Hitachi Vantara Federal’s Gary Hix: Agency IT Leaders Should Expand Tech Consideration Set

Gary Hix, chief technology officer at Hitachi Vantara Federal, wrote in a GCN article published Friday that information technology leaders at government agencies should consider adopting cloud and other new technologies in addition to virtual private networks and virtual desktop infrastructure to support telework environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For one, cloud adoption is no longer optional; migration plans must be expanded and accelerated,” Hix wrote. “Agencies that had already moved significant portions of their compute requirements to the cloud had a much easier time of it when the remote work tsunami hit.”

He noted that artificial intelligence and machine learning could help agencies increase scale and improve functionality.

“For example, AI-based management, automation and analytics tools will execute predetermined workflows and processes, empowering a reduced-touch environment and freeing IT staff time for more strategic tasks, thereby increasing operational efficiency,” he added.

Hix called on agencies to assess the current state of their IT infrastructure to prepare for future scenarios and explore flexible procurement options when it comes to IT purchases.