Page 85 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2023

Four Years and a Pandemic Later: Have

Agencies Become Cloud Smart?

By James Langley, Master Solutions Consultant, Hitachi Vantara Federal

June 2023 marked the four-year anniversary of the release of the final Cloud Smart strategy, which was
the government’s update to the sweeping Cloud First strategy originally issued in 2011. Cloud First was
designed to push Federal agencies to migrate to the cloud. Cloud Smart offered agencies the flexibility
to adopt cloud technology according to mission needs.

While four years can feel like a different world from a technological perspective, it is not a lot of time when
it comes to effective change in government, especially given the significant disruptions caused by the
pandemic since Cloud Smart was issued. Agencies that were working towards Cloud First mandates for
eight years may not have been able to fully pivot over the past four years, leaving them unable to realize
the full benefits of becoming Cloud Smart.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2023 Edition 85
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