Federal agencies have a software accumulation problem. While they have countless options when it comes to selecting software, IT leaders routinely purchase and build out mission-specific environments and when those resources are no longer needed, they have to decide what to do. So what options do you have? Do you replace or do you remove? And, in either case, do you feel confident that you will be able to completely replace or remove? This question may not be as simple as it sounds.
The challenge is that while many get excited about the new software when it’s installed, too few make long-term plans for removal at software end of life (EOL), and most assume they can coast—especially when the tool’s contract duration is several years and the tool is operating as it was intended, complete with security patches. However, the federal procurement process can be quite extensive, requiring months or even years and can be fraught with other delays like award protests. Too often, this means that while software works great for the duration of the contract, if it reaches EOL before a replacement is acquired, the software can leave government endpoints vulnerable to cyberattacks. When coupled with the federal status quo of using data that’s often days or even weeks old, teams have limited ability to identify and respond to threats before they result in compromise or breach.
Instead of the status quo, teams should implement a modern tool rationalization approach that allows them to revisit their entire process. They should reevaluate priorities, validate installed applications are meeting mission needs, and proactively replace software with a platform instead of point solutions to ensure both security and mission sustainment—all while maintaining real-time visibility into threats and keeping networks protected. A chain is onl ..
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