TekStream Whole-of-State Framework Debuts at RSAC 2025

Initiative to be Included in Splunk Discussion on the Organizations' Pioneering Public-Private Partnership

ATLANTA, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TekStream, a cybersecurity and IT solutions leader, is bringing its Whole-of-State framework to RSAC™ 2025, which will take place in San Francisco from April 28 to May 1, 2025. Centered around collaboration, shared intelligence and workforce development, TekStream's Whole-of-State initiative addresses the public sector's cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The approach will be included in a presentation at the Splunk booth (N-5445) on Wednesday, April 30, at 1 p.m., focusing on pioneering public-private partnerships.

TekStream's Whole-of-State framework echoes this year's conference theme, "Many Voices. One Community." It was piloted in public-private partnership with Louisiana State University (LSU), Splunk and AWS in response to the growing cybersecurity workforce crisis and the need to provide public sector leaders with a better pathway to enhanced cyber protection amid increasing cyberattacks.

"RSAC's mission is to provide the cybersecurity world a space to engage, share and learn best practices with the intent of driving industry innovation," TekStream Senior Director of Enterprise Security Bruce Johnson said. "We are very excited to see how our work with Splunk in developing the Whole-of-State framework is being shared with the wider community as a solution to both solve our industry's top challenges and enrich it."

Built on TekStream's Splunk-powered MDR services, the model blends workforce development with a cost deferment model that empowers organizations to have long-term ownership over their programs. Initially developed to leverage LSU's student base to fill the talent pipeline, organizations of all types can use the model to upskill existing employees or work together with community partners to cultivate new talent.

Since resources can be shared under a multi-tenant SOC built on Splunk SIEM/SOAR and powered by AWS digital infrastructure on a distributed network, organizations can offset the cost of setting up a best-in-class SOC while benefiting from shared threat intelligence. Expenses are further reduced as TekStream's involvement decreases as employee/student proficiency increases — a win-win for all involved.

"When we developed the concept of the student-powered SOC, we set out to provide the industry with a viable and flexible solution that helps uplevel us all," Johnson expressed. "We know that talent is the largest barrier for organizations to overcome regardless of industry sector. If we don't solve this issue collectively, we all suffer. Cost, a traditional barrier, doesn't hold the same weight if we don't solve the talent gap first."

While higher education is leading the way in adopting TekStream's Whole-of-State framework, as evidenced by LSU and NJIT, among others, the model is quickly making inroads at the local and state levels. With the Whole-of-State model becoming a topic of discussion at RSAC 2025, the work done by this community of leading cybersecurity experts is set to reshape the cybersecurity landscape and how we detect, respond and monitor cyberattacks. The three Cybersecurity Excellence Awards bestowed on the framework and its mention in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Co-Managed Security Monitoring Services serve as testaments to that trend.

"This time next year, I hope to hear how our work with partners like Splunk has inspired other CISOs and CIOs to elevate their cyber defenses," Johnson concluded. "I'm also thrilled to observe my peers' reactions to Splunk's session on April 30 and the types of conversations it will spark. I know it will be impactful and thought-provoking if it's anything like last year at RSAC." 

TekStream is also hosting a happy hour on Monday, April 28. Visit rsaconference.com to learn more about the event, or stop by Booth N-5445.

About TekStream
TekStream, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, helps clients accelerate digital transformation by navigating complex technology environments with a combination of technical expertise and staffing solutions. TekStream provides battle-tested processes and methodologies to help companies with legacy systems get to the cloud faster so they can become more agile, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies. With hundreds of successful deployments, TekStream guarantees on-time and on-budget project delivery and is proud to have 98% customer retention. 

SOURCE TekStream