The judiciary has put into place a framework to support its IT systems, applications, data, and telecommunications requirements. The exponential growth in computing power, remote access technologies, communications bandwidth, and data storage capability will continue, profoundly affecting the way judges, court staff, and external participants conduct their work. Further, as the judiciary moves more into the realm of electronic, rather than paper-based, information storage and retrieval, there is a higher degree of reliance on the IT systems used to input, store, transmit, and retrieve this data. The dependency the judiciary now has on information technology means that failure of this infrastructure can effectively bring court operations to a halt. Increased demand on the judiciary's data communications network to support internal systems as well as to enable more widespread use of the internet and web-based applications requires that network technologies be evaluated and upgraded on an ongoing basis to ensure that these demands can be met. Infrastructure also includes the body of processes and policies-such as enterprise architecture, technical reference models, standards and best practices, blanket purchase agreements, enterprise level contract vehicles, and other program management elements-that ensure that IT funds are invested and managed wisely and that current and future costs are contained.
Objectives
- Support remote access to enable working outside the courthouse, telecommuting, and to facilitate continuity of operations during an emergency.
- Deliver and maintain cost-effective and reliable service delivery models for national applications.
- Maintain safeguards to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of judiciary information.
- Improve voice, video, and data communications capabilities throughout the judiciary.
- Identify and employ network management tools to optimize network efficiency.
- Provide security tools and appropriate training to court personnel to implement the security and privacy policy adopted by the Judicial Conference.
Infrastructure Success Stories |
Remote Access
Like other organizations, the judiciary is realizing the benefits of a mobile workforce. The judiciary's remote access capabilities provide judges and staff a secure means to access the judiciary's IT systems from their homes, hotel rooms, and other locations. Not only do remote access capabilities enable the judiciary's telework program, it is now possible to conduct critical court operations from different locations in the event of an emergency or a national disaster. |
Disaster Recovery
Information technology helps the judiciary rapidly recover and continue operations in the event of an emergency. Following September 11, 2001, the Second Circuit courts were back in business within 48 hours, due in part to the ability to redirect access to critical information technology systems hosted on remote redundant servers. In 2005, technology was a key component enabling the courts affected by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina to resume operations, either in place or in alternate locations, within a remarkably brief period of time despite the vast extent of the damage. Emergency web servers at the national gateways are available to support disaster recovery. |
Enhanced Computer
Security
Computer security concerns have become front page news, with many horror stories about hackers, viruses, worms, and other serious attacks on computer systems. Most businesses and government agencies have reported dramatic increases in attacks of this nature. The judiciary has encountered these as well, and a number of actions have been implemented to counter them. The judiciary's incident response capability team was established to assist the courts in investigating and resolving computer security incidents. Alerts of viruses, worms, and their variants affecting other organizations are regularly sent to court systems managers. The team works with the courts to ensure that all computer security and anti-virus patches are installed. It also employs measures to stop the spread of viruses and worms in the judiciary's computer systems. When systems are infected, they are quickly taken offline and corrected. |
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