A path to IT modernization with agility and scalability from cloud solutions

How can the cloud help modernize your organization? Members of the AWS Partner Network (APN), customers, and industry experts shared best practices on cloud migration, cloud adoption, and organizational transformation in a recent episode of Government Matters Industry Insider.

Check out what our APN partners had to say on these topics:

Cultural and organization needs for IT modernization

One of the biggest challenges organizations face as they modernize is cultural change. Coby Holloway, vice president for IT modernization, SAIC, discusses best practices for organizational change management to get buy-in for the cloud.

“In IT modernization, there’s a lot of fear…so you have to have a great communications plan that addresses that first off. Additionally, you have to make sure you’re explaining the change in a way that satisfies the individual equities of those that are affected. In most cases, an IT modernization activity is going to give new opportunities – digital upskilling – to the impacted employees and create new doors. It also creates efficiencies in the jobs they do so they can spend more time doing things that are important to them,” said Holloway.

Watch the segment [0:00-7:13] and learn about workforce development with the cloud.

How transitioning to the cloud can enable agility and scalability

Moving to the cloud can mean more speed, more processing power, and better automation. Don DeSanto, director of strategic partnerships, BAE Systems Intelligence & Security, and Ravi Ravichandran, chief technology officer, BAE Systems Intelligence & Security, discuss their priorities, experiences migrating to the cloud, and the benefits organizations are seeing with their transition to the cloud, particularly for war fighters.

DeSanto said, “With transitions to the cloud, it’s about reliability, flexibility, the collaboration available in that space, and mobility. Having those four key fundamental things in the cloud available to them allows them to grow and attain those mission-critical requirements.”

Ravichandran said, “What’s remarkable about the cloud is cloud is the new infrastructure – so you can get data in, you can get data out…now you have this capability for the warfighter, for mission outcomes.”

Watch the segment [7:50-14:55] and learn more about the role of data in your transition to the cloud.

Best practices for approaching agility at scale

For public sector entities already in the cloud, how do they approach this agility at scale?

Albert Lulushi, master solutions architect, CACI, explains, “Agile has its own merit, and the cloud has its own merit – but when you combine the two, you get this force multiplier effect. It’s taking the commercial cloud experience to our government customers…the only way we could have achieved this is through agile methods with AWS infrastructure.”

Watch the segment [7:41-15:33] and learn about how the cloud can spur agility and innovation in government.

How data can be decoupled from legacy systems

Federal migration to the cloud is happening at a slower pace than expected according to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), even though that same survey identified the benefits of the cloud. That same annual report found that only 11% of IT investments have been in the cloud. Why is that?

According to Joe Conway, Chief Technology Officer, ADDX Corporation, it’s due to inertia (“the way we’ve always done it”), policy challenges, and the way the government procures IT. “They’re comfortable with the capital expenditures versus consuming it as services,” he said.

Another challenge? “What do you take with you and what do you leave behind? People are struggling with the leave behind part,” said Conway.

Watch the segment [22:18-29:39] and learn about the advantages of the cloud as well as how to buy: cloud procurement made easy.

Watch any of these interviews on Government Matters Industry Insider and learn more about AWS for government.