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’s been a decade since "Cloud First" was put forth as a formal goal of government. In that time, agencies have moved from wary experimentation to straightforward "lift and shift" efforts to, increasingly, enterprise as-a-service solutions. The question is no longer whether to leverage cloud servicers, but how best to do so. Yet as the easier moves to the cloud have been made, the remaining systems and workloads require decidedly more c...

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...

First floated as an idea in 2010, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program was officially launched in 2012 as a government-wide program to secure cloud products and services. A recent audit by the General Accountability Office showed that more than 900 government cloud projects have been authorized by FedRAMP, but hundreds more continue to operate without authorizations, which presents a kaleidoscope of security challenges to the...

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...

In the blink of an eye, the first 10 years of the new century have passed us by and technology has redefined how federal agencies service citizens, support warfighters, and defend national security. The next decade will belong to those who fearlessly harness technologies like artificial intelligence for automation and next-generation analytics, overcome obstacles and move legacy applications to the cloud, and develop layered-security strategie...

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...

Agency personnel must navigate an ocean of vendor solutions, government mandates, and bureaucratic obstacles in their quest to support their agency mission and deliver services to citizens, business users, and warfighters. To succeed, we must focus not only on the technologies implemented but on how the leaders in our organizations are implementing programs, engaging stakeholders, and empowering teams to drive the outcomes desired. ​ Dur...