Capability: IT Solution Architecture & Design

Exploring the benefits of security testing

Posted on: 16 January 2025
Exploring the benefits of security testing

As cybersecurity threats loom large, it’s critical that organisations consider the security of their software from the outset.  

Static Application Security Testing (SAST), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) are three essential methodologies that can be used to identify vulnerabilities in software before it is shipped. Each plays a vital role in an organisation’s robust security strategy, offering unique benefits and complementing one another to safeguard applications throughout the development lifecycle. With this in mind, how does each tool impact software security, and how can they help your organisation bolster its security testing capabilities? 

What is SAST, DAST, and SCA?

SAST (Static Application Security Testing)

SAST involves analysing source code, bytecode or binaries without executing the programme. It is typically performed early in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), helping developers catch vulnerabilities during the development phase. SAST is like reviewing a blueprint before constructing a building— it identifies flaws in the underlying structure. 

DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)

In contrast to SAST, DAST focuses on running applications in a live environment to find vulnerabilities in the application’s runtime behaviour. It simulates attacks to detect issues that might not be apparent in static analysis, such as input validation errors or authentication weaknesses. 

SCA (Software Composition Analysis) 

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is a methodology and set of tools used to identify and manage open-source components within software applications. It scans the codebase to detect third-party and open-source libraries, frameworks, and packages. SCA tools analyse these components to ensure they meet security, license compliance, and quality standards. 

Benefits of SAST 

Early detection of vulnerabilities  

  • SAST identifies security flaws during the development stage, saving time and reducing the cost of fixing vulnerabilities later. 

Automated and scalable  

  • Modern SAST tools integrate seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines, providing automated scans that can scale with the development team’s needs. 

Improved code quality  

  • Beyond security, SAST also aids in improving overall code quality by identifying potential logic errors, dead code, or inefficient patterns. 

Compliance 

  • SAST helps ensure compliance with regulations and standards like PCI DSS, GDPR, and OWASP, which mandate secure coding practices. 

SAST tools CACI uses to support customers

  • SonarQube – Offers detailed code analysis (vulnerabilities, code bugs, and smells) and security vulnerabilities which integrates with various CI/CD tools. 
  • Checkmarx – Specialises in detecting vulnerabilities in source code and includes support for multiple programming languages. 
  • Fortify Static Code Analyzer – Comprehensive in identifying vulnerabilities across a wide range of programming languages. 
  • Veracode Static Analysis – Offers a cloud-based platform for static code scanning, emphasising compliance and risk assessment. 
  • SpotBugs – A successor to FindBugs, this is an open-source static code analyser which detects possible bugs in Java programmes.   
  • Potential errors are classified in four ranks: (i) scariest, (ii) scary, (iii) troubling and (iv) of concern. 

Benefits of DAST

Runtime vulnerability detection  

  • DAST identifies issues such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS) and other runtime vulnerabilities that static analysis might miss. 

 Real-world simulation 

  • By emulating real-world attacks, DAST provides insight into how an application performs under adversarial conditions. 

 Technology agnostic 

  • Since it doesn’t rely on source code, DAST can test applications regardless of the underlying technology stack. 

 Post-deployment assurance 

  • DAST can verify the security of applications in production environments, ensuring that deployed applications remain secure. 

DAST tools CACI uses to support customers

  • OWASP ZAP – Open-source tool favoured for its user-friendly interface and active community support, and identifies vulnerabilities as listed in the OWASP Top 10. 
  • Burp Suite – Widely used by security professionals for its advanced penetration testing capabilities. 
  • Netsparker – Known for its automation features and ability to identify vulnerabilities with minimal false positives. 
  • AppSpider – Tailored for dynamic testing of modern web and mobile applications. 

 Benefits of SCA

Security management 

  • SCA identifies known vulnerabilities in open-source components using databases like the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) which link vulnerabilities to the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) system that categorises weakness in software and hardware. 

 Licence compliance 

  • Ensures associated software libraries and dependencies adherence to open-source licences (e.g., MIT, GPL, Apache) and helps avoid legal issues related to non-compliance. 

 Risk management 

  • Improves visibility into the software supply chain, ensuring third-party components are secure and compliant, and can provide detailed reporting (akin to a bill of materials) for audits and governance processes.

Popular SCA tools CACI uses to support customers

  • Snyk – Developer-centric SCA tool focusing on security vulnerabilities and licence compliance and integrates with development environments and CI/CD pipelines. 
  • Black Duck – Comprehensive SCA tool for open-source security and licence compliance management, providing policy enforcement and vulnerability scanning. 

