Should the Federal Government Be Moving to the Cloud?

Not only should the federal government be moving to the cloud, but it is. The cloud has seen tremendous growth in federal government agencies over the past decade. Cost, security, scalability — there  are a lot of advantages to cloud solutions. Moreover, technology is moving to the cloud; if the government wants to continue to use best-in-class technologies, well, most of them are now SaaS.

But, by its very nature, government cloud solutions are different. A federal cloud strategy is naturally more complex, and the security standards of federal cloud computing are more robust. Let’s take a deeper look at the advantages of Azure government deployments, AWS GovCloud solutions and the Google Cloud for government applications.

Advantages of moving to the cloud for the federal government

For the government, many cloud advantages are the same as for the private sector:

• Cost. Moving to the cloud can significantly reduce costs associated with personnel, hardware and software. Many government entities operate on lean budgets.
• Scalability. The ability to quickly scale up or down depending on demand is one of the biggest advantages of using a cloud service. This is particularly beneficial for spinning up new government initiatives.
• Security. Cloud services are designed to meet strict security standards, making them more secure than traditional on-premises solutions. Additionally, many cloud services are compliant with federal regulations such as HIPAA and FISMA, which makes it easier for agencies to work within the framework of existing rules.
• Flexibility. Cloud solutions offer agencies unprecedented levels of flexibility regarding where and how they can deploy. They also open doors to new technology like AI and ML.

And the government ultimately cannot avoid a technology that is becoming ubiquitous.

Security issues related to the federal government cloud

While the cloud offers many advantages, there are still some security issues that the federal government must grapple with. These include:

• Data privacy and confidentiality. With cloud solutions, customer data is usually stored in a shared environment, which means it can be accessed by multiple parties. This makes data privacy and confidentiality a major concern for any government agency using the cloud.
• Data encryption. With cloud solutions, agencies must ensure that data is encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Vulnerability management. Agencies must be vigilant about managing security vulnerabilities in their systems and ensuring they are updated with the latest patches. But a cloud solution is patched by the provider automatically; the agency has no control over this.
• Auditing and compliance. When using a cloud service, agencies must ensure they are compliant with all federal regulations such as FISMA and HIPAA.

Choosing the right cloud service and cloud service provider is essential for government agencies trying to maintain their security.

New federal cloud computing standards

Cloud computing standards are always changing. From FedRAMP to the Cloud Security Alliance, companies and private entities alike have to be mindful of new regulations and security tools. The federal government should move to the cloud. But that also requires the establishment of vastly new processes.

Build a federal cloud strategy with Red River

If you’re a government contractor or even a government entity, you need help ensuring that you operate to federal computing standards. At Red River, we can help you develop your federal cloud strategy and best leverage the government cloud.

Meet compliance. Protect your data. Contact the experts at Red River.