Govs Making the Switch to Cloud Computing

William D. Eggers says the government is giving up the costly infrastructure investments in favor of cloud computing, and the Feds are leading the way.

1 minute read

February 1, 2011, 6:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Eggers writes:

"Federal CIO Vivek Kundra recently announced a "cloud first": "When evaluating options for new IT deployments, OMB [Office of Management and Budget] will require that agencies default to cloud-based solutions whenever a secure, reliable, cost-effective cloud option exists. To facilitate this shift, we will be standing up secure government-wide cloud computing platforms."

Cost efficiencies are the goal, and the feds expect to close 800 of their roughly 2,100 data centers by 2015. In December, the General Services Administration announced it would become the first federal agency to adopt a cloud solution for e-mail."

Monday, January 31, 2011 in Governing Magazine

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