Why the feds keep stumbling in the cloud

Grazed from InfoWorld. Author: David Linthicum

Although federal agencies have expanded their use of cloud services, many challenges remain for full implementation, says Citizens Against Government Waste in its 2012 review of the federal cloud efforts.

There is some good news. According to a 2012 survey of federal civilian and defense personnel, $5.5 billion had been saved through the use of cloud computing technology. However, the survey respondents also stated that wider cloud adoption could have saved as much as $12 billion…

There’s bad news as well: The review cites a July 2012 Government Accountability Of?ce report that found several challenges facing agencies seeking to adopt cloud computing. These obstacles include meeting federal security requirements, obtaining guidance on deployment, acquiring internal cloud knowledge and expertise, certifying and accrediting vendors, ensuring data portability and interoperability, overcoming cultural barriers, and procuring services on a consumption or on-demand basis…

Read more from the source @ http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/why-the-feds-keep-stumbling-in-the-cloud-210057