September - 20198GOVERNMENT CIO OUTLOOKCloud: Challenges, Risk, TrendsAntonio Villafana, (Retired) Chief Information Officer - DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityByn expanded suite of information security tools and services, reduction in technical debt, and reduced operating cost are all possible with a properly planned and architected cloud solution. The benefits of a flexible, scalable, yet secure cloud architecture can help Federal agencies realize the fiscal and operational efficiencies of moving to the cloud while continuing to provide required citizen services. For some Federal agencies the return on investment (ROI) can be significant. To achieve the best ROI possible Federal agencies must seek a balanced solution architecture that provides the optimal level of interoperability, closely align to the agency mission, and bolsters its information security posture. Undoubtedly, there will be challenges and obstacles to achieving a balanced solution architecture so having a strategy in place to address those challenges will be key to success.It takes a villageFinding the right vendor, cloud service provider, and building a skilled workforce is foundational to everything that follows. It is critical that the selected vendor understands, and embraces, the agency mission. The selected vendor must be able to identify complementary technologies, develop a cloud architecture, and support transformation/migration management services. When selecting a cloud service provider, the agency's current technology (app, security, data) stack, IT governance requirements, and funding levels will be key inputs to the decision-making process, especially when seeking a Hybrid architecture. Having a skilled workforce in place to AAntonio VillafanaIN MYOPINION
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