When the federal government finalized its Cloud Smart computing strategy in 2019, leaders at government agencies and vendors alike wondered what this modernizing effort meant for them. Would it require a wholesale overhaul of all technology systems? Did staff have the skills needed to implement the migration to cloud-based processes? And what did this federal initiative mean for local and state government entities?

As implementation has moved forward, many of these questions have answered themselves. However, as new technologies emerge, they create new questions around the best way to become and remain Cloud Smart. In this post, we’ll review the basics of the Cloud Smart strategy and explore how emerging technologies, like machine learning, are helping government agencies and vendors to comply with the mandate and improve processes for employees and constituents alike.

The Cloud Smart Essentials

For those who are new to federal services, it’s easy to surmise that being Cloud Smart simply means relying on cloud-based technology solutions when possible. This is certainly an important element of the program: Cloud-based computing provides access to resources at any time, no matter where a user is, which is as critical for the modern government as it is for modern business, if not more so.

However, on-demand self-service is just one essential aspect of cloud computing, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Cloud computing also models broad network access, regardless of device. (So whether a user is on a phone or a workstation, or anything in between, they have a universal experience.) It relies on resource pooling to ensure that data storage, processing, memory, and network bandwidth are readily available to meet demand, and rapid elasticity, to ensure that capabilities can scale rapidly with demand. Finally, the cloud model provides measured service — resource usage “can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.”

All of these characteristics loop together to create opportunities for service improvement on three levels:

• Information Security
• Procurement Standards
• Workforce Capability

Let’s examine these in reverse order.

Workforce Capability

By emphasizing an evaluation of existing and future skills requirements, the federal Cloud Smart strategy is designed to improve training and hiring protocols to address skill gaps. This forward- and inward-looking approach is a terrific model for other government entities — both state and local — as they evaluate their current and projected personnel needs.

If the future of government services is on the cloud, do you have the technology talent you require to respond to the demands made by cloud-based computing? Could you retrain your staff to meet some of those needs? Are you appropriately communicating with employees about how their roles might be shifting and what they’ll need to do to adjust to new processes? A technology consultant versed in the Cloud Smart strategy can aid you in identifying and resolving gaps in your workforce capability vis a vis the cloud.

Procurement Standards

In standardizing approaches to procuring third-party, cloud-based solutions, the Cloud Smart strategy’s stated goals are to “deliver more savings, value, and efficiency for Federal agencies; eliminate unnecessary contract redundancies, and meet the Government’s small business goals.”

The aim here is for the various federal agencies to behave more like a single client for vendors, identifying and procuring solutions that work for a spectrum of agencies, uphold rigorous security requirements, and steward shared resources. Once again, the federal model is a powerful one for local and state entities working to streamline operations while improving service provision.

Information Security

However, the chief priority of the Cloud Smart strategy is to uphold the security of government data. This includes ensuring that internet connections are always trustworthy, that data is continuously protected through a multi-layered security approach, and that vendors are vetted through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), which “provides a standardized government-wide approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring of cloud services.”

From an information technology standpoint, protecting sensitive government and constituent information is just as essential to local and state agencies as it is to federal entities. Using the Cloud Smart initiative as a template can help these agencies make critical decisions about how and where they deploy their resources. A solution-agnostic consultant can help navigate the options and identify opportunities for improvement.

Deploying Machine Learning for Adaptability and Usability

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Cloud Smart strategy is the priority it places on adaptability — that “rapid elasticity” NIST articulated. The strategy assumes a continual evolution of technology. It recognizes that solutions will change as new technologies emerge and that government agencies will need to be vigilant to new needs and new solutions.

The field of machine learning has enormous potential for empowering rapid elasticity. When partnered with cloud computing, machine learning approaches can enable government computers to monitor systems, identify novel security threats, and initiate appropriate responses around the clock. Further, machine learning can help streamline processes and record-keeping via the cloud. For instance, the Department of Housing and Urban Development employed a cloud and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) Intelligent Data Extraction solution to mine structured data from paper case binders, digitizing over 100 million pages annually.

Get Cloud Smart

Cloud Smart is the new norm. For federal agencies and their vendors, it is a mandate. For local and state agencies and their vendors, it is a model. Emerging technologies make compliance a moving target. If you are an agency leader, a management consultant who is well-versed in the Cloud Smart strategy can help your agency comply with the mandate while improving processes for employees and constituents alike.

Want to get Cloud Smart? Contact Momentum today.