http://www.microsoft.com/government/_layouts/feed.aspx?xsl=1&web=/government/en-bn/public-services/blog&page=8eead92b-4eb0-4a8f-9e7e-cc373601f58f&wp=d1743f91-ae9e-4ddd-9524-5078bfde631f&pageurl=/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/default.aspx&pID=flt03Thoughts, comments, news, and reflection from the Microsoft Government team.60http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=300&aID=94When moving to the cloud, it’s hard to know where to begin. But no need to start from scratch—here are three proven strategies already in use.Dan Mannion, Director, National Cloud Sales2013-05-01 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=289&aID=24Cloud computing has a huge upside for government agencies, but the transition isn't all sunshine and roses. Check out our strategies for managing three key concerns.Kellie Ann Chainier, Director of Office Regulatory and Policy Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2013-04-10 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=288&aID=92Government officials must be smart to build better cities, but your IT software doesn't always have to be.Marianne Janik, Senior Director Public Sector, Germany2013-04-08 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=282&aID=3The cloud is prevalent in government today, but that wasn’t always the case. Learn about three factors that have catalyzed the adoption of cloud in government, why they’re important, and what it means for the future. Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2013-03-25 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=276&aID=83Email in the cloud is a good start, but it’s just one component of an agency’s collaboration toolset. Learn why the entire collaboration suite makes sense in the cloud, and why seamless integration is essentialKeith Olinger, Senior Director, U.S. State and Local Government2013-03-14 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=274&aID=3At this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF), a WEF-commissioned report called for a $14 trillion investment in greening the global economy to safeguard our future from the threat of climate change. Learn how government IT factors into the picture.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2013-03-13 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=275&aID=86New mobile and social technologies are empowering political campaigns to connect with voters in highly targeted, highly personal ways. Learn more about how candidates are using these same tools to transform campaign management. Stan Freck, Senior Director for Campaigns & Elections in Microsoft’s US Public Sector Office of Civic Innovation2013-03-12 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=269&aID=84As the notion of environmental quality becomes more global, cities share in the responsibility of minimizing global pollution. Learn how cities are embracing technology to reduce their environmental impact and realize cost savings in the process.Bill Mitchel, Senior Director for Microsoft’s World Wide Public Sector team2013-03-04 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=268&aID=64Learn how cloud computing is transforming the way governments manage elections cycles. Andy Pitman, Microsoft eGovernment Solutions 2013-02-28 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=266&aID=4Natural disasters can strike at any time, meaning that the time to prepare is now. In the wake of recent natural disasters, we reflect on how our customers around the world are preparing for the future.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2013-02-27 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=265&aID=83Learn how a hybrid cloud approach, leveraging both public and private cloud options, is the future of government IT.Keith Olinger, Senior Director, U.S. State and Local Government2013-02-25 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=260&aID=76As government organizations look to the cloud, they need to ensure that their cloud solutions meet rigorous standards to keep their sensitive data safe. Learn why the State of Texas partnered with Microsoft for its move to the cloud.Michael Donlan, Vice President, U.S. State and Local Government, Microsoft2013-02-15 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=255&aID=66Virtualization and private cloud are emerging technologies that are driving governments toward a leaner future by improving the cost-effectiveness of existing resources and improving worker productivity. Learn how in our latest blog post.Susie Adams, Federal Chief Technology Advisor for Microsoft 2013-02-12 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=253&aID=81As governments seek to engage their constituents and deliver citizen-centric services, technology will play a key role—but it won’t come without challenges. According to IDC Government Insights, here’s what’s in store for the Asia/Pacific region in 2013.Jim Butler, Senior Director, Public Sector Partners in Asia2013-02-06 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=252&aID=4In one city’s quest to deliver a great learning experience to students while balancing costs, learn how a switch to Microsoft’s cloud-based Office 365 was able to deliver results on both fronts, and what went into the decision to migrate.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2013-02-04 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=248&aID=67Backed by the power of cloud computing, this year’s NORAD Santa Tracker program was a huge success. Learn how the cloud scaled to meet the demands of tracking Santa’s journey, and what that means for government organizations in the age of Big Data.Dana Barnes, Director, Microsoft Joint & Defense Agencies 2013-01-24 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=236&aID=76Learn how the City of Chicago is leveraging Microsoft Office 365 to modernize its digital infrastructure and save more than $1.3 million in taxpayer dollars.Michael Donlan, Vice President, U.S. State and Local Government, Microsoft2013-01-03 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=235&aID=3Cities are in the midst of a transformation when it comes to engaging citizens. In a time of increased connectivity, growing citizen demands, and shrinking budgets, what are some of the trends enabling "smart" cities to adapt?Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-12-23 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=234&aID=24A cloud is only as good as its assurance of data security and privacy. Learn how your government organization can quickly identify how Microsoft’s cloud services stack up in these two critical areas.Kellie Ann Chainier, Director of Office Regulatory and Policy Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-12-19 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=228&aID=74As Christmas approaches, learn how NORAD and Microsoft will help children around the world track Santa’s journey. Curt Kolcun, Vice President, U.S. Public Sector2012-12-11 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=197&aID=3Cloud adoption continues to gain speed across the U.S. public sector. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is latest to make the move, with plans to migrate roughly 25,000 users to Office 365. How much does the EPA expect to save? Learn here.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-11-06 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=190&aID=56As India’s government grapples with petabytes of big data, cloud computing and other emerging technologies can help turn this information into actionable insights. Rahul Chitale, Director, Cloud Services, Microsoft India2012-10-24 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=188&aID=4California County of Santa Clara in the U.S. joins a growing list of government organizations that are turning to Microsoft Office 365 to cut costs and improve operationsMichele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2012-10-22 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=186&aID=55Albania’s move to cloud computing enabled IT workers to become 70% more productive and shift efforts to more strategic issues and priorities Josh Rice, Director, Technology Sales and Licensing, Worldwide Public Sector2012-10-16 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=185&aID=16EU strategy calls for a more unified cloud environment that takes advantage of economies of scaleElias Ramos, Western Europe Government Director2012-10-11 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=165&aID=13Lean how to implement a private cloud with Windows Azure Services.Alan Merrihew, Senior Director of Government Technology Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-08-29 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=162&aID=49Find out how this government organization gained efficiencies with a private cloud.Yasser Hassan, Government Industry Director, Middle East and Africa2012-08-21 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=151&aID=3Find out how the EU and U.S. are looking at the benefits of leveraging cloud for shared services.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-07-26 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=148&aID=16Find out how Office 365 is helping meet rigorous industry standards.Elias Ramos, Western Europe Government Director2012-07-18 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=130&aID=42Find out how to increase productivity and reduce costs by embracing the cloud.Joe Scalone, Senior Program Manager, International Government Affairs2012-06-07 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=122&aID=39Learn about the latest project launched as part of the plan to open access to core public datasets on transport, weather, and health in the UK.Mark Gayler, Open Software Evangelist, Microsoft2012-05-22 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=121&aID=3Learn about the benefits of shared services and how one government is attributing great cost savings to this strategy.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-05-17 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=113&aID=37Find out how technology trends are impacting employees and IT decision-making.Cigdem Aygun, Government Industry Solutions Lead, Worldwide Public Sector2012-05-02 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=107&aID=3Read highlights from sessions that demonstrate how technology is helping governments achieve real results and make a positive impact on citizens. Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-04-25 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=105&aID=4Find out what public sector IT leaders are talking about in London this week.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2012-04-23 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=103&aID=3Find out how governments are unlocking the potential of Big Data with unique applications.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2012-04-19 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=101&aID=4Find out how cloud computing can improve a nation’s competitiveness, citizen services, and overall operational efficiency.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2012-04-17 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=94&aID=24Learn about a publicly-accessible reference designed to help you evaluate the best cloud provider for your specific security needs.Kellie Ann Chainier, Director of Office Regulatory and Policy Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-04-05 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=78&aID=13Find out how we’re helping customers understand how to implement the Connected Government Framework.Alan Merrihew, Senior Director of Government Technology Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-03-13 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=75&aID=24Learn about the hidden costs of Google Apps and find out how to evaluate cloud computing solutions that meet specific public sector needs.Kellie Ann Chainier, Director of Office Regulatory and Policy Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-03-06 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=72&aID=4Find out how and why Microsoft is continuing to earn recognition from the industry for cloud innovation.