Some information technology industry leaders believe more government agencies are poised to adopt connected systems that have the potential to remake their operations, FCW reported Monday.
Zach Noble writes Matthew Burrell, a spokesperson for the U.S. General Services Administration, said it is crucial for agencies to prepare workers for Internet of Things implementation initiatives.
“This is not just a technology tool, this is a technology way of doing business,” Burrell told FCW.
“It affects process, workflow, training and even vendor contracts,” he added.
GSA has pioneered an IoT facility management program that works to collect millions of data points from multiple sensors throughout GSA-run buildings, according to the report.
Gary Hall, chief technology officer at Cisco‘s federal defense business, told FCW that he believes the technology could also help improve the way the Defense Department manages parking facilities at military bases.
Ron Ross, a computer security division fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, was quoted as saying a connected environment may also put IT systems at risk of attacks.
FCW reports that NIST formed a group to develop guidelines for agencies to protect cyber-physical systems.