Using the cloud to break the 'iron triangle'

Since the early days of government IT, we’ve been told that the “iron triangle” cannot be broken: Cost, quality and speed will always be linked. Then we’re told, “You can have two.”

My prediction for the cloud in 2014 is that it will become the key enabler for government IT to break that triangle. Agencies can not only have all three, they can also ensure the right level of security.

We have already seen innovative thinkers and technologists in government and the private sector take advantage of the opportunity to focus on their core missions instead of worrying about whether their data centers are running.

Some of those federal innovators are using on-demand access to virtually unlimited, government-accredited computing capacity to explore Mars, educate the world, cure disease and deliver public services more effectively.

We’ve made great progress this past year with the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program’s accreditation of a number of major players — Amazon Web Services included — and significant cloud procurements are being issued and won.

2014 will be the year when we finally break the iron triangle and embrace the promise of the cloud: a more agile government that can accomplish more of its mission despite a limited budget.