2006: A Look Forward
What will be the IT Trends for 2006?

As we move into 2006, many of the underlying key areas from 2005 still remain front and center: IT Security, Process Improvement, and Training. All of these areas are central to, and tightly, coupled with the ongoing core business needs of all organizations that have an IT presence. ActioNet has established capabilities in these functional areas and looks forward to helping our customers stay ahead of the curve in 2006 and beyond.

Security

The key areas within the realm of Security for 2006 include:

Focus on Compliance – The monitoring of user interactions with enterprise data will be enhanced to be able to capture normal activity, which will help in creating a baseline that will provide a way to quickly identify and report abnormal activity. The overhead involved with enhanced security can be reduced through improved procedures, training and security controls. Certification & Accreditation (C&A) efforts will become more rigorous, which will further drive process-oriented approaches to security.

Improved Application Security – The operating system layer will be fortified by newer versions that are more security focused, supplemented by improved patch management methodologies that allow for quicker responses to flaws before they are exploited. Enhanced compliance requirements and Operating System improvements will result in increased risks at the application layer. Many Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) Applications will be providing risk management and audit functions out of the box. Customized application development efforts must rise to the occasion by following a full life cycle methodology that strongly emphasizes the need for security up front during the Requirements Phase. This will reduce the likelihood of systems being compromised or programs incurring cost overruns by having to account for security needs after the fact.

IPv6 – The Federal government has a target date of June 2008 to transition to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issues a memo that will require agencies to assign a specific individual to coordinate transition planning. Agencies will have to develop and inventory existing IPv6-ready devices and conduct a transition impact analysis. The benefits of IPv6 go beyond the expanded addressing capability. The IPv6 protocol mandates that all users employ encryption and data authenticity, a significant improvement in terms of security.

Process Improvement

The Software Engineering Institute^SM (SEI) plans to release the Capability Maturity Model Integration^® (CMMI^®) Version 1.2 later in 2006 and the planning for the migration of the Product Suite from Version 1.1 to 1.2 has begun. Version 1.2 of the CMMI^® Product Suite is planned for release in August of 2006 and, although the changes are not extensive, this new release will include the following:

CMMI^® Version 1.2 Model Improvements

• Incorporating a model architecture that accommodates the expansion of best practices into new areas (e.g., services, acquisition)
• Releasing CMMI^® in a single-book format that reflects both the staged and continuous representations
• Eliminating the concepts of advanced practices and common features
• Simplifying the integrated product and process development (IPPD) material
• Incorporating the supplier sourcing (SS) extension into the base model
• Adding hardware-related examples

SCAMPI^SM Appraisal Method Improvements

• Removing the requirement for instruments (e.g., surveys)
• Adding guidance on how to characterize alternative practices
• Setting limits for the maximum length of appraisals
• Defining requirements for sampling and incremental appraisals
• Expanding the scope of readiness reviews to include the readiness of the organization, the team, and logistics
• Requiring the appraisal sponsor’s signature on the Appraisal Disclosure Statement
• Limiting the validity of appraisal results to a maximum of three years

Training Improvements

Updating course materials to reflect changes in CMMI^® models and appraisal method
Improving the clarity and consistency of the course materials

Training

In 2006, ActioNet will be a total training solution provider that offers traditional classroom-based training and eLearning capabilities. We already have a proven track record of delivering quality classroom-based training that includes the following topics: Microsoft Office Suites, Microsoft Certified Courses, Application Training, Systems Administration and Web Development to name a few. We will continue to build upon that success.

In the eLearning arena, ActioNet has expertise and will expand in two core areas: eLearning Systems and Content Development. No matter where an organization is in a project lifecycle, we can offer ways to decrease costs while improving productivity and expanding training capabilities and options.

ActioNet’s eLearning System expertise includes:

• Learning Management Systems (LMS)
• Authoring Tools and Processes
• Online Training Needs Assessments
• Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM) and Aviation Industry
• BT Committee (AICC) System Compliance
• Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS)
• Strategy and Standards Consulting

ActioNet’s Content Development expertise includes the production of training materials from scratch or converting existing training materials into:

• Classroom-based training materials
• Computer-based training (CBT) via CD-ROM
• Web-based Training (WBT) – using flash development tools
• Virtual-classroom Training (VCT) – using Centra development tools
• SCORM Conformance and Testing
  

CMMI^® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University.
SCAMPI^SM is a service mark of Carnegie Mellon University.