The Partnership
At the request of the Air Force, Akima, and Dell undertook an entire, widespread technical refresh of the Active Directory and Exchange, or ADX, infrastructure. Akima investigated the challenges presented by the Air Force and partnered with Dell. Together, the companies designed a tech refresh program to achieve key initiatives.
Problem Developed and Described
The Air Force Cyber Capabilities Center provides enterprise core Air Force Network services to locations throughout the world. Over time, the sustainment of the systems and technologies that delivered these services became an increasing challenge due to the inability to standardize on technology. This lack of uniformity also made it difficult for certain systems to achieve the proper Authority to Operate, which caused security and logistical issues for the Air Force.
A new platform needed to be put in place quickly while ensuring connectivity, critical applications, and mission would not be impacted. At the request of the Air Force, Akima, and Dell undertook an entire, widespread technical refresh of the Active Directory and Exchange, or ADX, infrastructure.
Plan, Partnership, Execution, Solution
Akima investigated the challenges presented by the Air Force and partnered with Dell. Together, the companies designed a tech refresh program to achieve key initiatives:
- Achieve fast implementation without impact to existing service levels
- Standardize the technology used to deliver Air Force IT service
- Ensure security and efficiency for daily ease and to act as a form of protection in case of an outage
- Design the ADX infrastructure to be scalable to meet the future needs of the Air Force IPN infrastructure
Akima not only implemented these services, but also provided extensive, customized training to the Air Force on how to use the system and complete proper field replacement to operate self sufficiently. The Akima-Dell partnership provided the Air Force services, training, contracting expertise, hardware, and more in one package.
The overall effort went beyond the typical “rip and replace” methodology, which ensured that the Air Force maintained the ability expand on their network in the future.
Results/Achievements
Speed to Implementation
The companies created a CERT-approved Authority to Operate package in nine months—three months less than the typical 12-month standard—by relying on trusted methods and creativity to complete the process. The instillations were complete at two to four per week for 36 bases, which avoided over $500K in “break-fix” fees and saved untold future costs due to a reduction in downtime.
Efficient Delivery and Cost
The combined experience of Akima and Dell minimized hurdles and ensured the project could be delivered ahead of schedule and under budget, exceeding the extremely time-sensitive constraints. Further, Akima’s efficiency managing 8(a) contracts ensured the Air Force could focus on execution. This contracting agility enabled the Air Force to launch RMF continuous monitoring and an enhanced CRQ process that expedited the project by 10 weeks. Additional project and design efficiencies will save the Air Force over $17M per year in ongoing maintenance costs.
Scalability and Flexibility
Akima and Dell completed the ADX tech refresh within budget constraints and, with the priority of cost effectiveness in mind, provided an extra 25% of capacity for future expansions. Further, because the solution is built on Dell’s Open Standard Platform, the Air Force can easily adapt and design for future requirements. The result is a long-lasting solution that is not only replicable, but scalable and flexible to grow with the Air Force and adapt to their future.
Increased Security Posture
The standardization on Dell products improved the security footprint of the Air Force and their ability to rapidly address patches and future vulnerabilities.
Recognized Success
The ADX tech refresh received positive feedback throughout the many phases of the installation. The program set the standard for other cyberspace security and control system projects, and baselined critical acquisition documentation for new onboarding regiments and deployment.
About Akima
Akima is a global enterprise with more than 7,500 employees, delivering agile solutions to the federal government in the core areas of facilities, maintenance, and repair; information technology; logistics; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures & equipment (FF&E); and construction. As a subsidiary of NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by more than 14,000 Iñupiat shareholders, Akima’s core mission is to enable superior outcomes for our customers’ missions while simultaneously creating a long-lived asset for NANA consistent with our Iñupiat values. In 2021, Akima ranked #28 on Washington Technology’s Top 100 List and 63 on Bloomberg Government’s BGOV200 List of top federal contractors. To learn more about Akima, visit www.akima.com.
About Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live, and play. Thecompany provides customers the the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the data era.
