Understanding the 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy
Cloud computing has brought about a major transformation in the way organizations approach their IT infrastructure. The US government has been no exception to this transformation, and has been actively investing in cloud computing to drive operational efficiency and deliver better services to citizens.
In 2011, the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy was launched, which aimed to accelerate the adoption of cloud computing across the federal government. Fast forward to 2019, and the government has now released an updated version of this strategy.
In this article, we explore what you need to know about the 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, and how it will affect federal agencies and their IT investments.
What is the 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy?
The 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, also known as Cloud Smart, is the latest initiative by the US government to accelerate the adoption of cloud computing across federal agencies. The strategy aims to provide a secure, scalable, and cost-effective cloud environment for agencies to deliver better services to citizens.
The Cloud Smart strategy aims to build on the previous Federal Cloud Computing Strategy and addresses a number of key areas such as security, procurement, workforce, and modernization, that are critical to the success of cloud adoption in the federal government.
The Objectives of Cloud Smart
The Cloud Smart strategy lays out four key objectives that federal agencies must focus on to successfully adopt cloud computing:
1. Security
The first objective of Cloud Smart is to enhance the security and resilience of federal IT systems by improving governance, risk management, and compliance. This is critical when dealing with sensitive data such as citizen health records and financial information.
2. Procurement
The second objective is to provide guidance on procurement strategies for cloud services, to enable agencies to choose secure and cost-effective cloud solutions that meet their unique needs. This will avoid situations where agencies are locked into a single vendor or technology.
3. Workforce
The third objective is to promote workforce development and training to ensure that federal employees have the necessary skills to manage cloud investments and operations.
4. Modernization
The fourth objective is to accelerate the modernization of federal IT systems by taking advantage of cloud capabilities such as automation, scalability and agility. This will enable agencies to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve citizen services.
The benefits of Cloud Smart
The Cloud Smart strategy offers several benefits to federal agencies that adopt cloud computing:
1. Cost Savings
With the implementation of Cloud Smart, agencies can avoid unnecessary IT costs associated with outdated technology and hardware. Cloud computing allows agencies to pay only for the services they use, reducing upfront costs and freeing up IT resources.
2. Scalability and Agility
Cloud computing offers the flexibility to rapidly scale up or down as needed, allowing agencies to respond to changing demands and requirements.
3. Better Citizen Services
Cloud Smart enables agencies to improve citizen services by providing a secure, reliable, and cost-effective platform that can support innovative solutions in areas like healthcare, financial management, and data analytics.
4. Increased Security
Cloud Smart provides a more secure and resilient environment for government systems, through enhanced security controls, monitoring, and risk management.
Examples of Cloud Smart in Action
The Federal Risk Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a key part of the Cloud Smart initiative. FedRAMP streamlines the security assessment and authorization process for cloud services, making it easier for agencies to procure secure cloud solutions. Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs leveraged FedRAMP to migrate one of its applications to the cloud, delivering a cost savings of over $30 million.
In addition, the General Services Administration (GSA) used Cloud Smart to improve the website of the Federal Contracting Opportunities portal, providing a better user experience and cost savings of $18 million over five years.
Conclusion
The 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, Cloud Smart, is a major milestone in the US government’s ongoing efforts to modernize its IT infrastructure and improve citizen services. By focusing on security, procurement, workforce, and modernization, Cloud Smart provides a roadmap for federal agencies to adopt cloud computing in a secure, scalable, and cost-effective way. With the benefits of cloud computing increasingly evident, it is clear that the federal government is committed to staying ahead of the curve and leading the way in cloud adoption.
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