< PreviousQ & A - Tribal Success StoryTribal Success Stories - Regional IT GroupsHow did the ONATC get started?What are some more benefits member tribes see being a part of the ONATC?How did the MTTC get started?It started informally, as most things do, with a few ideas and a handful of people. We had some conversation about recent Federal and State agencies that came to us to have “dialogue” but instead presented pre-planned answers with little opportunity for open discussion. We got together to talk about a refined list of questions to present for this particular meeting on issues that were affecting us all and thought, why aren’t we doing this for other initiatives? We had a nucleus of people to share information with, talk about ideas, become a unified voice, and with positive results, we decided to formalize our group in 2014. We are now a 501c3 with officers, a mission statement, quarterly reports, and regularly scheduled meetings. We have 16 participating tribes and this strength in numbers has allowed us to build stronger communities individually as well as collectively. As a collaborative group we are able to communicate and implement positive change whether it is at the Tribal, State or Federal level. We discuss and create action plans to build opportunities as well as identify and address anything that could potentially affect our sovereignty. Guest speakers regu-larly attend our meetings and present timely information on current events and key topics. We also are taking this group beyond the borders of technology and breaking into economic development and working internally with our department heads and leadership on building stronger communities through technology. We need to invest in sustainable industries so our tribes can invest in our youth who might not know it yet but are preparing to become our next leaders. The ONATC will have their quarterly meeting onsite at TribalNet this fall and will also meet with other tribal organizations to help them consider forming their own regional IT councils. They had similar dialogue with several tribes at the 2014 TribalNet conference, which leads us to our next Q&A with MTTC. All it took was a few MN tribes connecting at the 2014 TribalNet conference. We all attended the session led by the ONATC talking about their regional IT group and met informally afterwards about how we may be able to engage with one another in a similar setup. We had a few individuals from different tribes that saw it as a solid opportunity to collaborate, so we took action and moved on it. Our first meeting was January 2015, we were amazed at the turnout and immediate interest. 60TribalNetQ & A with representatives from: The Midwest Tribal Technology Council (MTTC) & The Oklahoma Native American Technology Council (ONATC)At TribalNet our goal is and has always been bringing technology and tribes together. We are excited when we identify groups with similar initiatives! In this issue we’d like to highlight two regional groups and share what they are doing to collaborate with their peers for the better good of tribal organizations and enterprises.We begin with the ONATC which started four years ago with the goal to develop a collective voice in order to implement positive change for tribes across the state of Oklahoma. The pioneers of this group saw power in numbers and when they joined together, quickly started to leverage their footprint. 11What does a typical MTTC meeting look like?Q & A - Tribal Success Story9Fall 2015We are just getting started with only three meetings under our belt and our fourth quarter meeting set for TribalNet this year. Our goal is to have each quarterly meeting be a gathering at a different location where we can connect about issues we are all facing, discuss solutions to challenges, find out more about each other’s strengths and how we can support each other in the industry. We have had a speaker at each of the meetings and outside of the meetings we connect on topics like; PCI compliance, training for users, cloud, and more. It’s a diverse group; large and small tribes, some are IT leaders in gaming, some health, some government- having all of these areas together and learning from each other is extremely beneficial for all of us involved. We have nine tribes participating from multiple states in the Midwest and are looking forward to what’s ahead for this groupWhen we asked both representatives what’s next? The answer was clear- keep growing, keep sharing resources, and continue toward taking action to make positive changes. We would like to congratulate both of these organizations for their success and growth and encourage you to connect with them at TribalNet this fall- their association meeting onsite will be OPEN- they welcome you to join them! For more information on either group REACH OUT! ONATC - Contact Dennis Dyer at dennis.dyer@potawatomi.org MTTC - Contact Ned Weizenegger at nweizenegger@microporateventures.comTribalNet“Gridstore’s all-flash solution erased all of our issues and beat the competition on performance, fault tolerance, and prices. As far as I’m concerned, Gridstore’s HCA is perfect for everybody.”