The cloud is a scalable, cost effective, secure solution for business and nonprofits. It is also making inroads in government. The cloud eases operations within local government.

The Cloud in Local Government

It may be surprising, but governments adopt the cloud at about the same rate other industries. Nationally, businesses spend 20.4% of their IT budget on the cloud. Local governments, on average, spend 20.6%. But, national governments spend about 22% (Gartner).

The reasons for this mirror the reasons business likes the cloud. But there are specific ways in which the cloud aids how government runs that account for the higher adoption rates.

Citizen Empowerment

The Open Government Initiative and similar programs are likely way local governments are moving to the cloud. Citizens are able to get information in real time and use it in their decision-making. Application and loan statuses update in real time. Additionally, households monitor  energy and water consumption, which helps people reign in waste (much like watching a bank balance on a mobile app helps with budgeting money) (Wired). The Obama-era Open Government Initiative encouraged moving to the cloud and empowered citizens and agencies to access data (The White House).

Efficiency in Operations

Obama’s Cloud First Strategy also aided in the move to the cloud. In order to revolutionize tech at every level of government—they are notoriously late adopters—the 2011 policy required agencies to evaluate safe, secure, Cloud Computing options before making any new investments (U.S. Department of the Interior).

The way government traditionally handles tech is with several duplicate systems that are cumbersome and unmerged. The cloud and other technologies, like blockchain technology, streamline these into highly organized, streamlined systems.

One of the main reasons the cloud boosts efficiency in government is that outside vendors build the system and handle the maintenance. Government workers focus their efforts on government work. Productivity, thanks to government clouds, has increased considerably since 2013 (Fortune).

The Five Keys to the Cloud Easing Government Operations

Cloud-based services provide what government needs to run better (GovLoop).

The cloud offers unparalleled speed. From a clean interface to off-site servers that are maintained by professionals, there’s little wait time. Additionally, built in encryption and security reduces the time needed to protect valuable data.

The cloud is manageable. Because cloud computing is generally minimalist when it comes to its packaging, it is easy to navigate, use and share. There are no unnecessary frills.

The search is over. One of the things cloud computing is known for is how incredibly searchable it is. When keeping track of tons of data, like that at which local government does, this functionality is imperative and aids in speeding up operations exponentially.

Better safety and recovery. With better security protocols and built-in backup and recovery automatic in most cloud setups, the smallest to largest blips, breaches and attacks can be avoided or at least recovered from far more efficiently than traditional hardware/software-focused breaches.

The cloud helps budgets. The cloud is notoriously cost effective. Agencies trim budgets and spend on more important areas. There is little need for in-house IT staff, hardware and software. Additionally, there is little to no hardware required which means savings that compound year-to-year.

Ready to Adopt?

If your agency, nonprofit or other organization is ready to explore cloud solutions to save time, money and stress, contact Computer Resources of America today. We know the cloud. Our experts assess current systems, listen to your needs, and develop the best use of cloud services for you. Whether you need public, private or hybrid services we work within your size and budget.