By Lauren C. Williams
Apr 27, 2021
The Defense Information Systems Agency has begun shifting the Defense Department’s dozens of support agencies onto DODNet, a single network for IT-related services.
“One of the reasons the IT reform initiatives were happening is because there was an inconsistent application of IT oversight by the various agencies across the Fourth Estate as a whole,” Col. Chris Autrey, DISA’s lead for the Fourth Estate Network Optimization (4ENO) program, told FCW. The Fourth Estate refers to DOD agencies that are not part of the military, intelligence community or combatant commands.
Although some agencies were doing fine, “some of the smaller agencies struggled because they didn’t have the size to be able to do all the pieces they needed to do,” he said, adding that 4ENO will level the playing field.
The first five agencies are expected to move to DODNet by the end of fiscal 2021. Along the way, IT personnel at those agencies will become DISA employees as part of efforts to make DISA the single service provider for DOD’s administrative support agencies.
Strengthening telework security
In its refreshed three-year strategy, DISA stresses cyber defense, cloud and enterprise services. Initiatives also include expanding the availability of secure telework options such as the Cloud-Based Internet Isolation (CBII) program, which creates an air gap between DOD’s networks and internet browser activity to keep website vulnerabilities at bay, and an upgrade to the technical infrastructure for the Non-classified IP Router Network and the Secret IP Router Network.
Although some agencies were doing fine, “some of the smaller agencies struggled because they didn’t have the size to be able to do all the pieces they needed to do,” he said, adding that 4ENO will level the playing field.
One of DODNet’s primary goals is to offload commonly used IT services to DISA so that agencies can focus on their individual missions. DISA kicked things off by migrating its own users to DODNet. After DISA’s pilot migration, the Defense Technical Information Center in Fort Belvoir, Va., began moving to DODNet in February, with a complete migration planned by the end of March.
Executive Deputy Director
What he does: Leads DISA’s operations, focusing on delivering efficient and effective IT services to warfighters.
Laurel Lashley
Program Manager, Cloud-Based Internet Isolation Program
What she does: Leads the program that creates an air gap between the potential vulnerabilities of internet activity and DOD networks. DISA moved CBII from a pilot to production with the ultimate goal of migrating all DOD users to the solution, beginning with the 1.5 million users who are scheduled for migration by the end of fiscal 2021.
Steve Wallace
Systems Innovation Scientist, Emerging Technology Directorate
What he does: Leads a team that is developing innovative solutions to meet the technical challenges facing warfighters, including cybersecurity, telework capabilities and identity management.