Get closer to the mission by unlocking the power of the network

As federal information technology professionals assess the landscape of change and new technologies, the network is a key component not to overlook. Employing IoT, securing data or moving to the cloud all require the underpinning of a stable and secure network.

Verizon’s Public Sector Chief Technology Officer Steve LeFrancois spoke with Federal News Network on how improvements to the network can help federal agencies get closer to the mission.

Topics ranged from understanding 5G to scaling network resources, cybersecurity and using the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract as a vehicle to modernize. 5G will give government the ability to manage and transport massive amounts of data. Implementing this technology can alleviate pressure on data centers and drastically reduce latency. Network improvements can improve cybersecurity, too. New tools are being deployed to allow faster security detection and response.

In the face of new and ongoing advancements to technology, EIS is the procurement vehicle that enables agencies to modernize.

5G Technology

Start to prepare for the volume of additional information you’re going to see across your enterprise. When you start talking about readiness, it’s about readiness with machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how you apply it into your mission space.

Steve LeFrancois

Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, Verizon

The Network as Protection

You can’t secure what you can’t see. As we start talking about the evolution of software defined networks, it’s all about getting granular around application performance and what’s happening across the network; looking at patterns of behavior. Now security, network operations and application performance are getting woven together in an as-a-service model.

Steve LeFrancois

Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, Verizon

The Modernization of Federal Agencies

The business case for transformation [can be] cost savings, but it also could be, ‘how can I enhance my agency’s mission’ or ‘maybe I’ll enable new missions.'

Steve LeFrancois

Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, Verizon

In his current role as Public Sector CTO, Mr. LeFrancois is responsible for leading a team that supports Verizon's Federal product/technology direction, services enablement, and integrated enterprise solutions development for our customers.

Steve joined the Verizon Business systems engineering team in February 1992 and has been actively involved in global, large-scale program management, systems integration and telecommunications practice areas along with the evolution of the international and managed services solutions within the federal government business sector. He brings over 20 years of industry experience in support of IT and network solutions.

Prior to joining Verizon, Mr. LeFrancois held engineering positions at AT&T and Teledyne Brown Engineering where he developed a diverse background in advanced sensor platforms, systems analysis, and back-office system development. He has played a key role in the design and deployment of IT and network solutions for the Department of Defense, Intelligence community, Department of Homeland Security, and federal research and engineering organizations.

Mr. LeFrancois graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

John Gilroy has been a member of the Washington D.C. technology community for over twenty years. In 2007 he began weekly interviews on Federal News Network called “Federal Tech Talk with John Gilroy.” His 428 interviews provides the basis for profitable referral business. In 2009 he created a successful breakfast club of previous radio guests called The Technology Leadership Roundtable. He has been instrumental in two of his guests forming their own radio shows: Derrick Dortch with “Fed Access” and Aileen Black and Gigi Schumm with “Women in Washington.”

In 2011 he began teaching a course in social media marketing at Georgetown University; in March of 2014, John won the Tropaia Award for Outstanding Faculty. John conducts monthly corporate training for large companies on how to leverage social media to generate revenue.

Insight By Verizon

Get closer to the mission by unlocking the power of the network

5G Technology

The Network as Protection

The Modernization of Federal Agencies

Featured speakers

Steve LeFrancois

John Gilroy

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