The company name JCN is created by advancing one letter of the alphabet from the initials IBM. This is similar to the computer HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), whose name was created by moving each letter in IBM back by one place.
Wayne Duvall was a friend of Richard Schiff and was cast at Schiff's discretion.
First appearance by Mary McCormack as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper. She received guest-star billing for her appearances in season 5, and then was added to the main cast in the opening credits at the beginning of season 6.
Ben makes reference to "hail the size of canned hams". In his younger days as a weatherman, David Letterman said this exact same thing.