Understanding the synergy of SAST and DAST 

While SAST and DAST offer distinct advantages, combining them creates a powerful defence against vulnerabilities. SAST addresses issues at the code level, preventing bugs from propagating into production, while DAST uncovers runtime vulnerabilities that static analysis cannot detect. Together, they provide comprehensive coverage, reducing the attack surface and ensuring a secure software ecosystem. For example: 

  • SAST might detect unvalidated user inputs during code review, while DAST confirms whether input validation issues could lead to SQL injection when the application is running. 
  • SAST can identify insecure cryptographic practices, whereas DAST tests whether those practices are exploitable in a live environment.

Benefits of implementing SAST/DAST/and SCA together

Holistic security coverage 

  • The combined approach tackles vulnerabilities from both the development and runtime perspectives. 

 Cost and time efficiency 

  • Detecting and fixing vulnerabilities at different stages prevents costly post-deployment fixes and potential breaches. 

 Increased trust and compliance 

  • Organisations gain confidence in their applications by assuring customers and stakeholders of their commitment to security. 

 Proactive security culture 

  • Incorporating all three methodologies fosters a proactive approach to cybersecurity, embedding it as a core principle of the SDLC. 

How CACI can help 

SAST, DAST and SCA are indispensable tools in a comprehensive application security strategy. By addressing vulnerabilities at different stages of the development lifecycle, they significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks, enhance software reliability and ensure compliance with security standards. By leveraging several SAST/DAST/SCA tools, organisations can secure their applications and build a robust foundation of trust with their users. 

At CACI, we integrate SAST, DAST, and SCA into our software development and deployment workflows, creating a layered defence that keeps vulnerabilities at bay while enabling continuous delivery of secure, high-quality software. To learn more about how we can help your organisation enhance its security testing and application efforts, contact us today. 

How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) can optimise customer experience (CX) & resource & workforce planning

Posted on: 13 January 2025
How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) can optimise customer experience (CX) & resource & workforce planning

Digital Twin

Delivering consistent and personalised customer experiences can be difficult when processes, data and touchpoints are fragmented across a variety of departments and systems. This disconnect often results in inconsistent customer interactions, slower response times and missed opportunities for engagement, ultimately leading to customer dissatisfaction and churn. 

These missed opportunities may be heightened if resource and workforce planning has not been refined within an organisation. While this planning is critical, it can become obfuscated by fluctuating demands, skill gaps and shifting operational needs. Traditional planning approaches are often static and unable to adapt quickly enough to changes in the business environment, leading to underutilisation of resources, staffing imbalances and missed opportunities. 

So, what can organisations do to counter the effects of CX issues or resource and workforce planning difficulties by leveraging the capabilities of a platform like Mood? 

How organisations can optimise customer experience (CX)

Creating a digital twin of an organisation (DTO) can substantially alter the customer experience. To optimise customer experience, organisations need a unified, end-to-end view of the customer journey that connects every touchpoint to the underlying processes and systems, which is made capable by the likes of a DTO. A DTO helps organisations gain a more granular understanding of customers’ behaviours, patterns, interactions and preferences by integrating and automating customer data. Data can be analysed within the DTO to help organisations personalise their messaging, products or services, anticipate customers’ needs and tailor their messaging, products or services to achieve optimal customer satisfaction. Through a DTO, departments across an organisation will work from a single source of truth and can ultimately deliver these seamless experiences across all channels. 

What difference will optimised customer experiences make for an organisation?

Optimised customer experiences lead to improved satisfaction, increased loyalty and higher revenue through repeat customers making repeat purchases. These repeat customers are also more likely to recommend the business to others, further increasing potential customer loyalty and revenue. Through a DTO, organisations can deliver consistent, high-quality services while adapting quickly to changing customer needs and preferences. 

How organisations can augment their resource & workforce planning capabilities 

To overcome the aforementioned challenges that may arise with resource and workforce planning, organisations need a dynamic planning approach that integrates real-time data, predictive analytics and scenario modelling. By creating a living model of their workforce and resources through a digital twin of the organisation (DTO), organisations can gain a comprehensive view of the operations, processes and structures that form the organisation and allow for a thorough analysis of resource needs and workforce allocation to take place. Through this, future needs can be forecasted and skill gaps can be identified before they impact operations. By being able to simulate and test various scenarios through the DTO, organisations can make more informed decisions and effectively plan for various staffing or planning outcomes. 

How augmenting resource & workforce planning will revolutionise organisations

A DTO will ensure that an organisation not only achieves optimised resource and workforce planning, but improved capacity management and productivity and a more flexible organisation that can respond quickly to changes in demand. This ultimately enables an organisation to become more resilient and capable of scaling efficiently as it grows. 

How Mood helps organisations optimise customer experiences & resource & workforce planning

Mood provides a non-technical, dynamic platform with everything a business needs to create and manage a digital twin of an organisation that maps out the entire customer journey from start to finish and outlines resources and workforce, integrating real-time data with predictive analytics.  

