Cloud computing is the next generation of technology that state, local and federal governments need to adopt expansively and with immediate effect. There are several benefits that government agencies can reap from cloud adoption that are unattainable with on-premise IT infrastructure, in terms of security, application availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency.
Since COVID-19, public sector agencies have faced challenges serving citizens because more often than not, they are short-staffed. Moving from on-premise infrastructure to cloud computing can help these offices and agencies tackle this challenge as cloud-based software helps to carry out myriad administrative tasks even with limited resources.
In this article, we will delve into the potential benefits of cloud computing for governments and public sector administration, beginning with an understanding of a term that is gaining prominence in this regard, GovTech.
What is GovTech?
GovTech refers to the use of technology by governments to improve service delivery, in a bid to provide seamless experiences for their end-users, the citizens. These technology-driven solutions also enable policymakers to understand stakeholder needs, deliver more evidence-based policies, and implement programs more efficiently.
Why is Federal Government Cloud Computing on the Rise?
According to a 2020 survey, approximately 39% of public sector organizations worldwide expect to move their infrastructure to the cloud by 2026. For every service provided by governments, be it law enforcement, social services, healthcare, or education, there would naturally be large amounts of sensitive data, both utilized and generated. Maintaining and managing the security of this data with on-premise infrastructure is not a feasible nor flexible alternative.
Cloud computing enables the migration of this data to a series of remote servers over the internet. The varied digital solutions that come under the umbrella of cloud computing can help accumulate, process, and convert all this data into actionable insights that drive more informed decisions for public sector projects, general administration, and service delivery.
The Benefits of Cloud Computing for Governments
The cost-effectiveness, scalability, platform-agnostic implementation, and other benefits that cloud computing brings to government projects and administration are detailed below:
1)Better Security
When it comes to on-premise infrastructure, a public sector organization would be responsible for managing its own servers. Cloud providers offer flexible data security plans. The government organization can effectively outsource its security dependencies through a simple, recurring cloud-subscription plan.
2)Meeting Sustainability Goals
Cloud migration provides several options for governments to meet their sustainability goals. Cloud services tend to have a much lower carbon footprint and are more sustainable than on-prem infrastructure. Reportedly, cloud migration cuts down energy consumption by 65% and carbon emissions by 84%.
3)Enhanced Collaboration
Government agencies can promote greater collaboration between teams and disparate departments with cloud-based systems. Compared to basic collaboration over email, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud systems enable the cross-integration of information silos.
4)Remote Governance
Migrating the administration of government tasks to the cloud expedites processes. Especially when it comes to those processes or high-impact decisions that need multi-departmental supervision or approvals, cloud-based governance mechanisms are highly reliable.
5)Fast Scalability
Local governments may sometimes deal with a sudden increase in demand for their services, which entails increased data storage needs. Scaling up and down with on-premise infrastructure is a process that is heavy on costs, effort, and time. On the flip side, cloud computing allows government systems to scale in real-time, helping meet unexpected storage and processing requirements.
6)Cost Savings
One way cloud providers can save governments money is by eliminating the cost of setting up in-house infrastructure and maintaining it. There is no need to have a dedicated IT staff to manage on-premise data servers further reducing expenses. Additionally, cloud providers facilitate a pay-as-you-go model for the solutions they offer, reducing the financial risk of any deployed software that doesn’t work.
7)Business Continuity Management
Governments can automate business continuity with cloud-based systems. The cloud provider takes care of aspects such as disaster recovery planning without expensive infrastructure setup so that citizens accessing government web or mobile applications can experience 0 downtimes. Data can be replicated at multiple redundant sites to remove the possibility of disasters related to data loss caused by a single point of failure.
Choose the right Managed Cloud Services Expert
For government organizations trying to upgrade their digital infrastructure and increase efficiency, cloud computing has grown in popularity. Government agencies can gain access to a number of advantages by migrating to the cloud, including cost savings, scalability, collaboration, and data protection.
There are several variables to consider before shifting to the cloud, such as which type of cloud setup to opt for, which cloud provider to partner with, and which third-party dependencies to add to your cloud services toolchain. With the right technology partner, these factors can all be handled for you, so that you can focus your team’s attention on delivering programs and developing innovative strategies.