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By: FEDweek StaffThe GAO has said it has identified four challenges that are common among federal agencies in adopting cloud technology, adding that agencies “have not fully implemented all of the recommendations” it has made. It said those issues are:
* Ensuring Cybersecurity. It cited a report finding that many agencies were using cloud services not authorized under the FedRAMP program, and that four agencies it studied in detail did not always include required information in their cloud system’s security plans; summarize security control test results in security assessment reports; and identify required information in remedial action plans that are to list cloud service deficiencies and how they will be mitigated. “We found that one cause of these weaknesses was that FedRAMP’s requirements and guidance on implementing these control activities were not always clear and the program’s process for monitoring the status of security controls over cloud services was limited,” it said.
* Procuring Cloud Services. “An important part of procuring cloud services is incorporating a service level agreement into the contract. These agreements define the level of service and performance that the agency expects the contractor to meet,” it said. However, it said that a review of five agencies found that those agreements did not always specify what constitutes a security breach and the responsibilities for notifying the agency; how data and networks will be managed; and the range of enforceable consequences for non-compliance with the agreement.
* Maintaining a Skilled Workforce. It cited reports on three agencies identifying problems such as a lack of a skills gap analysis for cloud personnel in workforce development strategy; lack of communication with employees to prepare them for changes that would occur due to the move to cloud services; and lack of performance measures, targets, or goals to monitor progress towards clarifying job responsibilities and requirements needed to support the cloud environment.
* Tracking Costs and Savings. “Federal agencies were often using inconsistent data to calculate cloud spending and were not clear about the costs they were required to track. In addition, agencies had difficulty in systematically tracking savings data and expressed that OMB guidance did not require them to explicitly report savings from cloud implementations,” it said.
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