By connecting every touchpoint with real-time data and underlying processes, Mood ensures that all customer interactions are consistent, timely and personalised. With tools for automating customer interactions and optimising workflows, Mood empowers businesses to continuously refine and enhance customer experiences, leading to stronger customer relationships and sustained growth. 

By enabling scenario modelling and dynamic planning, Mood ensures organisations can optimise resource allocation, manage capacity and anticipate future workforce needs by having the right resources and skills in place to meet demands, minimising inefficiencies and maximise productivity. 

To learn more about how Mood can transform your business, speak to one of our experts today.

How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) can enhance innovation management, enterprise architecture, IT strategies & asset management

Posted on: 8 January 2025
How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) can enhance innovation management, enterprise architecture, IT strategies & asset management

Many digital transformation initiatives fail because they lack alignment between strategy and execution, suffer from disconnected technology adoption and face resistance from within the organisation. Aligning assets and IT strategies with business objectives can also be cumbersome due to fragmented systems, outdated processes and a lack of real-time visibility into asset lifecycles, dependencies and impacts and inefficient maintenance processes. These issues and misalignments can lead to wasted resources or investments, delayed projects or increased downtimes and underwhelming results or missed opportunities to optimise asset performance and extend asset life. 

So, what can organisations do to mitigate these challenges and effectively manage their enterprise architecture, IT strategies and assets now and into the future? How can a platform like Mood increase the chances of success? 

How organisations can achieve digital transformation and enhanced innovation management 

Digital transformation requires a holistic approach where strategy, technology and processes are integrated. Businesses need a platform that provides a living model of the organisation, allowing for iterative development, testing and scaling of innovations. A digital twin of an organisation can support this. By aligning initiatives with business goals and tracking progress in real time, digital transformation can be managed effectively.  

What will digital transformation and enhanced innovation management do for an organisation?

Digital transformation and enhanced innovation management will accelerate an organisation towards successful innovation projects and gaining a stronger competitive position. Through a DTO’s ability to virtually replicate an organisation, simulations, analyses and testing can be made without compromising the organisation itself. As a result, the organisation will become more adaptable and better equipped to leverage technology for growth. 

What can organisations do to enhance their enterprise architecture & IT strategies?

Organisations need a living model of their enterprise architecture that is directly connected to business strategy. A DTO provides a comprehensive view of an organisation’s IT systems, processes and technologies, allowing for a detailed analysis of the existing IT landscape. Through the DTO, an organisation can integrate IT systems, processes and strategic goals into a unified model. This ensures that IT investments will be aligned with long-term objectives and can adapt quickly to changes.  

What will enhancing enterprise architecture & IT strategies do for a business?

By enhancing enterprise architecture and IT strategies through a DTO, organisations will achieve greater alignment between their IT and business goals, more efficient use of resources and faster project delivery. With the digital simulations that can be conducted via the DTO, new strategies can be tested and the potential impact of various technology can also be more accurately assessed. Ultimately, the organisation’s IT strategy will become a core enabler of business growth and innovation. 

How to effectively manage assets 

To effectively manage assets, businesses need a centralised, real-time view of their entire asset portfolio. By integrating asset data with predictive analytics, organisations can optimise maintenance schedules, reduce downtimes and make informed decisions about asset lifecycle management. A digital twin of your asset management ecosystem will provide a comprehensive, accurate and continuously updated model that enables proactive asset management. 

What will effectively managing assets do for the business?

Some of the common asset management challenges include: 

  • Inconsistent data and siloed systems: Asset data is often scattered across multiple systems and departments, making it difficult to maintain a single, accurate source of truth. 
  • Inefficient maintenance planning: Traditional maintenance strategies are either too reactive (leading to costly downtime) or overly preventive (resulting in unnecessary expenditures). 
  • Limited visibility into asset performance: Without real-time insights into asset conditions, organisations struggle to optimise usage, predict failures and make data-driven decisions regarding repairs or replacements. 

Optimising asset management leads to several key outcomes that mitigate potential challenges, including: 

  • Reduced downtimes and maintenance costs: By predicting failures and optimising maintenance schedules, businesses can minimise unplanned downtime and reduce unnecessary maintenance activities. 
  • Improved asset utilisation and performance: Organisations can maximise the use of their assets by monitoring performance in real time and adjusting as needed. 
  • Extended asset lifecycles: Through better maintenance and data-driven decision-making, businesses can extend the lifespan of their assets, reducing capital expenditures and improving return on investment (ROI). 

How Mood enables digital transformation

Mood provides a non-technical, dynamic platform with everything a business needs to create and manage a digital twin of an organisation that connects digital transformation initiatives with the strategic and operational layers of the business, integrate enterprise architecture with real-time operational data and business strategy and manage assets.  

