A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies says the Department of Defense needs to strengthen its software design in order to maintain a competitive edge against foreign adversaries. Harnessing the power of data and analytics remains a critical part of achieving mission goals across all federal agencies. Government organizations need to constantly innovate and strengthen software design in order to stay ahead of th...

From Cloud First to Cloud Smart policies, cloud computing has underpinned much of government’s IT modernization for the past decade. The importance of cloud adoption took on an increased urgency over the past two years as agencies needed to quickly and securely enable remote work for thousands of employees. Now, as agencies at all stages of their cloud journey develop the next generation of cloud strategy, issues around security, enterpr...

Just as technology has been constantly changing and evolving, so has DOD’s strategy for the best way to modernize the tools it provides to the warfighters and their business support services. In 2018, the agency released a strategy to use cloud technology, which has been revised over the intervening years to reflect the cancellation of the JEDI contract and the adoption of DOD’s Software Modernization Strategy. The new strategy set...

The COVID pandemic spurred agencies to move their data and applications to the cloud quicker than many had planned to make it more accessible for a remote workforce and to protect it from intensifying cyberattacks. More than a year into the new normal world of remote work, agencies are evaluating the best ways to secure the hybrid and multi clouds and their data troves to make sure it can meet the increased challenges. In May 2020, the Biden A...

The Department of Defense's cloud strategy aims to transform virtually every aspect of the warfighting effort, and has resulted in a rapidly growing ecosystem of both general-purpose and fit-for-purpose clouds. Some of those efforts are unique to DOD, reflecting the scale, missions and austere operating environments of military operations, while others are readily transferrable to most any agency. All, however, hold valuable lessons for those...

IT modernization has been a federal priority for years, but many agencies still struggle to turn that goal into a practical plan of action. Securing multi-year funding is one challenge, but the fundamental obstacle is often the sheer complexity of transforming government-scale systems. Smart, successful modernization demands a holistic approach that addresses several essential pillars: security, network infrastructure, multi-cloud architecture...

Most government agencies have made the journey to cloud since the Cloud First and Cloud Smart strategies came from OMB starting in 2010. Many organizations have more than one cloud. The challenge becomes blending the different types of cloud and service models to provide access to needed data, while at the same time protecting a much enlarged attack surface created by the large number of workers who are accessing the data remotely. If there is...

Cloud is now a cornerstone for government agencies of all types, but the Department of Defense's efforts are in a class of their own. DOD's scale, mission needs and austere operating environments all introduce unique challenges and complexities, and there are hundreds of cloud initiatives underway. Please join us for this virtual event to learn more about the largest of those initiatives and the modernization and mission needs they are support...

As agencies follow the administration's IT Modernization guidance and move more of their systems to the cloud, it's essential to protect the data from a host of evolving threats. There are a number of programs to help with the journey, however. The FedRAMP program is an important part of any agency’s cloud strategy, and it is providing a path and structure to the move by certifying cloud services providers so agencies have a trusted list...

Register today for the FCW Workshop: The Future of FedRAMP being held on November 19th in Washington, DC, featuring speakers from NIST, GSA and more. Hear these seasoned experts explore FedRAMP's latest initiatives, the pre- and post-approval obligations, and the 2020 outlook for both government and industry stakeholders. Topics for discussion may include: * The impact of FedRAMP Connect * Best practices for pursuing an Authority to Operate* M...