Federal government looking to cloud to bolster efficiency
21 July 2011 15:08:16
According to a recent New York Times report, cloud computing is expected to be a significant factor in the federal government's quest to close nearly 800 data centers and create a more efficient IT environment.
The news provider noted that the government plans to close up to 40 percent of its nearly 2,000 data centers by 2015. This is expected to lead to drastic cost reductions in the government's IT operations and will also have a significant environmental impact.
However, the plan would not be possible without the cloud. By relying on cloud computing solutions, the government can outsource its power-hungry IT operations to remote servers run by cloud providers. This, according to the Times, will likely translate to nearly $3 billion in saving a year and allow the government to close as many as 373 data centers by the end of next year.
"In an era of massive deficits, the federal government has to figure out ways to get more efficient," Darrell West of the Brookings Institution told the news provider. "The data center consolidation is part of that process."
Last December, federal CIO Vivek Kundra laid out a 25-point plan to increase the government's IT efficiency. As part of the plan, he said that as much as $20 billion could be spent on cloud-related projects this year.
-McAfee Cloud Security
