The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) yesterday said it has achieved initial operational capability for its mission to act as the computer network cloud broker for the Defense Department, which means the agency has its framework in place to move ahead with its new role.
As the DoD cloud broker, DISA will help the department obtain secure and reliable cloud computing capabilities to enhance mission effectiveness and meet Joint Information Environment objectives. The JIE is defined as a “robust and resilient enterprise that delivers faster, better informed collaboration and decisions enabled by secure, seamless access to information regardless of computing device or location.”
Under the cloud framework it has in place, DISA “has established a process for gathering and assessing mission partner requirements, evaluation criteria for service offerings to include recommended contract requirements, criteria for matching mission partner requirements, an enterprise cloud service catalog, and a cloud security model,” the agency said.
DISA has already performed cyber security assessments of the two commercial cloud services that have been authorized through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program and the agency is conducting additional assessments to expand cloud service offerings.
The Defense Department last June issued its cloud computing strategy, which aims to efficiently and affordably implement a cloud computing environment to deliver information technology services throughout the department.
DISA also said that a key part of its role as the cloud broker is “to facilitate contracting and acquisition by developing model contract language that supports implementation of the cloud security model and appropriate use of cloud services,” to “make it easier for mission partners to ensure they have considered all the appropriate areas when they contract for cloud services.”