Parts of the federal government’s $80 billion information technology budget are used to run 1970s-era computers, maintain outdated code and rehire former employees who are the only ones with the knowledge to operate them.
The government’s aging IT infrastructure has been understood for years and has received increased attention amid cyber security concerns. The White House has pushed lawmakers toadopt a $3.1 billion modernization fund that would update some of the oldest systems. And the Government Accountability Office (GAO) just came out with a report detailing some of the most outdated technologies still used today.
“If we continue to do the same thing that we’ve been doing before, we’re just making the situation worse,” Federal Chief Information Officer Tony Scott told lawmakers this week.
The GAO report found that more than $61 billion is going toward operation and maintenance, leaving less for upgrades and modernization. GAO said that number should be in the $20 billions instead.
Some point out that old IT does not necessarily mean it is outdated.
“Just because something has a particular age, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is end of life,” said Beth Killoran, the chief information officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Below are five of the starkest examples of outdated government IT For the full article click here
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