State and Local Governments Can Avoid Costly Mistakes in Application Modernization

by  Mickey McCarter

Software upgrades require clarity and prioritization as agencies confront legacy systems, security risk and pressure to move faster to the cloud.

Summary

State and local governments often rush into cloud migrations without assessing the hidden complexities of their application stacks. Greg Peters, chief architect at CDW, warns that many agencies face significant security issues and “tightly coupled” interdependencies that can stall digital transformation. Modernization is increasingly difficult as agencies manage hybrid environments and legacy mainframes that cannot be refactored overnight. Furthermore, Peters cautions against the misconception that AI can currently automate these high-stakes architectural decisions without human context.

To bridge this gap, CDW’s Strategic Application Modernization Assessment (SAMA) evaluates portfolios across 26 dimensions—including security and business impact. By providing dynamic, HTML-based dashboards, SAMA allows IT leaders to communicate risks and costs clearly to non-technical stakeholders. This data-driven approach ensures agencies build a clear roadmap, reducing the risk of expensive missteps while accelerating the modernization process.

 Read full story at StateTech…

Trump's New Cyber Strategy Details More Offensive Response to Cyber Threats

by  Edward Graham

“Unlike other Administrations, the Trump Administration will not tinker at the edges and apply partial measures and ambiguous strategies that neglect the growing number and severity of cyber threats, rqthe strategy said.

Summary

The Trump administration released its national cybersecurity strategy, emphasizing a more offensive approach to cyber threats.

The strategy outlines six key pillars, including shaping adversary behavior, securing critical infrastructure, and building cyber talent. While some praised the strategy's focus on private sector collaboration and AI-powered cybersecurity, others criticized it for lacking a clear blueprint for achieving its goals.

 Read full story at NextGov…

Why Printers Are Still Mission-Critical for Federal Agencies

by  Calvin Hennick

Government organizations still rely on printers as secure, networked endpoints that drive workflows, protect sensitive data and support hybrid work.

Summary

Despite decades of “paperless office” predictions, print remains a vital fixture in federal agencies. Former CIO Jose Arrieta emphasizes that physical documents facilitate better comprehension and memory retention for complex reports. While digital sharing is cost-effective, experts note that printed materials command more attention and serve as a “call to action” that emails lack.

Modern federal print environments have shifted from simple output to sophisticated workflow solutions. Agencies like the DOJ and VA utilize large-scale contracts with vendors such as Xerox and Brother to integrate secure, TAA-compliant hardware. Today’s strategy focuses on balancing cost-efficiency — replacing expensive desktop units with centralized A4 devices — and security. Arrieta suggests treating printers as critical nodes that reinforce zero-trust principles and verify sensitive data within AI ecosystems.

 Read full story at FedTech…

DOJ Clears the Way for Government to Hire Technologists Still Connected to Their Private Sector Employers

by  Natalie Alms

Ethics experts and public sector lawyers told Nextgov/FCW that they are skeptical about the arrangement of private sector technologists joining the government on leaves of absence while retaining their deferred compensation packages.

Summary

The Justice Department approved a plan allowing tech company employees to work for the government while retaining their deferred compensation packages, including unvested stock.

This arrangement, part of the U.S. Tech Force program, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and divided loyalties. While the DOJ opinion addresses compensation issues, it only briefly touches on financial conflict of interest statutes, leaving questions about recusal and ethical implications.

 Read full story at NextGov…

Google to Provide Pentagon with Gemini-powered AI agents

by  Andre Revilla

The Gemini-powered tools will handle routine tasks on unclassified networks, with classified access in the works.

Summary

Google is deploying Gemini AI agents to the Department of Defense's 3 million employees, initially for unclassified tasks like budgeting and meeting summarization. Since December, adoption has surged, with 1.2 million personnel processing 40 million prompts.

Despite this rapid integration, a training gap remains, as only 26,000 users have completed official AI instruction.

The rollout marks a shift in the Pentagon's AI landscape following a legal standoff with Anthropic over safety guardrails. While Google previously faced internal protests regarding military contracts — most notably Project Maven in 2018 — it has since loosened restrictions.

This expansion occurs alongside new defense partnerships with OpenAI and xAI, even as hundreds of tech employees urge their companies to maintain ethical boundaries against autonomous weaponry and domestic surveillance.