— Chad Dixson, IT Manager Yavapai-Prescott Indian TribeGridstore HyperConverged All-Flash InfrastructurePurpose-Built for the Microsoft Cloud-Inspired Data CenterUnique in the market, Gridstore delivers the promise of an easy-to-deploy and manage high-performance private-cloud-in-a-box built on the Microsoft technology stack.For more information www.gridstore.com/customersFeatured Columns - Personal DevelopmentD.J. Eagle Bear Vanas, Personal Development Expert, Native Discovery, Inc.On a clear October day, the peace of the southern California desert was shattered by a great, cracking boom. High above, a small orange aircraft shaped like a chubby bullet carried Chuck Yeager as he finally traveled faster than sound. The year was 1947. For many years, pilots had risked their lives to overcome this magical barrier described as a “brick wall” or “demon in the sky.” Experts said it couldn’t be done. But Chuck Yeager proved them wrong and with that discovery, ushered in an era of supersonic flight and the space age. The wife of the man known as Sequoyah was furious. Her husband was spending so much time alone, letting the fields go fallow and ignoring his friends. It was the early 1800s, and Sequoyah was a Cherokee Indian obsessed with “the talking leaves” – reading and writing – because he knew this would be the key to the success of his people in the future. There was one glaring problem. The Cherokee people had no written language. Sequoyah was criticized, heckled, and told it couldn’t be done as he set out on his quest to create a written language. The Greeks took hundreds of years to develop one. Sequoyah did it in twelve. And not only did he develop a written language, but by the 1830s, the Cherokee people became one of the most literate and educated groups in America. Not just amongst Indians, but amongst the whole country! In fact, the Chero-kee people started a newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, which is still in print today. History and modern times are filled with examples like this and I’m always inspired by them. Just because you have a great business idea, a grand goal, a burning vision, doesn’t mean it’s going to be a cake walk. You’ll suffer doubt, criticism and discomfort as you pursue dreams, but the payoff is well worth it. Especially when it comes to pursuing your goals and dreams, the word can’t should be considered a four-letter word not to be uttered aloud. Never say it because it’s a dream-killer, an idea-stopper, and a motivation-stealer. If you believe you can’t, you won’t. My daughters know how to get my blood going – say that foul word can’t. I’m trying to weed that word out of their vocabulary because I know it will only serve to tie them down as they create their destinies. The problem is there will always be reasons not to do something, there will always be obstacles and challenges, and there will always be people lining up to tell us so. In the book The Worldly Philosophers, is the story of Robert Owen, the famous economist. He was seeking employment at the ripe age of 20, with very little experience but a strong belief in his abilities. At a job interview, he asked for a salary that triggered his would-be employer to blast him, saying all the others combined hadn’t asked for that much. Here was Robert Owens’ answer and an acceptable use of the word can’t – “I cannot be governed by what others seek.” I love that line because for us to use it, we must know what we seek. Once you know that, you’ll start to walk your own path to the beat of your own drum. By the way, Robert Owen got the job. The rest is history. Would you endure some pain, sacrifice your pride, if it meant you’d go on to wild success? That’s what the R&B singer Lauren Hill did. She was told that she couldn’t sing and she was literally booed off stage at the Apollo Theater. Lauren Hill used that experience to drive her forward to win five Grammy Awards. Charles Schulz couldn’t get published in his high school newspaper and went on to create the most widely published and popular cartoon series of all time – Peanuts. Erik Weihenmayer was told he was crazy and couldn’t accomplish his goal of climbing Mt. Everest. You see, he was blind, but he did it anyway. Michael Crichton, the author of such blockbusters as Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain and Sphere, actually completed Harvard Medical School before he left that path to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. Do you think he got his share of criticism for that move? You bet. Never Say Can’t 62TribalNetD.J. Eagle Bear VanasPersonal Development ExpertNative Discovery, Inc.“Get out of the old habit of asking ‘what if it doesn’t work out?’ and start programming your mind with different, better questions like ‘what if it does work out?’”Featured Columns - Personal DevelopmentThe simple fact is that most of us will work hard for the rest of our lives. If we want to create a life we love, then I think it’s important to work toward what we actually want. Does it take time? Sure. Will it be painful? At times. Are there guarantees? Only one – you never achieve what you won’t try. Get out of the old habit of asking “what if it doesn’t work out?” and start programming your mind with different, better questions like “what if it does work out?” Once you see how the pursuit and accomplishment of your goal will change your life, you’ve got instant motivation to go out and make it happen! One final thought – in the