Browsing: cloud computing

The National Institute for Standards and Technology wants to demystify cloud computing. NIST released a special publication on Tuesday to “explain cloud systems in plain language” and provide information technology executives with recommendations, concerns and the benefits of migrating to the cloud. The 81-page document explains the level of service agencies can expect in various cloud environments and what potential pitfalls they should be aware of, such as abrupt changes in service agreements by the cloud providers and scheduled service outages, depending on the type of cloud.  Recommendations include: – Develop a plan for migrating data to and from the cloud and for…

The Interior Department expects to migrate 92,000 employees to a single cloud-based email system by December, according to a senior agency official. Interior awarded a $35 million contract for cloud email and collaboration tools to Ohio-based Onix Networking Corp, according to an announcement on fbo.gov. The Google Apps for Government solution will also provide employees with instant messaging, desktop video conferencing, web-based collaboration systems and email on their mobile devices. “That is one of our first big enterprise services that we hope we can ramp up quickly,” Andrew Jackson, deputy assistant secretary for technology, information and business services, said in…

Most federal information technology professionals are very satisfied with their agencies’ ability to enable telework and support a mobile workforce, according to a survey released last week by Telework Exchange. The organization, a public private partnership that promotes telework, surveyed 152 Defense and civilian IT professionals about their current telework programs, shortfalls and projections for the future mobile workforce. Of those surveyed, 65 percent said their agencies offer above average IT programs to support telework, compared with 14 percent of professionals who rated their IT programs below average. Agencies with a “B” rating or below should provide more cloud-based services,…

As many as 20 cloud computing vendors will be certified for federal use under a new security assessment program when it launches in June. The General Services Administration, which manages the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), has said that companies already providing cloud technology to agencies under GSA’s Infrastructure-as-a-Service contract will be among the first to have their technology vetted through the program. Vendors on GSA’s upcoming Email-as-a-Service contract will also be given priority. After being vetted and meeting any additional standards to ensure security, companies are approved to offer their products and services for sale to agencies.…

Guidance released by the Chief Information Officers Council last week calls on agencies to improve collaboration among CIOs, privacy and contracting officers and other stakeholders when procuring cloud services. The document, called “Creating Effective Cloud Computing Contracts for the Federal Government” outlines 10 areas where agencies can improve their internal collaborations before selecting a cloud provider. Agencies should consider input from the CIO, general counsel, privacy and procurement offices when choosing the appropriate cloud service and how it will be provided. “Federal agencies must ensure cloud environments are compliant with all existing laws and regulations when they move IT services…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects to cut its current email costs in half by moving 25,000 users to Google’s cloud email. NOAA began migrating email boxes for employees, contractors and associates from in-house servers to Google Apps cloud email and collaboration system in June and completed the transition in December, according to a Google blog post. The work was completed under an $11.5 million, three-year contract to Earth Resources Technologies, Inc. in partnership with Google, Unisys and Tempus Nova. NOAA has the largest number of cloud email users in the federal government. Last year, the General Services Administration migrated 17,000 users…

Before leaving office this month, federal chief information officer Vivek Kundra laid out the administration’s “Cloud First” policy, which requires agencies to give priority to cloud computing services as opposed to buying hardware and software. State and local government are also moving forward with cloud computing, but Kundra’s vision is the “creation of a global cloud first policy that forces nations to work together” on issues concerning cloud and whether cloud data should be shared between nations, Kundra said in a Tuesday New York Times op-ed piece. If cloud data can be shared, what restrictions should be in place? In Japan, the Ministry…

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration is now the third government entity looking to Google for a new cloud email system, Google announced Thursday. By October, NOAA plans to move 25,000 employee and contractor email accounts to Google Apps for Government. Users will have access to video chat, real-time document collaboration and support for various mobile devices, Dave Standish, Google’s federal civilian account manager wrote in a blog post. The General Services Administration is completing its migration of 17,000 email users to Google Apps for Government, which GSA expects will garner $15 million in savings over 5 years. Lawrence Berkeley National Labs selected …

Teri Takai says she isn’t naïve about the challenges in executing departmentwide information technology reforms at the Defense Department.   As DoD’s chief information officer, she’s up against more than 7 million computers and devices connected to 15,000 networks, 772 data centers and IT infrastructure that is scattered across DoD services. There’s also the challenge of garnering support from services’ CIOs, who have their own pots of money for IT projects and programs. “It isn’t like I can sort of sit in my office and put a directive out and everybody goes “oh that’s a really great idea Teri, I…