Other Information – MCA 2-17-521(4) (f)

Summary of notable accomplishments during the last biennium:

Secure

• Improved network security by replacing the legacy DNS system with highly available, fault-tolerant DNS, DHCP, and IPAM services.
• Implemented a secure email gateway that enhanced the State’s email environment. This improves message delivery, reduces false positives, and blocks sophisticated malware and phishing messages.
• Implemented application-based external firewalls that enhanced network security and increased network traffic visibility.
• Completed enterprise web application firewall (WAF) implementation. This enhances the State’s protection of external facing web applications, sites, and associated data.
• Deployed behavior-based anti-virus to all State workstations to protect, detect, and respond to ransomware and other advanced malware attacks.
• Partnered with the Montana Analysis & Technical Information Center (MATIC) to form the multi-agency Election Security Workgroup to facilitate communication, collaboration, and coordination to secure the State’s elections.
• Partnered with the Department of Homeland Security to conduct the State's first public/private statewide Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise.

Shared

• Improved the agency ITPR process by enhancing the request portal and providing training and process documentation.
• Conducted business relationship assessments and established periodic meetings with agency business and technology leadership. This will enhance Agency/SITSD partnerships, improve SITSD communications, and align SITSD offerings with agency business objectives.
• Improved business relationships and communications by providing enterprise services training and promoting products and services to State agencies.
• Created a system for agencies to report project and financial data to the Legislative Finance Committee. This system includes a robust reporting module for legislators or the general public to track agency project statuses and spending.
• Implemented an enterprise-class, multi-tenancy Information Technology Service Management system that enables agencies to maintain independence of their own environments while benefiting from enterprise technology and processes.

State-of-the-Art

• Improved agency budgeting process experience through enhanced communications and training offerings of a new user-friendly system.
• Modernized the State’s telecommunication environment by installing over 7,000 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and moving 1,000 analog lines into the VoIP environment.
• Consolidated the State’s contact center that established a unified contact center with over 800 deployed agents.
• Adopted a statewide 9-1-1 plan and completed a statewide GIS assessment for Next Generation 9-1-1.
• Implemented Unified Digital Workspace (UDW). This shifts the focus from devices to people and provides employees their same computing environment whether they sit at their desk, work from home, or travel.
• Created an Information Technology Service Management request form and workflow to review and approve firewall requests This streamlines the end-to-end process, resulting in faster resolution times.

Capacity

• Enhanced the State’s private cloud to include efficient automation for virtual server management and disaster recovery services.
• Upgraded and consolidated the State’s network core that provides better load balancing, uptime, port density, and availability.

Capability

• Negotiated a reduction in the State’s cost-per-minute long distance service rates. This resulted in a one-time savings along with ongoing monthly savings.
• Awarded a new State network transport services contract that created ongoing savings and increased bandwidth speeds.