US Army information technology management: installation information infrastructure architecture (I3A)

In 1996 the Information Technology Management Reform Act, now referred to as the Clinger-Cohen Act, called for federal government agencies to "reform acquisition laws and information technology management"-in short-to plan, program, and integrate efforts relating to information technology (IT). The result, Congress expected, would maximize budget dollars while allowing the integration of new and emerging technologies into existing IT structures. The Army is implementing the Clinger-Cohen Act and modernizing the IT infrastructure on its installations worldwide using the unique process established in its I3A. Army I3A captures the existing state of the information infrastructure on an installation and applies a standard technically sound "target architecture model" that fully supports current and projected operational requirements. Using the information derived from the I3A. Army IT managers can cost the difference between the existing infrastructure and the target architecture model, budget to make up the difference, and plan, program, and integrate IT upgrades and modernization. The Army's Chief Information Officer (CIO) monitors I3A by chairing a Configuration Control Board (CCB) composed of IT managers from Major Commands, specialized engineering and technical commands, and the Army's Secretariat and Staff. The CCB serves as the operational management arm of I3A, carrying out its IT responsibilities to the CIO through its Working Groups to document and control configuration items, assess new technologies, and recommend changes. The Army's I3A is flexible enough to assimilate unexpected changes but provides the necessary structure to implement the Clinger-Cohen Act, and, as such, provides an important IT management model.