Transforming IT in government involves strategic investments and assessing current opportunities. Microsoft states in a recent report, Cloud First: Federal IT Reform, “A number of agencies are sitting on undiscovered treasure in the form of underutilized software and services for support and training. For government IT, navigating budget cuts in this economy may actually present opportunities to maximize the investments you’ve already made.”
Microsoft continues to provide four strategies to do more with less, adopt cloud technologies, fully utilize servers, put desktops “on a diet,” and embrace telework. Microsoft highlights great resources for each of the four in the report, and in particular, I wanted to take the time to highlight cloud computing. Microsoft has developed a great resource for public sector employees that covers the basics of cloud computing, and the need-to-know information. I’d encourage you to view the entire document.
Below I’ve covered the “Exploring Your Options” section of the report. Microsoft states, “Cloud computing offers you a variety of options for hosting your data and applications. You can use a public cloud, a private cloud, or a combination of the two (hybrid cloud).” One of the first steps is understanding why the move to the cloud is important, and what changes migrating to the cloud will bring.
Microsoft provides three common ways organizations move to the cloud, email and collaboration, websites and public domain data, and public records and correspondence management. Once the uses are identified, organizations can choose what kind of cloud solution works best, selecting between public and private clouds. The graphic below is a great visual on this process.
The report is a great and quick overview of the cloud, and would consider anyone considering cloud adoption to take a look at the report.
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Every day at Microsoft we are motivated and inspired by how our customers use our software to find creative solutions to business problems, develop breakthrough ideas, and stay connected to what’s most important to them. Check out their Microsoft Productivity for Government group on GovLoop as well as the Technology Sub-Community of which they are a council member. |