Questions About Moving to the Cloud? We Have Answers

As policies from the new federal chief information officer, Steven VanRoekel, become better known, cloud computing technology is proving more important than ever. VanRoekel has pledged not only to continue the Cloud First policy established by his predecessor, Vivek Kundra, but also to expand it with an additional initiative known as Future First.

Business process management and other applications delivered through the cloud speak directly to VanRoekel's requirement to maximize information technology investments. Moreover, the cloud increases collaboration and the use of shared services.

Federal agencies that have taken the plunge and adopted shared services are ahead of the game. For the rest, here are some answers to the five most nagging questions about how the cloud can improve efficiency while reducing expenses...