Azure Government: The Cloud Solution for Federal Agencies

Government agencies impact the life of everyone in the country, so they must operate as efficiently as possible. Cloud tools increase the efficiency of large organizations by offering a way to collaborate and share data with ease, but government agencies must be cautious since they need to maintain a high level of security. These requirements make Azure Government the ideal cloud solution. It offers the same features and functionality as Azure but has been specifically designed to meet the rigorous demands of government organizations. This blog provides a brief overview of Azure Government and some of its key benefits.

A Quick Look at Core Features of Azure Government

While Azure Government operates similarly to the public version in many ways, it is subject to additional compliance and security requirements — providing government agencies with the needed security and cloud flexibility. Some of the key benefits of Azure Government include:

• Enhanced security and compliance. Azure Government includes built-in security and compliance features that ensure data is protected.
• Dedicated resources. Azure Government offers each client dedicated computing resources that are not shared with other customers. Providing each client with dedicated hardware ensures that government data is stored in a secure and isolated environment.
• Flexible deployment options. Azure Government offers both on-premises and cloud-based deployment options, so organizations can choose the option that best meets their needs.
• Scalability and reliability. Azure Government is a scalable and reliable solution that can meet the needs of even the most demanding or fastest growing workloads.

If you are looking for a cloud solution to help your organization meet its compliance and security requirements, then Azure Government may be the right choice. Consider some specific ways it provides government-specific security features.

Azure Government delivers a unique blend of standard cloud and advanced security features. It offers all that you would expect from Microsoft, including encryption, role-based access control, and activity monitoring. But Azure Government goes a step further by providing many government-specific features, such as:

• A segregated cloud environment that is separate from the public Azure cloud
• Dual data control, which means that both Microsoft and the customer have access to encrypted data at all times
• Compliance with a wide range of government security standards, including the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS)

Compliance with government standards makes it easier for your agency to obtain an Authority to Operate (ATO) from the Designated Approving Authority (DAA). Additionally, these security features enable government organizations to store sensitive data securely while retaining all the flexibility of a cloud solution.

Azure Government’s segregated cloud environment is one of its most important security features. Since this environment is separate from the public cloud, government data is isolated from other customers’ data. As a result, government data is protected from cyber-attacks and unauthorized access.

Another reason government organizations leverage cloud solutions is to improve their scalability. How does Azure Government perform in this area?

Azure Government Makes Your Agency More Scalable

At its heart, Azure Government is a cloud solution. By giving you the ability to auto-scale applications and provision and scale services on demand, Azure makes your infrastructure more responsive to user needs. It also simplifies provisioning new services and managing applications through a self-service portal.

Azure Government enhances scalability by offering a cost-effective way to expand your agency’s resources. You pay for only the resources you use and can easily add or remove resources as needed. It also offers discounts for volume licensing and reserved instances which can help you save money when operating in a large organization.

Drive Your Organization Forward With the Cloud

When cloud tools align with your organization’s goals, they can help you boost efficiency, increase speed, and cut costs. The challenge is finding a partner to help you tailor Azure to your needs and deploy at scale.

As a Microsoft Cloud Partner, OneNeck is uniquely positioned to help you integrate Azure into your government agency. Our services enhance your IT capabilities while reducing the complexity of managing your Azure environment. If you’re looking for a way to make your agency more scalable, contact us to learn how Azure Government can benefit your agency.

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