无忧传媒

The U.S. Navy has one of the world鈥檚 largest intranets, clocking in at more than 800,000 users. Peppered across the globe, service members鈥攁nd their leaders鈥攄epend on the tool to connect and strategize across wide sectors.

But this connection wasn鈥檛 always so easy.

Back in 2007, the Navy approached 无忧传媒 with a significant operational challenge: Help them modernize and regain visibility and control over their intranet after distributing oversight for more than a decade. Navy leadership knew that its intranet was a vital element of the warfighting and national security mission, and 无忧传媒 agreed, accepting the daunting task.聽

Historically, management and governance of Navy information technology (IT) networks and services were distributed among multiple, often independent government organizations, acquisition programs, and vendors. This created a patchwork of differing systems that didn鈥檛 always talk to each other.

鈥淥ver time we helped them completely transform the way they acquire and operate their network and IT services,鈥� said 无忧传媒 Project Manager Natalie Morrozoff. 鈥淲e helped change the Navy鈥檚 IT culture.鈥�

For more than 10 years, a 无忧传媒 team of functional experts, hailing from all pockets of the business, worked hand in hand with Navy acquisition, operations, and engineering clients to fundamentally transform the way the Navy acquires, designs, operates, and secures its IT networks and services.

The goal of this large-scale transformation effort was multi-faceted: an innovative, reliable, secure, agile, and cost-effective network鈥攃atering, above all, to the warfighter鈥檚 needs.

Implementation was tough. The team tackled countless moving pieces and parts as cultural barriers, fiscal constraints, shifting operational and acquisition priorities, the rapid pace of technology advancements, workforce readiness, and persistent attacks on existing networks all contributed to the challenge.

鈥淎 big part of IT transformation and modernization is breaking down silos and doing things in a more efficient, effective, and systematic manner,鈥� said Tim Rogers, transformation architect. 鈥淲e鈥檙e establishing a platform of shared IT infrastructure.鈥�

Tim also cites an example of the growing global dependence on mobile technology. 鈥淧eople constantly use iPhones and tablets. Traditionally, it鈥檚 taken many years to design, acquire, and deploy a new mobile technology to the warfighter. The Navy鈥檚 goal is shrinking that to months or weeks.鈥�

It鈥檚 working. Development time is decreasing as the team works to constantly evolve the organization鈥檚 IT landscape.

鈥淲e also put together a common framework, a lexicon, and a set of standards to bring all the communities and dimensions together,鈥� said Michael Thompson, functional leader.

But it鈥檚 not just about supporting traditional administrative and business functions. This effort is much bigger than that.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to understand this also revolves around safety and security,鈥� said Frank Clay, business and strategy analyst.

Tim is quick to agree. 鈥淚t encompasses a wide variety of initiatives鈥攖hings like maintaining freedom of maritime navigation, cyber and information warfare, enabling global commerce, and critical humanitarian missions like earthquake and tsunami response.鈥�

It鈥檚 more proof that the expansive work extends beyond technology颅. It links people, process, and culture颅.