How Government Agencies Are Fare When Transitioning To The Cloud

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Report examines preparedness of government agencies moving to the cloud.

As more and more Federal, state and local agencies — as well as institutions of higher education — transition to the Cloud, MeriTalk has issued Destination Cloud: The Federal and SLED Cloud Journey, a report examining those entity’s cloud strategies.

The study found 55 percent of cloud adopters are evaluating cloud solutions as part of their overall IT strategy and the remaining 45 percent are evaluating cloud solutions for a limited number of specific applications. Yet 61 percent of respondents indicate their agency or institution is experiencing privacy and security concerns that keep them from full-speed adoption.

According to the findings, 82 percent of public sector cloud adopters reported their agency or institution will increase spending on cloud computing in 2017, including 85 percent of Federal; 81 percent in higher education; and 76 percent state and local agencies. And over the next five years, plans to double cloud use are projected to rise from 35 percent to 60 percent.

Cost savings is a key cloud driver for 65 percent of Federal, 67 percent of state and local, and 59 percent of higher education agencies or institutions. And respondents are looking more frequently to cloud options in new investments, as well (65 percent Federal, 56 percent state and local, and 63 percent higher education.)

While 89 percent of IT managers say those investments have benefits of public cloud in productivity, customer services, and cost savings, 95 percent see serious drawbacks with 61 percent saying their agency or institution has privacy or security concerns.

“Cloud adopters are working to understand the rules of the road and want roadside assistance,” explained Milo Speranzo, director strategy and compliance, Avnet Government Solutions. “To get in the fast lane to real cost savings, cloud adopters need clear migration strategies, appropriate cost models, and to prioritize the most critical cloud-ready apps.”

The study also found many of the agencies and institutions have already charted a clear path for their transition to the cloud. This involves identifying and mitigating risks (57 percent); developing a migration strategy (56 percent), and prioritizing applications for migrations (52 percent). And 42 percent also require vendors to pass a safety inspection before partnering with cloud service providers.

“Cloud is the future for public sector computing,” said Steve O’Keefe, founder MeriTalk. “But agencies and institutions will take their own roads and travel at their own speed.”