By offering real-time visibility, iterative development tools and alignment with long-term goals, Mood empowers organisations to drive digital transformation with precision. With tools for dependency mapping, scenario planning and strategy alignment, IT decisions are always aligned with business objectives for successful projects, optimised resource allocation and a more agile IT infrastructure. As a living model that tracks asset conditions, Mood predicts maintenance needs and provides insights into performance, empowering organisations to move from reactive to proactive asset management. 

To learn more about how Mood can transform your business, book a consultation with one of our experts or speak to one of our experts directly. 

How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) bolsters risk management, compliance monitoring & mergers & acquisitions (M&A) planning

Posted on: 6 January 2025
How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) bolsters risk management, compliance monitoring & mergers & acquisitions (M&A) planning

Managing risk and maintaining compliance becomes increasingly difficult as regulations evolve and businesses become more complex. Manual tracking and fragmented data make it hard to ensure that processes remain compliant, while inconsistent governance can lead to costly penalties and operational risks.  

Of a similarly complex nature are mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which integrate people, processes and systems. Without a clear plan and visibility into potential synergies and risks, M&A integrations can lead to delays, inefficiencies and missed opportunities for value creation. 

With this in mind, how can Mood help organisations tackle risk management, compliance monitoring and the complexities associated with M&A integrations more effectively?  

How to bolster risk management & compliance monitoring 

Organisations need a proactive approach to risk management and compliance that is embedded directly within their operational processes. Not only can Mood provide a central platform to manage risk, but the digital twin of an organisation’s (DTO) capabilities can simulate various risk scenarios, assess the potential impact of compliance measures and flag non-compliant areas. Its ability to utilise real-time data and analytics for real-time monitoring, automated compliance checks and traceability will be key to reducing risks and ensuring that the business remains audit ready.  

What outcomes will organisations reach by bolstering risk management & compliance monitoring?

Proactive compliance and risk management will lead to fewer regulatory breaches, lower compliance costs and smoother audit processes. Once optimised, organisations will become more resilient and possess greater control over potential risks and regulatory requirements. This approach will also enable an organisation to make more informed decisions, assess and implement preventative measures and adhere to regulations and standards, strengthen the wider organisation’s risk management and compliance monitoring efforts.  

How organisations can plan for a successful M&A integration 

For an M&A integration to be successful, a clear understanding of both the current and future states of the combined organisations must be reached. By mapping out processes, identifying overlaps and planning for integration, businesses can execute M&A strategies with precision, maximising value and minimising disruption. A digital twin of an organisation can support this by helping an organisation assess the impact of the merger on various functions and predict outcomes following the merger. 

What will refined M&A integration planning do for an organisation?

Once M&A integration planning has been refined, organisations will reap the benefits of faster, smoother integrations that come with minimised operational risks and maximised synergies. The organisation will ultimately achieve its strategic goals while realising the full value of the merger or acquisition. With the help of the digital twin, an organisation will be equipped with a comprehensive integration strategy that will be able to mitigate risks and ensure a smoother transition post-merger. Cross-organisation communication will also be strengthened with the help of the digital twin, as it can streamline the integration process itself and align the wider business on the goals of the M&A integration. 

How Mood helps organisations optimise processes & refine M&A integration planning 

Mood provides a non-technical, dynamic platform with everything a business needs by enabling the integration of compliance and risk management into a digital twin of your organisation. It embeds governance rules within process models and provides real-time monitoring to ensure compliance is consistently maintained. Automated reporting and traceability make it easier to manage audits and reduce risks, while the ability to simulate changes ensures your organisation remains compliant even as regulations evolve.  

By identifying overlaps, visualising synergies and planning integration steps in detail, Mood also ensures that M&A activities are executed smoothly, and that the full potential of the merger is realised while minimising disruption to ongoing operations. 

To learn more about how Mood can transform your business, you can find out more here or speak to one of our experts directly. 

Navigating the technical challenges of cloud.microsoft

Posted on: 2 December 2024
Navigating the technical challenges of cloud.microsoft

Transitioning to cloud.microsoft is not just a superficial change; it requires intrinsic technical adjustments that may affect your network’s security and performance. So, according to CACI’s network security experts, what are the technical challenges that may arise with this transition and what solutions are available to businesses to ease it? 

