Agency tech initiatives leaving money on the table

What: "Show Me the Money: The Key to Doubling Agency Savings," a study by public/private federal IT partnership MeriTalk, underwritten by network solutions provider Brocade.

Why: The report analyzes how federal agencies can maximize consolidation, virtualization, cloud computing, remote access, and infrastructure diversification programs. Three hundred federal network managers were queried.

According to the study, federal agencies could squeeze 24 percent -- or a combined $19.7 billion annually -- more out of the five initiatives across government if they're fully leveraged. The persistence of legacy networks could have a significant impact on agencies' abilities to apply that full leverage, however. Two thirds of Federal network managers say their networks are ill equipped to meet mission needs, let alone support new technology initiatives. Agencies are making the most progress with remote access and consolidation initiatives, with 70 percent and 62 percent, respectively, partially or fully deployed.

Verbatim: Federal agencies are saving with key IT infrastructure initiatives – consolidation, virtualization, cloud, remote access, and diversification:

• Feds are furthest along with remote access systems (70 percent) and consolidation efforts (62 percent), but have work to do on the remaining initiatives.

• So far, agencies have saved 10 percent of IT budgets or $8.5 billion annually.