Army looking for ways to coordinate and expand its cloud offerings
The Army’s Enterprise Cloud Management Office wants to better use the cloud services it already has and expand them as the service works to modernize its enterprise IT, according to a recently posted request for information.
The document seeks a cloud management service provider for the cARMY program, the future go-to location for all of the department’s general-purpose cloud needs. This latest request would integrate Amazon Web Services cloud offerings and newer Microsoft Azure cloud space at multiple security levels.
“The ECMO requires an Enterprise Cloud Common Shared Services Provider to takeover, expand and continuously improve upon cARMY Cloud Common Shared Services in order to reduce complexity, increase security, eliminate duplication of effort, and increase Army-wide adoption of cloud computing technologies. On objective in the work the Army wants done is deploying higher-level security Azure services, up to Impact Level 6,” the document states.
The Army has repeatedly stressed its need to better use cloud services and migrate data to them in order to advance toward its goals of fielding artificial intelligence and having better data management.
Currently, the Army operates AWS services on Impact Levels 2-6 and soon will have Microsoft Azure for all of the same security levels. The Army is looking to extend the services it has on deck to additional cloud computing technologies — work the selected contractor would also be tasked with assisting.
“The Army desires that cloud access and infrastructure be brokered by automated, on-demand, self-service, templated designs and services to the maximum extent possible, as is done in the commercial world,” according to the RFI.
Over all, the contractor would need to maintain and continue enhanced security practices across different cloud offerings. The Army’s cloud strategy includes the enhanced security of data from the current on-premises offerings.
“The contractor shall expect the list of required services to increase over time,” the document states