Identifying & resolving the technical challenges

  • DNS configuration and management: Transitioning to a unified domain requires meticulous DNS configuration. Therefore, you must ensure your DNS settings are correctly aligned with the new domain structure for uninterrupted access to Microsoft 365 services. This involves updating DNS records, modifying conditional forwarders, checking root hints, or even changing DNS resolvers in your network to cope with the new .microsoft root TLD and correctly route all subdomains.
  • Proxy and firewall adjustments: Adjustments to proxy settings and firewall rules are necessary with the new domain. This includes updating allow-lists and ensuring traffic to and from cloud.microsoft is filtered and monitored correctly. Implementing robust proxy configurations will be necessary to maintain secure and efficient access to Microsoft 365 services through the transition period.
  • Code and API integrations: The unified domain offers a more streamlined approach for businesses leveraging custom API integrations with Microsoft 365. Ensuring that all scripts, code, API gateway and native API calls are updated to reflect the new domain is essential for maintaining functionality and security in any collaboration integrations.
  • Security protocols and compliance: The cloud.microsoft domain’s enhanced security features necessitate a thorough review of your existing security protocols. This might include implementing advanced threat protection, ensuring compliance with industry standards and leveraging Microsoft’s security tools to monitor and mitigate potential threats. 

Challenges and solutions

  • Firewall reconfiguration: Shifting to a new domain will cause existing firewall rules and policies to be updated, which can be a complex and lengthy process, particularly for large organisations with extensive firewall configurations. CACI can assist by conducting a thorough audit of your current firewall settings with our Firewall Optimisation Assessment, identifying necessary changes and implementing these updates to ensure seamless access to Microsoft 365 services.
  • Proxy PAC file updates: Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file logic will need to be updated to reflect the new domain, which involves modifying the scripts that determine how web browsers and other user agents can automatically select the appropriate proxy server. CACI’s NetDevOps experts can help rewrite, optimise and test these PAC files to ensure they are correctly configured, minimising disruptions to your 365 network traffic.
  • DNS reconfiguration: Updating DNS settings to accommodate the new domain structure will be critical. This includes modifying DNS records, resolver chains, forward lookup zones and conditional forwarders to manage the new subdomain and root TLD routing. CACI can provide comprehensive DNS management and optimisation services, ensuring that all changes are correctly implemented and that your DNS infrastructure remains secure and efficient.
  • Network infrastructure adjustments: Beyond firewalls and proxies, other network infrastructure components such as load balancers, VPNs, SDCI (ExpressRoute) and intrusion detection systems may also require reconfiguration. CACI’s team of expert network security engineers can assess your entire network setup, identify areas that need adjustment and implement the necessary changes to ensure compatibility with the cloud.microsoft domain.
  • Compliance and security: Adhering to industry standards and compliance regulations will be paramount for your network. The transition to cloud.microsoft offers enhanced security features, but these must be properly configured and monitored. CACI can help you leverage these security enhancements, implement advanced threat protection measures and ensure that your network remains compliant with all relevant regulations. 

How CACI can help

As a trusted advisor with deep network and security expertise across sectors from finance, through telco, media, and government, CACI is uniquely positioned to help your business leverage the full potential of Microsoft 365 and the new cloud.microsoft domain.  With over 20 years of experience in cloud services and a deep understanding of Microsoft technologies, CACI can provide tailored solutions that meet your specific business needs. Our team of experts will ensure a smooth transition to the cloud.microsoft domain, minimising disruptions and maximising efficiency. 

CACI offers a comprehensive range of services, from initial consultation to ongoing support, ensuring you get the most from your Microsoft 365 investment. Our Managed Network Services help maintain your network and security, all while prioritising compliance and utilising the enhanced security features of the cloud.microsoft domain. Book a consultation with us today to discover how CACI can support help your organisation navigate the  Microsoft system change requirements here. 

Introduction to Enterprise Architecture and Process Modelling

Posted on: 18 November 2024
Introduction to Enterprise Architecture and Process Modelling

This blog is the first part of a two-part series exploring the roles of Enterprise Architecture and Process Modeling in ensuring compliance with security standards. You can find part two of this series here.

In today’s highly regulated business environment, organisations are increasingly required to demonstrate their adherence to strict information security standards. Compliance audits, whether for regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA or ISO/IEC 27001, require a detailed understanding and documentation of an organisation’s processes and systems.

Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Process Modelling (PM) play pivotal roles in ensuring that organisations are well-prepared for these audits. In this blog series, the roles and key benefits of using EA and PM to streamline and enhance the process of achieving information security compliance will be uncovered, along with recommendations for organisations that are in the process of adopting and integrating them.

Information security compliance is critical for organisations to protect sensitive data, maintain customer trust and avoid legal penalties. Preparing for a compliance audit can be daunting, requiring comprehensive documentation, risk assessments and evidence of control implementations. Enterprise Architecture and Process Modelling provide systematic approaches to managing these complexities, ensuring that organisations are not only compliant, but also agile in responding to evolving security requirements.

What is Enterprise Architecture (EA)?

Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a strategic methodology aimed at defining and standardising the structure, operations and governance of an organisation. EA offers a comprehensive perspective on an organisation’s processes, information systems, technologies, and their interrelationships. This holistic view is instrumental in aligning IT strategies with business objectives, ensuring that technological initiatives support and enhance the overall goals of the organisation.