story above, Chuck Yeager had an interesting observation after he broke through the “impossible wall” in the sky, and I believe it relates to any of us as we pursue our goals. Yeager said the aircraft shook and shuddered violently as he approached the sound barrier. He wasn’t even sure if the aircraft would stay together and just at that moment, where it seemed all may be lost, the ride became smooth as glass as he broke through to the other side of that barrier. I wish you happy hunting as you chase your dreams and break through the barriers, the seemingly impossible walls, in your life. D.J. Eagle Bear Vanas (Odawa) is an internationally acclaimed motivational storyteller, business owner and author of celebrated book The Tiny Warrior: A Path to Personal Discovery & Achievement, as well as his latest release and first novel, Spirit on the Run. D.J.’s mission is to inspire warrior spirit principles of service in people and organizations such as Intel, Subaru, P&G, NASA, Costco, the U.S. Military, Boston Children’s Hospital and hundreds of Native American tribal communities. He is the owner of Native Discovery Inc. and can be reached at (719) 282-7747 or at http://www.nativediscovery.com. Featured Columns - ManagementMelodie Lente, Director of IS, Wildhorse Resort & CasinoIf you have been in the IT career field for more than 24 hours, you probably have some idea about there being no safe places. You no doubt have figured out that the enemy is not at your gates, he is probably already inside. There are continuous bombardments from all directions and constant reminders of ever changing threats. It is any wonder we are becoming uncomfortably numb, or worse, in the face of the every-impending data breach doom. It is depressing.There is a very real malady, known to military and experienced by battlefield soldiers and others, called battle fatigue. Military manuals often describe it as being caused by cumulative exposure to stress and stressors, among other things. That IS the world of IT and especially IT security – constant exposure to stress and stressors. Battle fatigue can manifest itself in many ways. Some of the ones I’ve personally witnessed in the IT world range from just simple and persistent physical and mental fatigue to depression or physical ailments like frequent colds, indigestion, ulcers, skin rashes, or sleep disturbances. Fatigued people make mistakes that only add to the stress already present, making for a downward spiral.The general public is also showing signs of battle fatigue, often described in other writings as breach fatigue. My non-IT friends (yes that is possible) speak in terms of complacency, resignation or just plain denial. I am frequently asked if I can guarantee their safety if they follow basic password rules, or use a firewall, or … fill in the blank. Of course, the answer is no. They shrug their shoulders and say things to the effect of why should they bother, especially if they feel or know their information is already compro-mised. The shock of the initial large data breaches has long since worn off. There have been so many breaches, reported daily, that the public is just numb with battle fatigue. It is even worse for the ones who did everything right and were still caught in one of the breaches in the news.I feel we are bound, as IT professionals, by a code of ethics to do all we can to make a safe work environment for the people we support and for those who rely upon us to keep their private information they entrusted with us private. It is devastating when we have done all we can possibly do and breach happens anyway. It is even worse when someone within our protective bubble betrays us. The final blow for many comes when corporate C-level people state that they can see little reason to spend large sums of money on prevention when a breach is inevitable anyway. The Target breach proved to them that data breaches are survivable and the revenue will continue to flow.What can we do with all of that? I am tired. Be-yond tired even, I am fatigued. My IT crew is fatigued; my end users are fatigued. We have to fight through the fatigue or the bad guys win. I am not okay with allowing the bad guys to win. Therefore, here is a short list of things we need to continue doing.1. Apply the best possible practices every single day. Write good, enforceable policies and procedures, and then enforce them consistently, constructively, and constantly.2. Educate, train, educate again, reinforce, edu-cate again. One time per year is not enough. One time per month is not enough. Never, ever pass up a teaching moment or possibility. Scare tactics and threats do not work. They might have had their place once upon a time, but remember we are now dealing with people who are well into the breach era. We are no longer impressed with scare tactics; we are too close, too numb.3. Be vigilant. By that I mean do not put a solu-tion or safeguards in place and walk away. Revisit the decision or choice. Nothing works forever. No solution is permanent (except for pulling the plug Battle FatigueMelodie LenteDirector of IS Wildhorse Resort & Casino“Do not blink no matter how fatigued you become. Evaluate your environment regularly in light of the evolving threat landscape.”64TribalNetFeatured Columns - Managementaltogether perhaps). There