Perhaps the most exciting aspect of innovation is its potential to enable positive societal change. Citizens around the world will reap the benefits of this change as the cost of computing power decreases while the performance we get from these systems increases. Couple this with the fact that we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data everyday, and governments have an optimal opportunity to develop “data for the public good.”
The path forward for using data to improve citizens’ lives and the public good requires new ways of managing and accessing that data. Governments need to start thinking about their data as a natural resource that can have a profound impact on how they address societal challenges such as energy conservation, health care, and transportation. The most open and cost-effective way of doing this is by managing data with cloud computing systems.
Take a look at Ohio’s new project to migrate its technology infrastructure to the cloud and you’ll see a state moving out in front of this trend. Over the next 10 years, the State of Ohio Computer Center (SOCC) and IBM will collaborate to build a private cloud computing environment to host state services. For Ohio’s citizens, this will mean faster and more responsive services, access to government information through mobile devices, and enhanced security for their private information – all from a system with lower costs and a smaller carbon footprint than ever before.
Lower system costs will provide the collateral benefit of freeing up tax dollars for more services – a critical necessity in an era when governments must do more with less. And by reducing the carbon footprint of its technology infrastructure, Ohio will take a meaningful step toward becoming a greener state.
This unique collaboration between the State of Ohio and IBM underscores the importance of adapting innovative approaches to 21st century challenges. Gone is the separation between the methods used by private enterprises and public entities to serve their constituents. In its place is a new, integrated approach to service that draws upon the deepest expertise and most effective operational protocols of both sectors.
The ability to harness increasing amounts of data and transform it into actionable information is essential for governments at all levels to operate smarter. The State of Ohio’s groundbreaking cloud computing initiative will energize societal and government transformations that will improve the lives of all Ohioans for years to come.
Anne Altman is IBM’s General Manager for U.S. Federal and Government Industries.
Related Resources:
State of Ohio Awards IBM $267 Million Contract to Modernize, Consolidate
State IT Infrastructure
Using an Information Agenda to Design Smarter Cities
