The below blog was written by and published with permission by Steve O’Keeffe. Steve O’Keeffe is the founder of MeriTalk – www.meritalk.com – the government IT network. MeriTalk is an online community that hosts professional networking, thought leadership, and focused events to drive the government IT dialogue. A 20-year veteran of the government IT community, O’Keeffe has worked in government and industry. In addition to MeriTalk, he founded Telework Exchange, GovMark Council, and O’Keeffe & Company
Okay, the sexual tension is finally over. Agencies are starting to consummate their cloud love. First, GSA gets it on with Google with Unisys as chaperone. Less than a week later, USDA takes a roll in the hay with Microsoft. Seems that love letters are the first cloud apps - both awards are for e-mail and collaboration platforms. So, let's take a closer look at these celebrity romances.
Is Bigger Better?
Valued at $6.7 million, the five-year GSA/Google contract serenades 15,000 GSAers agency-wide. It promises to cut GSA's cost by 50 percent - that's $15 million. This is a pure-play romance - a total cloud solution. The USDA deal is bigger - valued at $27 million over three years and promising to deliver 18 million smackers in savings. The deal will spoon 120,000 users, marrying 21 different e-mail systems at Ag's 5,000 offices worldwide. But, it's a more complex relationship - allowing for co-habitation of on-premise with cloud approaches.
All's Fair in Love and War?
As the respective couples waltz down the aisle, a series of clouds hang on the horizon - "if any man objects to this union, let him speak now..." Google's protest over the Interior cloud RFP is as yet unresolved. Further, the search giant is questioning the legitimacy of the USDA award on the grounds that it feels the RFP was not "fair and open." At the same time, Microsoft is disputing Google's cloud breadth and service levels - pointedly, questioning the location of Google's servers. Further, comments on a Microsoft blog infer misgivings about Google's security and architecture compatibility with Uncle Sam's standard operating guidelines. Let the record show, both Google and Microsoft cloud offerings are FISMA certified.
Get a Prenup?
The agencies' projected cloud savings numbers are flattering. Not so much that the numbers are huge or difficult to believe. MeriTalk worked with the private sector and Federal agencies to build the Federal Cloud Computing Savings Calculator. Agencies' numbers map well to the savings projections from the calculator. You can't sweep these savings under the rug, so, we encourage agencies to go ahead and get a prenuptial assessment of the savings opportunity before jumping the broom.
Hats off to the Father of the Bride
A lot of people around the Beltway characterized OMB's cloud push as a "Romeo-and-Juliet" romance - a tragic love affair that would never make it to the altar. Vivek Kundra must take some real pride as the proceedings unfold. And, the new OMB Cloud First three-program mandate appears to put some ammo in Uncle Sam's "cloud wedding shotgun." But, it's not yet time for happily ever after - e-mail and collaboration are the prettiest kids. We'll see how agencies do marrying off the "sensitive" children - their uglier, heavier, mission-critical apps. And, as GSA and USDA cut the cake, it'll be interesting to see who catches the bouquet...
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