 Read full story at engadget…

Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: What's the Best Office Suite for Business?

by  Preston Gralla

Google Workspace has become a powerful, feature-filled alternative to Microsoft Office, and both suites are charging full steam ahead with AI features. .

Summary

Microsoft Office once dominated the corporate landscape, but since 2006, Google Workspace has emerged as a formidable, web-first challenger. This article provides a comprehensive comparison for businesses choosing between these two giants. While Microsoft 365 offers deep, feature-rich desktop applications and superior templates for Power Users, Google Workspace leads in intuitive, cloud-native collaboration and interface simplicity.

Pricing remains competitive, with both suites offering tiered subscriptions ranging from approximately $6 to $57 per user monthly. Key differentiators include:

• Document Editing: Word is more powerful; Docs is better for real-time teamwork.
• Data: Excel provides advanced analytics; Sheets excels in ease of use.
• Communication: Outlook offers complex automation, whereas Gmail prioritizes a streamlined workflow.
• Infrastructure: Microsoft Teams provides a more integrated enterprise hub than Google’s separate Meet and Chat apps.

Ultimately, the choice hinges on whether a company values Microsoft’s “every bell and whistle” approach or Google’s seamless, browser-based agility.

 Read full story at Computerworld…

How States Are Trying to Keep AI Data Centers Off Your Power Bill

by  Jeff St. John

“Large load tariffs” are spreading fast as states scramble to protect consumers and the climate from the AI boom. Some approaches have more promise than others.

Summary

As utilities face the insatiable power demands of the AI boom, many states are adopting “large load tariffs” to shield everyday consumers from rising costs. These special utility rates, now proposed or approved in over 30 states, require massive energy users like data centers to commit to long–term contracts and minimum payments.

According to experts from the Regulatory Assistance Project, the most effective policies involve “bring your own” clean energy models, where developers directly fund the renewable generation and grid capacity they require. While these tariffs help filter out speculative projects and protect against immediate rate spikes, concerns remain that current terms may not fully cover decades of infrastructure investment. Advocates emphasize that shifting the financial and environmental risks onto tech giants is essential to ensuring a sustainable and equitable energy transition.

 Read full story at Canary Media…

The Physics of Reliability: Why Gas Peakers Alone Can’t Save the Modern Grid

by  Arun Muthukrishnan

Most outages don't start as a multihour energy shortage; they start as a frequency crisis. If you only have gas, you're trying to stop a bullet with a shield that takes 10 minutes to lift.

Summary

The energy industry is moving beyond a reliance on natural gas peaker plants, which are often too slow to address modern frequency crises. While gas turbines require several minutes to ramp up, standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) provide sub-second injections of power to stabilize the grid. This “bridge then backstop” strategy allows batteries to handle high-frequency shocks while preserving gas assets for sustained endurance.

Advanced storage, equipped with grid-forming inverters, now provides essential “system strength”—mimicking the physical inertia of spinning rotors. By leveraging diverse revenue streams like energy arbitrage and ancillary services, standalone storage offers a flexible, digital layer of protection. Integrating these sprinters with the marathon-running gas fleet is no longer optional; it is a foundational requirement for a resilient, modern grid.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

Utilities Lack Tools to Guard Power Grid From Drone Attacks

by  Robert Walton

Power grid asset owners and operators have growing concern around their ability to protect critical assets from drone attacks as the government warns energy companies of possible Iranian retaliation.

Summary

Experts and industry groups warn that U.S. electric utilities require enhanced regulatory authority and advanced tools to defend the power grid against escalating drone threats. A recent report from the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) highlights a “growing concern” regarding unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), especially following recent geopolitical tensions with Iran.

During the GridEx VIII security exercise, participants identified significant gaps in current capabilities; federal regulations often treat drones as traditional aircraft, preventing utilities from interdicting them mid-flight. Industry leaders emphasize that the grid was not designed for aerial threats, leaving infrastructure vulnerable to surveillance and coordinated attacks.

Consequently, NERC and the Edison Electric Institute are advocating for consolidated federal guidance and expanded legal frameworks to allow for proactive drone mitigation before critical assets are compromised.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…