is always something new; old solutions evolve into new ones, better ways are developed and different ways are found. Do not blink no matter how fatigued you become. Evaluate your environment regularly in light of the evolving threat landscape. Every time you modify your envi-ronment, security evaluation must become a part of the process. Battle fatigue, or its more recognizable name of breach fatigue, is real and permeates the best of organizations. We can succumb to it or we can use the constant change to reinvigorate our sense of adventure with all the possibilities and opportunities to excel. Pick your battles wisely, evaluate the threat environment and take up the challenge.Melodie is a 20+-year professional with experience ranging from the help desk to the director level. Melodie began her IT career as an application support specialist with the Internal Revenue Service then worked in increasing roles of responsibility with the U.S. Department of the Air Force, Ute Mountain Casino, and the Ute Mountain Tribal government. She is the first person to hold the title of director information systems for the Wildhorse Resort & Casino (WRC). She oversees the tech support, network, and A/V sections. During her tenure, WRC has been through four expansions and has more than tripled the network size and complexity. The last major expansion, completed in late 2011, included a redundant data center, 10-story hotel with all the IP amenities, placed over 400 additional slot machines, digital signage, and a five-screen digital cineplex on the network. TribalNet magazine regularly features articles written by Melodie. She chaired the advisory council for the Interface Portland 2013 conference, and serves as a guest speaker for other IT conferences and events.31Gaming System Generic Network Diagram (IGT Advantage 8.2 SP6 with Bank Controllers)Gaming and leisure organizations face escalating challenges to increase information security against cyber attacks, improve data quality, modernize their current infrastructure and enhance collaboration. Mainline can help your organization confront and conquer these challenges.Mainline Solves IT Challenges for Gaming OrganizationsFeatured Solutions:• Digital Video Surveillance• Business Analytics• Security and Risk Mitigation• Disaster Recovery• IT Infrastructure Optimization• Virtualization — Server, Storage and Desktop• Server ConsolidationFor more information, contact:Tyler Burkett Account Executive Cell: 480.221.3244tyler.burkett@mainline.comTech News & FunWinged Drones Fly Beautifully as Butterflies. There are many robots inspired by nature, but few of them actually look and move like the real thing. The eMotion Butterflies from German robotics company Festo are an exception. These beauties could almost be mistaken for the real thing.Here is the link for more information: http://news.discov-ery.com/tech/robotics/winged-drones-fly-beautifully-as-butterflies-150326.htm66PyroA device that allows you to shoot fire from the palms of your hands. Yes, you heard it right- FIRE! You can get superhero status with your kiddos in no time. Worn on the wrist, with four chambers that allow you to shoot fireballs away from you in a dramatic fashion. It is worn in such a way that it leaves the top part of your wrist open, eliminating any chances of an accident. Pyro comes with a remote, and it took more than two years to develop and refine it into a safe and usable product.Samsung Sleep Sense:In the “Internet of Things” trend, Samsung recently announced, Sleep Sense, a flat disk that slips beneath the user’s pillow, monitoring sleep and other vitals such as heart rate, breathing and movement in real time.According to the company, the little disk offers up to 97 percent accuracy with the data it collects via a smart device. It can also send that information to loved ones in case of a problem.And, since this is Samsung, after all the system is connected to at home devices like the air conditioner and television, adjusting them accordingly based on a user’s sleep patterns. 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As your points tally you will have the chance to win some great prizes AND get to VIP STATUS!THE TRIBALNET ADVISORY BOARDS INVITE YOU TO ATTENDMike DayVP of IT and CIOCannery CasinosTribalNet Founder & Advisory Boards DirectorTribal Government/Health BoardTribal Casino/Hospitality BoardTerry Honeycutt MIS DirectorPueblo of IsletaToni PottsCAC ManagerCherokee Nation Health ServicesDennis DyerDirector of ITCitizen Potawatomi NationJon JamesCIOCherokee NationKelly SkenandoreHIS SpecialistOneida Nation of WIDustin StarkDirector of ITChoctaw NationBryant Santini CIOSalt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community & CasinosRenee FondrenH.I.T. SpecialistSovereign Technology Solutions/ Chickasaw Charles ScharnagleCIOMohegan TribeRam PatrachariCIO/VP of ITViejas EnterprisesAmy GatesIT DirectorSaginaw-Chippewa Tribe/CasinosBill Oliver CIOAgua Caliente Band of Cahuilla IndiansFran Moore VP of ITCache Creek Casino ResortJohn OrmondExecutive Director of Technology ServicesChumash CasinoVirgil DebrosseExecutive Director of Casino & Hospitality ApplicationsChickasaw NationChris DeCamp Director of Technical ServicesWin-River Resort CasinoPatrick TinklenbergDirector of ITSycuan CasinoDOWNLOAD CONF APPNext >