Introduction WINNERS BY INDUSTRY Education | Financial services | Government | Healthcare | Manufacturing | Transportation | Hospitality | More WINNERS BY TECHNOLOGY Applications | Convergence | E-commerce | Management | Security | Servers | Storage | WAN | Wireless John Gallant on being an All-Star

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Center for Computing Services

• Project lead: Rick Fleming, enterprise systems management project manager
• Technology Focus: Management - IT-business service alignment

DISA's Center for Computing Services, at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., is a step ahead of the pack on integrating IT with business services - despite a complex environment. The agency is reaping $140 million in savings annually as the result of a $3 million business service management (BSM) project that provides a consolidated view of data from disparate, heterogeneous management platforms. BSM greatly eases management of 1,400 applications serving more than 2 million users. Computing Services also can view logical groupings of interrelated physical elements and therefore make sure that its infrastructure is aligned with operational objectives. Using Managed Objects' Business Service Management software, DISA has been able to consolidate 18 systems management centers to four, and 16 help desks to four, while cutting in half the time to resolve problems. Customer satisfaction ratings also have risen dramatically.

Lee County Sheriff's Office

• Project lead: Bryon Haycook, CAD system manager
• Technology Focus: Wireless - cellular wireless data access

Deputies hit the streets in this southwest Florida county, headquartered in Fort Myers, knowing they are backed up by reliable, high-speed cellular data services. The sheriff's office invested $1 million to provide access to Sprint's Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based network and, ultimately, next-generation EV-DO services. The wireless data access improves productivity and performance by enabling deputies to stay in the field rather than returning to the sheriff's office to fill out paperwork and submit reports. To manage connectivity for 600 users, the sheriff's office uses NetMotion Wireless' Mobility XE VPN server, as well as GPS tracking software for deputy dispatching. Wireless LANs serve various buildings.