Last month saw the successful completion of the NASCIO 2022 Midyear Conference, which provides an opportunity for CIOs, top IT officials, and industry partners to collaborate in support of state government initiatives. This year, BeyondTrust joined more than 50 leading companies as Midyear sponsors to help drive the event’s vision to truly transform the business of state government; to help enable organizations to reap the benefits of modern, innovative technologies; and to help facilitate a deeper understanding of current challenges and priorities among state CIOs. This year’s event successfully represented 46 states/territories and 40 state/territory CIOs.
Read on for an overview of the highlights and key topics covered at the NASCIO 2022 Midyear Conference.
Key Topics from the Event
1. The Great Resignation and the Need for a More Robust IT Workforce
At the NASCIO 2022 Midyear Conference last month, there was a clear emphasis on the need for a more robust state IT workforce. Often, budget constraints are cited as a primary reason for delays related to digitization efforts; however, the message this year was clear: the current budget is sufficient, but the number of individuals necessary to implement IT modernization is lacking. While state governments are by no means an outlier in this regard — the “great resignation” is a universal issue and a problem that must be addressed.
One way to address this challenge is to adopt solutions that require fewer employees to manage. By utilizing technologies that don’t demand excessive hours to install, oversee, or troubleshoot, a smaller workforce can accomplish the same critical IT goals without hiring additional workers. Furthermore, the most efficient solutions can make IT professionals' lives easier, meaning they are less likely to become burned out, and employee turnover rates can decrease.
2. The Need for Multifaceted Solutions
NASCIO also dealt with identifying solutions that address several needs simultaneously. While funding may not be an overwhelmingly pressing issue at this time, it’s bound to become a concern eventually. State CIOs are searching for providers that can offer comprehensive solutions to a variety of issues, without necessarily throwing all their proverbial eggs into a single basket. Partnering with the right vendor can mitigate this understandable concern.
Of note, identity and access management (IAM) was identified by over a quarter of all state CIOs as being among their top three priorities, ranking sixth overall. In an increasingly remote and hybrid world, where network edges are constantly expanding, identity management is paramount to ensure network security. BeyondTrust is dedicated to providing state governments with the tools they require to increase network visibility, monitor user activity, and adhere to the principles of least privilege, to mitigate lateral movement throughout the system.
BeyondTrust’s Commitment to the SLG Mission
At BeyondTrust, we understand the current workforce related challenges. That’s why our identity and access security solutions are built to run seamlessly with minimal manpower needed. By minimizing the strain on IT professionals, organizations can rest assured that their access pathways are secure, and employees will be free to prioritize other initiatives that serve the agency’s mission. Furthermore, BeyondTrust demonstrates our continued commitment to working with state and local government organizations with our on-going subscription training and education program. This program is yet another way our customers receive continual support for the duration of our partnership.
BeyondTrust also recognizes the importance of consolidating security solutions. While acknowledging that it can be difficult to rely solely on a single vendor for all your technological needs, we offer a complete suite of solutions for privileged access and identity management. From our endpoint privilege management solutions to remote access support and password management products, we can address all of an organization’s network identity concerns.
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead from this year’s NASCIO conference, BeyondTrust remains optimistic about the future of state and local government cybersecurity initiatives in light of the productive and informative discussions we had at the event. It is apparent that state CIOs and IT professionals are dedicated to achieving their modernization and security goals.
To learn more about how BeyondTrust is helping state and local government agencies to secure their networks and manage privileged identities, click here.