What is Process Modelling (PM)?

Process Modelling entails the creation of detailed representations of an organisation’s processes. These models are utilised to visualise, analyse, and optimise business processes, thereby facilitating the identification of inefficiencies, bottlenecks and risks. Within the realm of information security, process models are invaluable for understanding how data flows through an organisation, pinpointing potential vulnerabilities, and determining how security controls are implemented.

Conclusion

The integration of Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Process Modelling (PM) is essential for organisations looking to meet stringent information security compliance standards. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, these frameworks not only facilitate a thorough understanding of an organisation’s processes and systems but also enhance agility in adapting to new security requirements.

By leveraging EA and PM, organisations can streamline their compliance efforts, ensuring comprehensive documentation and effective risk management. Ultimately, this proactive approach not only safeguards sensitive data and maintains customer trust but also positions organisations to thrive in a complex regulatory environment. Embracing these methodologies will empower organisations to navigate compliance audits with confidence and resilience, paving the way for sustainable success in the digital age.

If you would like to find out about Enterprise Architecture and Process Modelling, you can do so here in my latest whitepaper. You can also reach out to our experts at moodenquiries@caci.co.uk if you would like to discuss how Mood can help your organisation’s requirements.

How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) leads to continuous improvement

Posted on: 31 October 2024
How a Digital Twin of an Organisation (DTO) leads to continuous improvement

Businesses face ongoing challenges when it comes to inefficient, outdated processes that are difficult to monitor and improve. These inefficiencies result in higher operational costs, slower delivery times and bottlenecks that impact productivity and stakeholder and customer satisfaction. Tracking performance across large and complex organisations can also be challenging, especially when data is scattered and out of date. Traditional performance management approaches are often reactive as well, relying on historical data rather than providing real-time insights. This lack of timely, actionable information makes it difficult to drive continuous improvement and optimise performance across departments. 

So, how does a platform like Mood help organisations enhance their operational processes and performance monitoring capabilities? 

How to enhance operational processes to lead to continuous improvement

When effectively executed, optimised operational processes can have a tremendous impact on an organisation. Organisations need a comprehensive, real-time view of performance across all levels of the business. Therefore, optimising processes requires real-time visibility, the ability to continuously monitor workflows and the relevant tools to identify and resolve inefficiencies. By visualising end-to-end processes and integrating performance data, businesses can drive continuous improvement, reduce costs and enhance service delivery. Integrating performance metrics with live operational data and visualising results in an accessible way will also enable businesses to identify areas for improvement, implement changes quickly and continuously monitor their impact.  

What difference will optimising processes for continuous improvement make for an organisation?

Optimised processes lead to faster operations, lower costs and a more agile organisation. Continuous improvement becomes a core capability, allowing businesses to remain competitive and quickly adapt to change. The nature of DTOs real-time performance monitoring will also lead to faster, data-driven decision-making and more effective continuous improvement initiatives. As a result, an organisation will become more efficient, agile and aligned with strategic goals. This approach will also establish a culture of innovation and an openness to learning across the wider business. 

How Mood helps optimise operational processes for continuous improvement

Mood provides a non-technical, dynamic platform with everything a business needs to create and manage a Digital Twin of an Organisation, providing real-time visibility into every aspect of the process and integrates real-time performance metrics across processes, systems and departments. With integrated analytics and predictive insights, Mood helps identify inefficiencies and enables continuous process optimisation. By modelling potential improvements and implementing changes seamlessly, it also drives operational excellence and ongoing process improvement across the organisation. 

Its customisable dashboards and analytics allow stakeholders to monitor performance in real time and identify areas for improvement. By linking these insights to the broader enterprise architecture and strategic objectives, continuous improvement initiatives will always be aligned with long-term business goals, driving consistent operational excellence. 

To learn more about how Mood can transform your business, speak to one of our experts directly. 

 

Why effective project prioritisation in consultancy is crucial

Posted on: 10 October 2024
Why effective project prioritisation in consultancy is crucial

When it comes to consultancy, project prioritisation is critical so that customers receive urgent or important work first before less vital items. In straightforward projects with one product owner and a finite backlog, you can approach this issue by working through the backlog and asking them to label them using MoSCoW, the prioritisation technique used in project management and business analysis to help stakeholders understand the importance of various requirements, for example. It’s when you move to a project with multiple product owners and an ever– extending backlog that the problems appear, however.  

So, what are the common project prioritisation challenges arising in consultancy nowadays and what solutions are available to consultants to solve them? 

Common challenges in consultancy around project prioritisation

Within each project, each stakeholder (this could be from multiple products, multiple product owners or stakeholders without a product owner) will bring their own backlog, each believing that their demands are the most important and that all your resources are theirs to use. Negotiating between these product owners can be difficult, especially as they may have their own deadlines that they’ve committed to, perhaps only needing your resources for part of their project and a delay could cause their entire project not being delivered on time.  

