Implications of the cloud and big data in state & local government

It’s natural to be skeptical of emerging technologies, especially in government settings, where security is imperative.

Many government organizations view cloud migration as a significant security challenge. They believe that once you are no longer in control of your hosted environment, the data may be at risk. It’s a valid concern, but not a good reason to stop growing the technology infrastructure. The biggest benefit of cloud hosting is cost savings. 

The cost of such services tends to be significantly lower than premise hosting. Security will always be a factor; but the widespread cloud adoption has helped universally raise security standards. Higher risk organizations can also build additional levels of security to meet their unique needs. As technology continues modernizing, failure to adapt to it will only generate more issues down the road.

Big data is also perceived as a challenge for government organizations. This occurs when they fail to properly utilize the massive amounts of gathered information. Without proper analysis, the gathered insights are essentially useless. This pitfall can be avoided by investing in technology to analyze and measure data for more actionable insights.

Contemporary software packages offer methods to process big data and come with out-of-the-box content or customizable tools. These tools help analyze the data in a way that is meaningful to the specific organization. The best of such tools should feature a strong, intuitive user experience, to provide access to more levels of employee, rather than the IT department alone.

Globally, private corporations are rapidly embracing big data and cloud trends. It makes them smarter, increases efficiency and saves them money. There is no longer a good reason for state and local governments to not adopt these solutions. The benefits are real and they will only serve to modernize the IT infrastructures for future growth.

Editor’s note: Mark Oliver has more than 15 years of public sector solutions experience, including training, implementation, product management, and solution consulting.

Infor is changing the way information is published and consumed in organizations, including governments. The firm is helping 73,000 customers in more than 200 countries and territories improve operations, drive growth, and adapt to changes in business demands. Infor offers industry-specific applications and suites.

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