Like any newer technology, cloud computing has faced adoption challenges. IT managers understand the huge potential efficiency improvements and savings that cloud computing can bring to their agencies, but also have questions about security, compatibility, and funding. With these concerns and without a clear path to cloud computing, many agencies continue to maintain on-premises solutions. However, the costs of legacy systems are expensive, and this is a particularly important issue in a budget-constrained environment.
So what can IT managers do?
Many IT managers are turning to a hybrid cloud solution. Hybrid allows an agency to phase in new technologies without making wholesale adoptions agency-wide. For example, an agency could identify all public-facing websites and move them to a public cloud in order to eliminate costly, on-premises servers and maintenance costs.
With the hybrid cloud, that same agency can also continue to operate sensitive systems on-premises to meet proper security requirements, while reducing costs in other areas. As the agency grows more comfortable with cloud solutions, they can transition other services, and employ private or community clouds depending on their requirements.
Agencies can also benefit from pay-for-use services that expand and contract according to usage and need. Reducing the need for large investments in less flexible and more costly infrastructure. It also gives government agencies a flexible and efficient alternative to replace costly, outdated legacy systems.
More agencies are moving to the cloud, and hybrid is a nice transition that allows for the most flexibility, enabling fully customizable and highly efficient solutions. And agencies can use the best available solutions provided by the best available suppliers.
Moving to the Cloud—Hand in Hand
Although embracing hybrid cloud solutions is a little different from traditional IT procurements, agencies don’t have to transition alone—we are here to help. We have experts in cloud technologies with useful resources including requirements and needs analysis, scope reviews, and can advise you on how to structure the procurement and which “pre-competed” contract best fits your needs.
If you are considering moving to cloud, visit www.gsa.gov/cloud or the Acquisition Gateway for industry leading white papers, checklists, and templates that will make your implementation successful. You can also reach out directly to our cloud experts who are on hand to support agencies through transitions at cesdd@gsa.gov.
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