Government cloud computing is on the rise, and many organizations are beginning to realize the benefits that this technology can bring to the table when it comes to delivering services to citizens and maintaining transparency. Around the world, government agencies are migrating some services to cloud platforms and streamlining processes. A recent report found that 90 percent of local authorities in the U.K. are using or piloting cloud services, and as a result, they have been able to improve the delivery of services to citizens, according to Computerworld UK.
Because these types of virtual environments are outsourced and based in cloud machines, they give organizations the opportunity to grow or shrink depending on what the agency needs at any given moment. This allows agencies to change their computing portfolio based on current or future needs.
Collaboration equation
One of the main benefits of cloud computing is that it gives state employees and staff members the chance to collaborate no matter where they are. Telecommuting brings its own benefits to the table. For instance, New York Times contributor Alina Tugend reported that during four official snow days in the 2013-2014 winter, Washington, D.C.-based federal employees saved the government around $32 million by working from home. With the cloud, these advantages become even more viable.
As telecommuting becomes more of a possibility even for government workers, the cloud is growing into an essential part of how employees interact and work together on projects. In to a recent survey of enterprise IT executives, Harvard Business Analytics found that 72 percent of respondents viewed collaboration as the number one driver for cloud adoption.
Use case: Cardiff
In the U.K., local authorities are clearly seeing this benefit. Computerworld UK reported that the city of Cardiff will be implementing cloud solutions in order to improve the services it offers to its 352,000 citizens.
"We have to work with lots of agencies and it can be hard to connect directly with partner networks. By creating a space accessible to all, folks can get access to the same data, therefore collaborate and deliver more joined-up services," said Ross Maude, Cardiff City Council's senior enterprise architect.
As government organizations continue to move data and applications to the cloud, it will be interesting to see how they utilize the capabilities provided to them by these types of virtual environments. For now, collaboration is one of the bigger possibilities made viable by cloud technology.