The Motivators for Cloud Optimization
Cloud technology empowers state governments to adapt to constituent needs and increase resiliency, NASCIO notes.
The top state functions adopting cloud services, according to NASCIO, are health services (58%), human services (51%), employment services (40%), transportation (33%) and licensing and permits (28%).
As governments adopt cloud to fulfill citizen demands, they may find themselves in a multicloud environment as they acquire resources to meet various needs. This may require a holistic review of cloud assets and perhaps a move to streamline cloud management.
RELATED: State and local governments must prioritize cloud optimization.
As they consume more cloud resources, governments see greater operating expenditures for purchases of compute, storage and associated services, instead of making upfront capital purchases and one-off acquisitions for on-premises infrastructure. Operating expenditures open the door to government agencies pooling their collective requirements and scaling resources for multiple missions. By contrast, capital expenditures offer less adaptability to real-time circumstances.
Getting on an Even Footing for the Future
Of course, a strong cloud posture also positions agencies to take advantage of emerging technologies. As we have heard from state CIOs across multiple NASCIO panels in recent years, many state executives are eager to incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations where it makes sense to do so.
As AWS says, “Cloud modernization will be key for integrating AI-driven solutions that automate business processes and streamline data collection and analysis, allowing agencies to reduce manual work, reallocate their resources to higher-value tasks and minimize IT burdens.”
DISCOVER: How AI and platform engineering enhance each other.
In a 2023 survey by Rackspace Technology, 90% of global IT professionals said AI is a primary driver of cloud modernization. But cloud modernization is good for mature and immature institutions alike.
“Every organization can benefit from cloud modernization, no matter which stage of the cloud journey they’re in,” Rackspace notes. “Cloud modernization is more than just a migration to the cloud; it’s the process of optimizing costs, modernizing applications and security, and, when necessary, cloud native application replatforming. Cloud modernization promotes efficiency, security and cost reduction.”
Application modernization alone may produce improvements in accessibility, scalability and reliability, satisfying people who depend on government services.
