The Challenges of Consolidating Federal Government Information Systems

• Activity Number: 606
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 4, 2011 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Government Statistics
• Author(s): Ron Bianchi and Peter Meyer*+
• Companies: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/NCHS and U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Keywords: SCOPE ; privacy ; security ; consolidation ; federal ; transparency

Abstract

Privacy. Open Government. Transparency. Security. Functionality. Consolidation. Data Integrity. While it may be difficult to include all these terms in a single sentence, Federal managers in the realm of statistical data must reconcile these multiple objectives and directives on a daily basis. The President's Open Government Directive introduces a dynamic which runs headlong into the ongoing buttressing of the security of data residing on Federal systems. It grows evermore difficult to assure survey respondents that we can maintain privacy of collected data while being directed to be more transparent. Consolidation of data center resources within departments, while offering enhancements to overall system security, also enhances the probability of internal breaches resulting from unintentional technical acts. The Statistical Community of Practice and Engagement (SCOPE), sanctioned by the Interagency Council for Statistical Policy within OMB, was formed to address these and other issues confronting US statistical agencies through collaboration and sharing of best practices.