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2012-02-28 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=66&aID=16See how the World Economic Forum correlates the importance of technology to a country's global competitiveness.Elias Ramos, Western Europe Government Director2012-02-14 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=65&aID=13Find out how cloud computing levels the ICT playing field for developing nations, and can help developed nations reallocate resources to maintain their relative competitiveness - if only they are willing to adapt and embrace new ways of doing things.Alan Merrihew, Senior Director of Government Technology Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2012-02-09 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=53&aID=4Cloud computing is already helping countless government organizations tackle some of their most pressing IT challenges. Find out how this government developed their cloud strategy.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2012-01-18 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=50&aID=7Find out more about this successful project focused on e-enabling government services and transactions.Gordon McKenzie, Government Solutions Lead, Worldwide Public Sector2012-01-16 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=42&aID=3Microsoft has been recognized for the enhanced security features of its cloud productivity service. Find out why.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2011-12-21 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=34&aID=6Learn how your city can leverage cloud computing to become more energy smart, and address the challenges of managing a smarter grid.Eric Basha, Managing Director, Cities2011-12-19 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=40&aID=4Read the next installment of our Saving Governments Money series to find ways that the cloud can help your organization simplify and streamline its IT resources.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2011-12-15 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=39&aID=7Learn how one agency is using a hybrid cloud model to support smart forms.Gordon McKenzie, Government Solutions Lead, Worldwide Public Sector2011-12-13 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=33&aID=13Often the real challenge facing technology ambassadors is to find a clear, non-technical way to explain cloud computing. Here's how.Alan Merrihew, Senior Director of Government Technology Strategy, Worldwide Public Sector2011-12-06 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=29&aID=4The city of London is taking advantage of the Windows Azure cloud platform to manage 2.3 million web site hits a day. Learn how.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2011-11-29 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=26&aID=11Find out how some Microsoft partners are building brilliant solutions for more energy-efficient cities.Per Bendix Olsen, Senior Director, Partners, Public Sector, Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa2011-11-17 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=25&aID=4Learn about an insightful new report from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and Microsoft resources to illustrate how cloud computing and powerful analytics help make cities energy-smart.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2011-11-15 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=24&aID=3Everest wanted to help local municipalities improve call center service while reducing costs, so it developed a call center knowledge management solution and hosted it on the Windows Azure platform.Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2011-11-11 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=23&aID=7The IT Energy Efficiency Imperative white paper provides guidance to help your agency improve the efficiency of its IT resources.Gordon McKenzie, Government Solutions Lead, Worldwide Public Sector2011-11-08 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=16&aID=11I have just returned from the annual Enterprise Partner Summit (EPS) for the EMEA region. I am inspired and excited about our Microsoft partners and how we can jointly help customers solve public sector challenges.Per Bendix Olsen, Senior Director, Partners, Public Sector, Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa2011-10-20 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=14&aID=8Success in the public sector today rides on not only being able to do more with less, but also being able to meet and exceed citizens’ expectations. Achieving this is no easy feat, but it certainly can be done. Niels Soelberg, Vice President, Public Sector, Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa 2011-10-13 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=12&aID=10Building smarter cities goes hand-in-hand with using resources more effectively. To eliminate waste and improve efficiency, many cities have considered deploying an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system – if they haven’t already. Rodrigo Becerra Mizuno, Managing Director Government, Worldwide Public Sector2011-10-10 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=11&aID=7​Mayor Boris Johnson urged Londoners to help spruce up the capital by reporting “grime crime” such as graffiti, and litter. The innovative “Love Clean London” system enables users to track progress of cleanups and delivers financial savings for boroughs. Gordon McKenzie, Government Solutions Lead, Worldwide Public Sector2011-10-06 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=7&aID=4My teammates in the UK have been doing some analysis, and writing about the costs that should be considered when looking at private cloud computing and how to extend your budget in the most cost effective way.Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2011-09-29 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=6&aID=3​The “consumerization of IT” is a trend that’s received a lot of media attention lately. Yet, much like cloud computing, the term is somewhat ambiguously applied to various industries and IT issues. Joel Cherkis, General Manager, Worldwide Government and Security 2011-09-27 00:00:00http://www.microsoft.com/government/en-bn/public-services/blog/Pages/post.aspx?postID=3&aID=4Information technology is the common language and platform of governance today, empowering public sector organizations to collaborate, operate more effectively, increase efficiency and transparency, and to develop greater accountability to the citizen. Michele Bedford Thistle, Marketing Manager, Worldwide Public Sector2011-09-14 00:00:00