Information Technology (IT) is in the unique position of having to innovate while simultaneously planning obsolescence of the latest invention in order to avoid becoming an indentured servant to technology as it ages. Therefore, the State Chief Information Officer (CIO) carries the mandate to guide IT through periods of creative destruction and disruptive innovation.

As a government leader in innovation and technology, ETS continues to strive for excellence. The result of this innovation was the design, engineering, partnering and establishment of a core 100 gigabit, redundant, statewide network backbone, known as the Wyoming Unified Network (WUN). The Governor was able to achieve this success for Wyoming by leveraging innovation in numerous areas including technology, the supply chain, procurement, business and service models and operational strategy.

Highlights of this initiative include a true paradigm shift moving to a 100 Gbps IPv6 backbone connecting school districts and State offices via ethernet. From funding to lights-on in six months, school districts gained Internet2 status and have experienced a 40-fold increase in broadband capacity.

Other initiatives through partnerships include shifting maintenance and support of state owned data centers to leveraging colocation offerings from Wyoming vendors for systems and storage. Leveraging cloud first strategies and virtual environments have lessened our physical footprint significantly, improving disaster recovery plans, offering cost savings and increases in security.

ETS was established March 8, 2012 and is committed to meet expectations established in W.S. 9-2-2901 through 9-2-2907.