MSPs: Are You Ready for The Surge in Government Cloud Adoption?

We all know that governments are slow-moving machines, so it should come as no surprise that this has held true for their adoption of cloud services and cloud-based file sharing. Luckily, for all the MSPs out there, it looks like opportunity is on the horizon. There is strong evidence of impending government boom in cloud adoption from local governments all the way up to the federal government.

Although there was strong support for cloud adoption by the CIO of the U.S. Vivek Kundra back in 2010, growth has been slow – even slower than analysts expected. A GAO report from September of last year found that of all IT spending by seven major federal agencies, only 2 percent went towards cloud services. This dismal growth has been frustrating for MSPs, as well as those working in the government that are well aware of the benefits cloud services provide. The concerns of those against cloud services are redundant and can be alleviated with simple research.

David Hantman, General Manager of the Cloud Computing Caucus Advisory Group (CCCAG), a non-profit advisory group supporting the goals of the Cloud Computing Caucus, speaks frequently with government officials looking to branch out to cloud services. He says the complaints or concerns he gets most often are “the cost savings aren’t real,” “the technologies aren’t proven,” and “there’s not enough data security.” These are concerns any MSP has heard more times than they care for, and all of them simply aren’t true. Money is saved in efficiency and IT capabilities, the technologies are proven, and cloud services have proven to be far more secure than current in-house IT efforts.

Thankfully it looks like all the hold-ups will soon be a distant memory, as a surge in cloud adoption from government looms. Hantman is optimistic that efforts by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) whose role is to “review and certify third-party cloud providers for government use” will lead to rapid progression. He also notes that the Department of Defense, a critical agency with highly sensitive documents, is in talks with cloud technology providers – which is a good sign of a pro-cloud shift. MSPs should be on the look-out for government CIOs looking to adopt cloud services, as officials from all levels of government are pioneering efforts to move into the world of cloud technologies.

Kevin Burns, CIO for the City of Miami, addressed government cutbacks by saying “we’re trying to save money wherever we can without shortchanging the mission.” And “one of the most effective ways I’ve seen of getting more done with less is to embrace the cloud.” Doing so “frees up our resources, monetarily and personnel-wise, to a remarkable, very significant degree.” Since then, the city has migrated much of its locally-based software platform to the cloud, and Burns believes as a result they are much more efficient. Most MSPs would agree with Burns. Miami isn’t the only government entity doing this right now, as the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the State of Alabama’s CIOs have both expressed interest in moving toward a cloud environment.

There is an impending flood coming from the public sector that will open the doors for many MSPs to new business. The concerns are easy to address; if you want to be a successful MSP, make sure to eliminate your clients concerns of cost, efficiency, and safety.