Maybe it was the multiple PDF files I had opened. Maybe it was the plethora of E-mail messages from people outside this country sending me Urgent and Confidential messages about setting up bank accounts in the United States for their millions of dollars, or the multiple unsolicited messages from anti-spam tool makers telling me how to control spam. I'm not sure why, but I kept getting a warning on my PC that said "system resources are dangerously low."

So there I was trying to deal with my overburdened PC, complaining out loud to only myself, and just about to call IT support when I started sympathizing with all of you out there who have to deal with massive, enterprisewide architecture problems. That's because one of those PDFs on my screen was our story about companies that are rethinking how all of their computers, software, and networks are assembled.

Improving these IT blueprints is all in the name of greater efficiency, agility, and performance. But in the grand scheme of things, it's real-time business, collaboration, and security that are driving the need for a top-to-bottom re-evaluation. And it's not just a problem commercial businesses are dealing with. It's also a problem the government is facing. No one knows that better than Steve Cooper, CIO of the White House Office of Homeland Security, who's leading the charge on a blueprint that defines common business practices and technologies to help government agencies interact, collaborate, and make better decisions. It's a lofty goal, and one that's important to national security.

Stephanie Stahl
Editor (sstahl@cmp.com)

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