“Government IT Solutions Don’t Need the Cloud” Debunked

Government entities have been among those exceptionally reluctant to adopt the cloud. Not only are government entities notoriously hesitant to transition to new technologies, but budgetary issues and concerns about disruption can hold organizations back. Nevertheless, the cloud presents important advantages for both the private and public sector, and government cloud isn’t something that should be overlooked.

Why Government Entities Have Avoided the Cloud

There is a pervasive idea that the government cloud could be less private and less secure. Government IT solutions move slowly for several important reasons:

• Perceived cost. Governments often use older, legacy solutions because they are hesitant to invest upfront in a transition to new infrastructure. While it’s well-known that the cloud is a cost-saving measure, the organization may be concerned that the cost of the transition will be too much.
• Potential disruption. Every organization has experienced a roll-out that had gone awry, leaving them down for hours or even days or weeks. An organization needs to be reassured that a transition can be seamless, as otherwise it could percent the organization from providing important and even vital services.
• Privacy and security. In the early days of the cloud, it was perceived that the cloud had security issues due to its relative youth and its increased landscape. But today, the cloud is far more secure; it depends on the skills of the IT team involved.
• Regulations. Regulations change frequently. It can take some work for companies to determine whether a cloud infrastructure meets their requirements, let alone a government entity.

But while some of these are valid concerns, the bottom line is that cloud computing in government applications presents significantly more advantages than disadvantages:

• Reduced operating costs. Cloud services make it possible to pay only for the resources that the organization needs. Further, when paired with something like a managed services provider (MSP), the organization also doesn’t need to pay for a large, internal IT department. Ultimately, these are dollars the organization can spend in other areas.
• Accessibility. Cloud services can be used anywhere, which makes them especially accessible and flexible for organizations that have remote labor or employees who are frequently on site or in the go.
• Improved security. Cloud solutions actually have superior security today despite the increased attack surface, as they are able to utilize all the resources of the cloud and advanced solutions such as AI-driven security platforms.
• Better productivity. Cloud solutions are modern and advanced, making it possible to improve productivity and reduce administrative overhead. Being more productive helps the government entity provide better services to its community and clientele.
• Data backups and management. Perhaps one of the major advantages to a cloud solution is that there is virtually no way that data can be lost. Data is encrypted, synced and stored across multiple servers, which makes it far more difficult for data to be either lost or overwritten.

Bottom line: the government needs the cloud. The idea that the government can continue with on-premises servers and traditional solutions is as unwise as it is unlikely.

Addressing the Barriers to Federal and State Government Cloud Computing

The cloud has proven adoption benefits and is quickly gaining in popularity even in the public sector.

As there are very real concerns involved in transitioning a government institution to a cloud-based system, these challenges have to be addressed before an entity can successfully move toward adoption. This can be achieved through:

• Conducting a risk assessment. A risk assessment can help address any potential challenges the organization could run into during its deployment, as well as finding the lowest-risk methods of deployment. Risk assessments can alleviate many of the concerns a government entity could have regarding the mechanics of the transition.
• Auditing the organization’s needs. It’s important that the organization get the technology that it needs through the transition. An MSP can identify everything the organization needs to grow, thrive and future-proof its systems, ensuring that the organization appropriately understands the benefits of the transition and the value it will provide.
• Working with a professional MSP. A professional MSP has the experience needed to create a complete roadmap for the organization, significantly reducing the chances that something could go wrong and ensuring that the government organization is provided with support at every turn.
• Providing employee support. Employees are key to adoption. If they hesitate, they may not be able to enjoy the actual advantages of the organizational shift. MSPs can provide both training and continued support to ensure that employees have an easy transition.

Once the pervasive barriers to government cloud computing have been addressed, government entities will be able to reap the advantages of private, public and hybrid cloud ecosystems. Ultimately, the cloud is here to stay, and cloud computing for government sector entities is inevitable. That being said, government entities don’t need to make the transition alone. Connect with Red River today to get help.