Page 88 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2023

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consumption by partnering with organizations that offer X-as-a-service (XaaS) pricing – which includes
organizations beyond the hyperscalers – allowing them to pay for any IT solution based on how much
they actually need and use.

Agencies still operating under a Cloud First structure may struggle to procure on-premises or edge cloud
solutions that can provide the most cost-effective and secure environment for a particular mission’s
needs. A key step to realizing the benefits of Cloud Smart is for cloud project managers to expand their
focus and scope to include consideration of private, hybrid, and near cloud solutions.

Skills

The skills gap in government technology has been a serious factor since Cloud First was issued. That
gap continues to grow, especially in a post-pandemic environment.

Taking advantage of automation in any cloud or on-premises environment is one way to overcome the
skills gap. Agencies should demand more automation capabilities from industry to support private, hybrid,
and near cloud solutions. Wizard-driven or workflow-driven activities should replace manual intervention
and tasks.

Looking Ahead

While future innovations are inevitable, agencies must recognize the need to expand their cloud
strategies beyond mere migration and actively embrace diverse architectures and solutions, such as
private, hybrid, multi, and near cloud. By forging strong partnerships with industry experts, agencies can
successfully achieve their ultimate objective of becoming Cloud Smart and effectively serve the American
people.

About the Author

James Langley is the Master Solutions Consultant of Hitachi Vantara
Federal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Vantara, with more than 20
years of experience in the IT industry and a decade as a trusted adviser
for federal civilian, defense and intelligence agencies. James can be
reached at [email protected] or at our company
website www.hitachivantarafederal.com

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