While earlier and clearer communication would undoubtedly help with these issues in the long run, where do consultants start in the meantime? 

How consultants can improve project prioritisation

Consultants that refer to a categorical prioritisation list for each project (such as the example below) will notice immediate and significant improvements. By scoring each project against a list of categories, with the resulting score used to order the backlog and any incoming items, their respective priority and importance will be illustrated to the wider business.  The category list is:  

Once a project has been scored on each of these points, the total score is calculated. This is then used to rank projects against each other. It’s important to reassess the time rating approximately every three months, as this rating will need to be increased to reflect the real-world situation.  

Benefits of this approach

The advantage of adopting this approach is that it enables you to provide an explanation as to why certain projects are higher priority than others rather than using a more subjective approach. It’s possible to add a higher rating to categories so that the calculation better represents the company’s priorities.  

Potential difficulties of this approach

Some of the issues we’ve noticed so far are that these categories don’t necessarily work as well for enabling items such as a pilot, which won’t deliver any benefit to the system on its own but is required before the new feature can be started. To bolster this, we had to consider the ultimate deliverable being enabled, otherwise, the supporting item would score too low.  

 Technical debt is another type of work that doesn’t quite fit into these categories, which is why we ultimately decided to remove it and prioritise it separately.  

 Despite all the categorisation and discussions, you can end up with a list that doesn’t quite correspond with your gut feeling based on market trends. To mitigate this, a review was organised every few months to monitor scoring accuracy.  

Conclusion  

For projects without a finite backlog where upfront prioritisation isn’t possible, this approach allows you to prioritise against existing work in flight. However, it’s important to account for the amount of time, effort and morale downturn it takes to pause and restart.  

This method of prioritisation is ultimately particularly a useful tool for prioritising the constant stream of incoming projects from multiple product owners. The conversations that come out of the prioritisation are also of substantial value, and to some extent, enable the prediction of what will be delivered in the near future.  

To learn more about project prioritisation in consultancy, speak to one of CACI’s experts today. 

How building a network automation content library accelerates efforts

Posted on: 19 September 2024
How building a network automation content library accelerates efforts

CACI  has a rich heritage in network engineering, IT infrastructure, delivery assurance and network automation, including NetDevOps practices such as network coding, CI/CD pipeline optimisation, network lifecycle management and more. Our network automation experts engage in a variety of activities for our clients, a few of which include:

Telco (ISP)

  • Build out of a NetBox NSoT (Network Source of Truth) and modelling of an ISP lab environment that allows for seamless network inventory management, such as VLANs, VRFs, IP linknets, cabling, chassis-to-blade mapping and more.

Telco (ISP)

  • Build out of a Python Flask-based application (including frontend, backend and API) “LabDash” to enable management of changing Telco inventory, such as line cards, SFP transceivers, patching – within a lab environment used for Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 (TSA) testbed and network build-out activities.

Finance

  • Build out of a customised observability solution to complement in-flight NMS, OSS and BSS tooling, with customised metrics around specific values of SNAT count, TCP session count and related for a complex load-balanced application solution.

Defence

  • Build out of IaC blueprints to deploy complex NVA router, NVA firewall, Load Balancer ADC and other centralised infrastructure as part of an Azure landing zone deployment.

In everything we do, we always follow DevOps and software development practices, most notably being “DRY” (Don’t Repeat Yourself). As such, we are building a library of automations and network code that can benefit future clients through a faster delivery of NetDevOps solutions – leading to a flywheel of network affects, meaning the more we do for clients, the more we learn and can apply our shared learnings – and code libraries, modules and approaches – to accelerate network automation efforts for future clients.

Automation library

Giving back to the network automation community

We know that we can’t do this alone, and equally to ensure we  attract and maintain top-quality NetDevOps talent and network automation consultants, we give back to the wider network automation community by building several tools within our public GitHub Repository. These include:

PAC File Performance Comparer 

PAC File Performance Comparer is intended to be run on an ad-hoc basis to allow for a quick comparison using the Pacparser to calculate both the time difference (i.e. performance optimisation gain of the JavaScript PAC code refactor) and conformity against a test set of URL behaviours (i.e. proxy or direct) for a “before” and “after” PAC (Proxy Auto-Configuration File) refactoring exercise.

Azure JSON IP Feed to Juniper SRX Checker

Azure JSON IP Feed to Juniper SRX Checker is intended to be run on a periodic (i.e. daily) basis to check for updates, changes or deletions made by Microsoft to their Azure IP Address Ranges as per the Microsoft-published Azure IP Ranges and Service Tags – Public Cloud JSON feed and convert into Junos SRX-compatible security policy syntax/configuration.

