Page 6 - FCW, August 2020

IT and Data Center Modernization Done Right
If COVID-19 has taught agencies anything, it’s the importance of keeping the business of government
mission expectations in a crisis,” she wrote. “Failing to do so could result in costly errors, security vulnerabilities, and inability to serve the American people.”
resources allow for fast, effective access and scaling of resources. One way to get the most out of the cloud is by implementing a cloud management platform that can keep tabs on all cloud environments and increase visibility, automate and orchestrate workload delivery, and manage and track cloud spend.
moving forward without interruption.
In general, agencies with more modern IT infrastructures are more equipped to keep employees on task and maintain productivity during these difficult times.
“Historically, IT modernization
has been defined as replacing legacy systems with newer ones, but the current cloud-enabled world has redefined it to include decentralizing the application stack and surrounding infrastructure to enable operational efficiency and agility,” explains John Rubin, Executive Technology Strategist and US Navy veteran at CDW·G. Done right, modernization results in greater operational efficiency, agility and security, he adds.
While keeping pace during disasters is certainly important, modernizing
IT infrastructures and data centers results in many additional benefits. Not only does modernization allow agencies to take advantage of cutting- edge technologies and processes like data analytics, DevOps and Internet
Modernizing for greater operational efficiency requires building on that cloud foundation. One of the most important additions an agency can make is adding an application performance monitoring system. These tools provide insight
of Things (IoT), but it enables them
to adequately support mobility and shared services while fostering better communication and collaboration. More modern architectures also can increase operational efficiency, agility and security.
into applications to ensure that they are performing effectively.
Government leaders recognize the importance of IT modernization. Last month, for example, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) asked leaders of major federal departments for their modernization plans. “The public health emergency caused by COVID-19 underscores the need for federal agencies to invest in modernizing current IT systems that cannot meet
Operational efficiency means working productively and cost-effectively while being able to adapt to changing mission requirements. There are many factors that can hold agencies back from being more efficient. These include excessive dependence on manual processes
Improving operational efficiency
One Army division, for example, needed a way to ensure ongoing training during the current COVID-19 crisis. CDW·G took on the project of developing a classified Training as a Service function that would ensure training continuity. The solution included implementing a hybrid cloud solution with global availability using technologies that included Microsoft Teams collaboration software webcams.
Business today is done at lightning speed, and government agencies need the same type of agility. Agility means
and legacy systems and the inability to incorporate newer, more efficient technologies and processes.
Increasing agility
For most organizations today, moving some or all workloads and infrastructure to the cloud is a logical first step. Cloud
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