, plus some we may still add. Our ability to do just that in 2020 across the state’s IT enterprise was key to so many successes. Capitalizing on firm foundations, infrastructure, relationships and processes, we wrestled down daunting tasks – one after another. That’s why I’m confident at the start of 2021. Confident that GTA, in collaboration with agencies and service providers, can once again bring technology to bear to meet the state’s needs.

You remember 2020. You remember how the state leaped to a remote work model in March, spiking demand for SSL VPN and introducing new security considerations (say nothing of a changed work culture). With quick help from partner AT&T, we upped SSL VPN capacity and made network adjustments (see article below) needed for a remote workforce. The state’s Office of Information Security collaborated with agencies to protect state networks as a raft of COVID-19-related threats emerged.

You remember how, early on, new laptops were scarce. And at a time when they were sorely needed, for instance by the Georgia Department of Public Health as it mobilized an expanded team of contact tracers. Through NTT DATA channels in our GETS program, some 2,000 laptops were acquired and deployed at DPH. And it wasn’t just laptops in high demand. State agencies facing pressing needs saw new servers provided quickly, often same-day, thanks to rapid provisioning capabilities via GETS provider Unisys.

I know you remember how traffic surged on state websites. The incredible traffic volumes on the DPH and Department of Labor sites, in particular, made the news. Working with those agencies, we launched chatbots on multiple state websites that answered almost three million COVID-19 questions in less than their first three months of service. The state’s GovHub digital platform was ready to accommodate the load, and all were glad of it.

Much, much more followed in a year marked by pandemic. And with technology-related needs bubbling up on so many fronts, the state’s technology enterprise proved itself on firm footing, adept at meeting needs as they emerged. We begin this new year on every bit as strong a foundation, with capabilities even more extensive than a year ago. We’ll need that full depth of resources, and deep commitment to match, from all of us. We’re ready. Here’s wishing you success, and successes for Georgia, in the year ahead.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Calvin Rhodes

State Chief Information Officer

GTA Executive Director

Stable networks always prized, and especially now

The state’s shift toward a remote work model last March dispersed its workforce. Many agency offices emptied overnight. The places where, just days before, employees came together to collaborate and manage the day-to-day business of their agencies were suddenly, well, lonely. But teamwork (and work, period) continued uninterrupted on the strength of computing networks and data networks like those provided via the GETS program.

To say the GETS network has been put to the test underplays it. GETS teams (AT&T prominent among them as managed network services provider) have pursued a network stability program stretched over months to stay ahead of the demands. Those efforts continue into 2021 as network needs continue to evolve.

The work gets technical quick, with considerations like load balancers, core MPLS switches, head-end switches and OSPF routes. But you don’t have to understand all the technical terms or network design to appreciate how critical this work is. It comes down to promoting stability and reliability. These efforts, performed in careful coordination with GETS customer agencies, are bolstering GETS network resiliency and improving performance. For the agencies that rely on these services, that’s what they’re after.

Throughout 2020 network refinements were made – a long succession of them – to respond to fast-changing needs. SSL VPN capacity was expanded dramatically. Infrastructure changes promoted more effective distribution of peak network demands. Failover capabilities were enhanced for instances when switching seamlessly to a backup network might be required. New security measures were introduced to safeguard a network now flexing to accommodate a remote workforce.

Multi-factor authentication steps to front lines of cyber defense

When you do business online with your bank or financial institution, they want to know it’s really you. You likely sign on with an ID and password. Then, you’re asked to enter a code sent to your phone. Or maybe you use an authenticator app.

This multi-factor authentication (MFA) is increasingly common with healthcare providers too, plus social media outlets, and others. The added security makes it well worth the added effort. And that’s the rationale behind adoption of MFA across the GETS computing community, first for Microsoft 365 tools (previously Office 365) and then expanding to other applications.

Beginning last fall and extending into the first several months of 2021, the MFA implementation involves equipping GETS agency staff with additional authentication tools and knowledge of how to use them. GETS server services provider Unisys leads coordination of the tools. For most agency staff who carry a state-issued mobile device, an easy-to-use authentication app (Okta Verify) will be loaded on that device. Most other staff will be issued a YubiKey authentication token. It connects to a PC just like a USB drive. After initial configuration of the app or token, their use is straightforward as will be explained in instructions provided to agency staff.

MFA implementation complements a broader slate of cybersecurity measures aimed at safeguarding state systems and data. Important among those is the cybersecurity awareness training program which continues into 2021 for employees at all Georgia executive branch agencies. The state’s Cybersecurity Board recently approved this year’s training plan, which includes varied training requirements quarterly for state employees, plus mock phishing exercises throughout the year designed to keep employees cyber-alert and put their training to the test.

DSGa team behind the scenes on high-visibility services

Social distancing in 2020 didn’t stand in the way of the DSGa team’s interaction with agencies that have websites on the state’s GovHub digital platform. It couldn’t. The focus of the work of Digital Services Georgia – the digital presence of Georgia state government – took on even more gravity in the midst of ballooning information and service needs of Georgians grappling with pandemic pressures.

That’s not to suggest this GTA organization didn’t have to make adjustments. There were plenty, just like everywhere else. And the results demonstrate a DSGa team innovating, often behind the scenes, and collaborating with state agencies on quite an inventory of high-visibility efforts.

Introducing a chatbot on state websites (DPH and GDOL sites, among them) able to quickly provide answers to millions of health and unemployment questions for many thousands of Georgians.
Launching a new state flagship site, Georgia.gov, that provides comprehensive and vital information such as COVID-19 state resources and voting information.
Completing migration of 70-plus agency sites to GovHub, a modern system optimized for content, accessibility, responsiveness and security, along with a unified state brand and design.
Implementing a digital analytics dashboard, which allows website administrators to monitor, measure, and improve their site’s performance across quality assurance, accessibility, and search engine optimization considerations.

Briefly ...

Georgia state and local government entities, get ready to nominate your innovative IT projects for recognition in the 2021 edition of the Technology Innovation Showcase. The 10th annual showcase, sponsored by GTA, will soon start accepting new entries. Projects receiving top honors in last year's showcase ranged from streamlined driver's license systems to enhanced billing systems to automated inventory tracking. County and city governments, as well as state agencies, were among the honorees. More than just an awards program, the showcase is intended to facilitate learning from your Georgia government peers and what they're doing with technology-enabled projects. It fosters a marketplace of ideas for innovative uses of technology to deliver the services citizens need today. Watch the GTA website for a call for entries.

GTA will soon publish the Annual State IT Report highlighting the broad range of Georgia IT accomplishments in FY 2020. Expected themes include the state's technology response to pandemic pressures, continued cybersecurity emphases, promotion of broadband services in underserved regions of Georgia, tuning the state's GETS shared IT services program to serve a remote workforce, and Georgia's continuing national recognition as a leader in state government IT. Watch the GTA website for announcement of the report's availability.

GETS teams are advocating server virtualization as a key to success of the ongoing space consolidation and optimization initiative at the state’s North Atlanta Data Center. The goal of the NADC consolidation is to trim the GETS computing physical footprint there by approximately 60 percent (20,000 square feet down to 6,000 square feet). In the process, teams will modernize data center power, racks, cabling and network capabilities. Virtual servers simplify any data center reconfiguration. Plus, they tend to be less expensive, more secure, more feature-rich, and more readily adapted to cloud server services, if and when an agency considers that option. The Server Refresh program provides a path to virtualization of GETS servers, complementing the consolidation work.