Adding to our sandpit

Whenever we develop a module, code, artefact or solution for a client, we always ensure that we contribute any non-sensitive elements of this network code back to our “sandpit”, which is a growing area of internal “scraps” of code and approaches that we use internally to accelerate our development of solutions for clients. This enables our NetDevOps engineers to accelerate their developments into clients’ environment and build on shared learnings within our wider network automation practice.

Below is just a small sample of some of the things we’ve already done and can do faster again – perhaps to help you if your NetDevOps is feeling more like NetDevOops:

  • ajax-code-snippets
  • azure-f5-bigip-ha-cluster-cfe-do
  • azure-natgw-azlb-stress-tester
  • azure-zscaler-ip-lookup-csv
  • caci-ns-employee-profile-tools
  • certificate-automation-python
  • credly-certs-badging
  • cytoscape-network-topology-viewer
  • gartner-market-vendor-scraper
  • hostnames-geoip
  • megaport-api-provisioner
  • network-weathermap-visualiser

Ready to turn your NetDevOops into NetDevOps?

At CACI, we’re well-versed across all areas of IT infrastructure – be that IT, delivery assurance, cloud, network or DevOps and systems administration. Our expert consultants have worked across a large spectrum of clients in varying stages of digital transformation, some with adherence to more agile-led delivery lifecycle, others with adherence to more waterfall-led delivery lifecycle – and have experience across a plethora of industry frameworks, from TOGAF to SAFe to more traditional ITIL deployments.

Get in touch and let us help you assure and stabilise your cloud, IT or network infrastructure to fulfil the four key DORA DevOps metrics in your company (or ask us what they are if you don’t already know) and accelerate your NetDevOps and SRE success!

Why consultancy is the perfect profession for problem solvers

Posted on: 16 September 2024
Why consultancy is the perfect profession for problem solvers

Puzzle Consultancy

Those who relish the thrill of solving puzzles and the rush of competition are likely to find a perfect match in the world of consultancy. This profession, often associated with high-stakes business decisions and strategic planning, can offer a dynamic environment where one’s passion for learning, problem-solving and helping businesses thrive can come to life. So, how exactly does consultancy work become the ultimate puzzle, providing endless opportunities to learn, solve problems and see tangible benefits unfold? 

The endless puzzle: continuous learning in consultancy 

One of the most exhilarating aspects of consultancy is the constant influx of new challenges. Just like puzzles, each project presents a unique problem to solve, often requiring fresh knowledge and innovative thinking. The variety in consultancy work— ranging from industries like healthcare and finance to technology and retail— ensures that there’s always something new to learn. For puzzle enthusiasts, this is akin to encountering a new, complex puzzle every day. 

Each client and project creates an opportunity to dive into new territories, understand different business models and stay updated with industry trends. This constant learning keeps minds sharp and satisfies curiosity, with every assignment more intricate and rewarding than the last. 

The competitive edge: thriving on problem-solving and strategy  

Consultancy isn’t just about applying standard solutions, it’s about crafting unique strategies that can give clients a competitive edge. This aspect will resonate deeply with those that are naturally competitive. Just as one would approach any challenge with the goal of finding the best and most efficient solution, the aim in consultancy is to devise strategies that not only solve a client’s problem, but also position them favourably in their market. 

The thrill of this competitive element is a significant motivator. It can drive creative thinking, meticulous data analysis and team collaboration to brainstorm the best approaches. The satisfaction that comes from cracking a particularly tough problem or devising a winning strategy can be immensely rewarding, much like completing a particularly challenging puzzle. 

The reward of impact: helping businesses improve 

While the intellectual stimulation and competitive aspects of consultancy can be exciting, the real joy comes from seeing tangible impacts. There’s a unique satisfaction in knowing that recommendations and strategies can significantly improve a business’ operations, profitability or market position, as though seeing the pieces of a puzzle come together to form a clear and complete picture. 

Helping businesses in this way can provide a profound sense of accomplishment, with each success story a testament to the hard work and strategic thinking that goes into project work. This impact-driven aspect of consultancy adds depth to the puzzle-solving experience, making it not just an intellectual exercise, but a meaningful endeavour that positively affects real businesses and people. 

Consultancy as the ultimate puzzle

Consultancy is the ultimate puzzle— one that’s ever-evolving and endlessly rewarding. For those who enjoy puzzles and competition, it offers a perfect blend of continuous learning, problem-solving and the thrill of seeing tangible results. Consultancy is a career that challenges the mind, fosters creativity and provides an unparalleled opportunity to make a real difference to organisations and people. It not only satisfies a love for challenges, but also fuels a passion for helping others succeed.  

Find out how CACI’s expert consultants can support your unique business needs by getting in touch with us here.