MeriTalk, a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT, today announced the results of its new report, “Smart > Lucky: Pillars to Fed and SLED Cloud Success,” the company announced on Tuesday.
The study, underwritten by Dell Technologies and Microsoft, is based on a survey of 300 Federal, state, local and higher education (SLED) IT decision-makers acquainted with the agency’s cloud progress. The report noted Fed and SLED leaders’ experiences managing cloud risk, acquisition options to accelerate adoption and cultivating a culture of change.
Seventy-five percent of respondents say they want to move more aggressively to the cloud. Fed and SLED IT leaders agree that a hybrid IT model is the most effective approach, reporting that one cloud does suit all businesses.
MeriTalk said that agencies need to evaluate workloads and match to the best option on premises, off premises or in a co-location facility. The research additionally identified gaps in risk management across hybrid environments. Sixty-seven percent noted that the organizations are not performing continual risk prevention assessments across all environments and 66 percent noted that they are not improving consistency between on-premises and cloud security.
Agencies who have made the most cloud progress are focusing on the policy’s three pillars: security, workforce and procurement. The breakdown has prepared organizations for the cloud by using modern identity, credential and access management.
The breakdown was formulated around establishing talent development programs and offering cloud procurement guidance. IT leaders recommend more formal cloud training and sharing best practices across public sector organizations.
Since its initial release in September 2018, the Office of Management and Budget’s Cloud Smart policy has helped to improve IT service delivery and increased flexibility in IT procurement decisions.
“The findings in this research from MeriTalk provide a concise roadmap for public sector CIOs to drive innovation via cloud adoption while minimizing risk and activating the organizational culture changes to make this transformation a reality,” says Craig Orgeron, CIO, State of Mississippi.
About MeriTalk
The voice of tomorrow’s government today, MeriTalk is a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT. Our award-winning editorial team and world-class events and research staff produces unmatched news, analysis, and insight. The goal: more efficient, responsive, and citizen-centric government. MeriTalk connects with an audience of 151,000 Federal community contacts.
