White House CIO's first 40 days included 'worst day' ever

[tabatha]

Computerworld - PHOENIX - Here are two facts about Brook Colangelo's job as the CIO of the Executive Office of President.

On taking his new position on inauguration day, he and his staff put in 80 hour weeks, "if not more." And in his first 40 days on the job, the White House email system was down 23% of the time.

Colangelo began his job on Jan. 20, 2009, the same day that President Barack Obama started his. On that first day, Colangelo walked to the White House, found his office with some difficulty, and then "delivered the first presidential Blackberry," as well as handhelds to all the top administration officials. "It was just a mind blowing experience," he said.

But Colangelo quickly realized that the White House's IT assets "were in pretty bad shape." Over 82% of the White House's technology had reached end of life. Desktops, for instance, still had floppy disk drives, including the one Colangelo delivered to Rahm Emanuel, Obama's then chief of staff and now Mayor of Chicago.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9225132/White_House_CIO_s_first_40_days_included_worst_day_ever

[Sabriel]

1. Sooo, they're just like the rest of us, then?

Both my home and office computers have 3.5" drives. And not much beyond that.

When I turn them on, I have time to go make tea before they're finished booting.

[Old and In the Way]

2. No big surprise, considering the former tenants probably took

their computers with them and left the Clinton relics behind. They ran their e-mail system (for the important stuff) off of the RNC network.