The Department of Homeland Security is looking to move its massive biometric identity management system — containing more than 260 million biometric data points — to the cloud, according to a request for information posted by the department’s Office of Biometric Identity Management.
If you’re curious about this biometrics cloud transition, don’t miss the 2024 Homeland Security Summit hosted by the Potomac Officers Club on Nov. 13. Lisa MacDonald, director of the Identity Capabilities Management Division within OBIM, will keynote, sharing her expertise and insights on OBIM’s biometrics priorities and initiatives. Register for the 2024 Homeland Security Summit to join the conversation.
OBIM collects biometrics like digital fingerprints and facial and iris data from international travelers at ports of entry across the United States. Currently, DHS’ repository of biometric data is housed on the Automated Biometric Identification System, known as IDENT, and it will be moving to the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology, or HART, system.
“This upgrade will shift from hardware-based matching to a cloud-based microservice architecture,” OBIM said in the RFI posting. Interested parties have until Oct. 25 to submit their responses.
Why Shift to the Cloud?
The federal landscape has seen a monumental move to cloud architectures in the last decade. For example, at the end of 2022, the Department of Defense made a $9 billion investment into cloud computing through its groundbreaking multi-vendor Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability contract, known as JWCC.
But what’s the impetus behind the transition to cloud? According to M9 Solutions President and Chief Revenue Officer Sean DuGuay, government leaders are choosing cloud to unlock operational efficiencies, advance digital transformation initiatives and better manage their data.
“Overall, the adoption of cloud computing in the federal landscape will drive significant improvements in efficiency, security and service delivery, positioning federal agencies to better meet the needs of the public in a rapidly evolving digital environment,” said DuGuay in an Executive Spotlight interview with GovCon Wire.
DuGuay will moderate a panel focused on DHS’ new AI Corps at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13. Secure your 2024 Homeland Security Summit ticket today.
