State Department CIO Burbano revamps network in time of war

Historically a laggard in the use of IT, the U.S. State Department has embarked on a massive network upgrade that will provide Internet access on every desktop in 260 embassies and consulates around the world. The project is coming none too soon, given that the State Department faces unprecedented information-gathering challenges in the war against terrorism. Network World Senior Editor Carolyn Duffy Marsan interviewed CIO Fernando Burbano about the status of the State Department's network upgrade, how it's changed since Sept. 11 and his advice regarding network security.

What is the status of the State Department's network architecture and modernization efforts?

[Our current OpenNet architecture consists of] the 30,000 modern desktops and servers that are Pentium-based [and run] Microsoft software. We have Cisco routers and so forth. Those systems replaced approximately 600-plus Wang minicomputers, the famous ones we had for almost 30 years.

OpenNet was designed to be an intranet. It has sensitive but unclassified information, and so [the department] didn't want to hook it up to the Internet for Web access. We have Internet e-mail capabilities at all 30,000 desktops, but Internet Web access is available on stand-alone PCs or stand-alone LANs, not hooked up to OpenNet.

When I came onboard, [the department was] prototyping to build a separate network for Web access. I took a look at the network architecture and said: "Yes, we do have to increase security because the Internet is like Swiss cheese. It's got holes. And we have to make sure that we mediate that risk. But we can use a risk-management philosophy as opposed to a risk-avoidance philosophy."

What we did was put out extra security so we could merge the Internet Web access with OpenNet. We're going to use the same servers, desktops, software and routers. We don't have to replicate any of that. That's what we're doing with OpenNet Plus. Eighteen months from now - unless something unforeseen happens like disruptions of shipments or financial problems on [Capitol] Hill - we plan to upgrade all 30,000 systems plus add 2,000 new systems. Three organizations are in production: the IRM Bureau, the Economic Bureau, and we just hooked up our first overseas post, which was Nicosia, Cyprus. Another 50 posts are in different stages of cutting over.

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What are you doing to upgrade your other network infrastructure, which carries classified communications?

We are also upgrading our classified LANs. We have 50 or so older Banyan LANs that allow classified e-mail but not classified Web access. They're not hooked up to the Internet, but they act as an intranet with a Web browser. So you can use SIPRnet [the Defense Department's Secret IP Router Network] or Intellink [the intelligence community's classified network]. We've been replacing [the old LANs] with new classified LANs. It's the same platform as OpenNet - all Pentium-based, running Microsoft software. We've had this program under way for two years, but it was very dependent on money. Classified systems are not your typical off-the-shelf stuff. They need special shielding, special cabling, special shipments that have to be carried in special ways, and special installation, all requiring top secret and above clearances. It's very expensive. Secretary [Colin] Powell gave us $200 million to complete our project for classified LANs. He gave us $110 million for OpenNet Plus.

By the end of this calendar year, we will have approximately 60 modern classified LANs in 60 posts overseas. Domestically, we already have it. In 24 months, we'll have new classified LANs at virtually every post. You've got to have special physical requirements to put in a classified network, and not every building has that. So where it's feasible and where it's needed, we'll have it with this project.

Secretary Powell has said his goal is for every employee of the State Department around the world to have Web access. What progress have you made in that area?

We have Web access in all embassies and bureaus. I'll give you an example: The Economic Bureau had 190 OpenNet workstations, which had the intranet with Internet mail only. They had 18 stand-alone Internet Web access workstations that were in pooled areas. Once we upgraded the network security and desktops, they went from having Web access capability for 18 employees to having the full 190 employees. So it was a tenfold increase. That's going to be representative of what's happening out there.

How has your network upgrade effort changed since Sept. 11?

We were already accelerated, and there's only so much acceleration you can do. We cut [installation] times on OpenNet Plus and the classified LANs. Originally, they were scoped out to take four to five years, and we cut that down to 18 months for OpenNet Plus and 24 months for classified LANs. Right now, we're on schedule. But we're trying to see if we can speed up even more. We've already maximized network security. We take that very seriously. So there wasn't any additional security needed.

How has the State Department put its upgraded network infrastructure to use since Sept. 11?

We're able to communicate sensitive information at 30,000 desktops. We didn't have that before. By the end of the year, we'll have 60 modern classified LANs, where we're able to maximize the use of other intelligence community links and databases from SIPRnet and Intellink. Plus, we'll have classified e-mail. We've always had secure voice, fax and cable. So we've always had secure communications at every post. Now it's just different flavors. At the desktop, it's more efficient.

Before your arrival as CIO, the State Department had a long history of being a laggard in terms of IT. How did you turn that situation around and receive the management and financial support you needed to conduct one of the largest IT upgrades going on in the federal government?

You have to get your secretary to support you, which wasn't hard for me because Secretary Powell is an avid IT supporter. Before he came here, he was on the board of directors at AOL. He's a big user himself. He's got his own laptop. He's got DSL at home. He does online banking transactions and trades. So we have an IT-interested and savvy secretary who knows the importance of IT. Also, at the Pentagon, he was a big supporter of IT.

Your network infrastructure budget is being doubled this year. How do you ensure the money is well-spent and there is a measurable return on investments?

Our budget is being more than doubled this year and next. We didn't have the money for the two networks. Thanks to Secretary Powell, Undersecretary [for Management] Grant Green and Congress, they gave us $110 million to do the OpenNet Plus project. We had the money to do the pilot, and we were doing that as the secretary came on board. We didn't have the money to roll it out. It was the same way with the $200 million for the classified LANs. It would have taken us five to 10 years at the pace we were going with little bits of money every year.

How do we make sure the money is spent wisely? We've put out competitive bids. We have professional contractors working with us such as KPMG, Computer Sciences Corp., Electronic Data Systems, Gartner and others. They're all working on different parts of the project. They are ensuring that we're using the latest techniques, the most cost-effective techniques. And we've used governmentwide acquisition contracts [for purchasing hardware] to be the most competitive.

What lessons can corporate network executives learn about network security from your experiences at the State Department?

They ought to look at combining networks. Originally, our unclassified [Web access] and sensitive but unclassified [OpenNet] networks were going to be separate. Corporations [tend to] have separate networks. All the hardware, the software, the routers, the telecommunications lines - everything's duplicated, so it requires more money and more people. If you can combine the two networks properly and not give up security, you can save a lot of money and [manage with fewer] people.

State Department CIO Burbano revamps network in time of war

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