Hybrid cloud is the future for Illinois as it modernizes IT

As Illinois continues to consolidate its information technology and become a “smart state,” updating legacy IT systems continues to be a key part of that growth, agency leaders say.

“We have over 40 agencies that are being unified as part of our process and as part of that unification, we’re getting better understanding from an application rationalization perspective of what they have,” Jack King, Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology’s chief technology officer, says in a video interview.

In that process, the state is cutting down on technical debt, King says, which helps the state save money, in addition to modernizing operations.

“We’re replacing decades of technical debt that’s out there today,” King says. “We’re taking and retiring those legacy systems.”

As part of the consolidation, King says the state will bring agencies onto a hybrid cloud operating model, which combines public cloud supported by external vendors and private cloud offerings within the state’s own data center.

“We’re building a new hybrid cloud where we can land folks internally or with our external partners,” King says. “What we’re most excited about are all the options that this brings us. [It’s] really cost-effective, taxpayer oriented architecture that should help with both performance and cost.”

King on data & analytics:

King on artificial intelligence:

Illinois Chief Strategy Officer Shanna Rahming on strategic planning:

Rahming on future technology:

Illinois Cluster CIO for Business & Workforce Sunil Thomas on blockchain:

Illinois Security Operations Center Manager Matt Phelps on cybersecurity:

Illinois Department of Employment Security CIO Tom Revane on modernization:

Revane on cybersecurity:

These videos were produced by StateScoop at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ annual conference in San Diego, California, in October 2018.