GSA is preparing to launch a website through which agencies can purchase cloud-computing
services, OMB’s chief technology officer Vivek Kundra announced at a recent symposium at the
National Defense University.
Cloud (think Internet) computing is a buy-it-online/use-it-online style solution for meeting
computing needs such as business applications and data storage space and generally follows a
utility-provider or subscription service billing model.
Kundra discussed a web application storefront as a potential cloud-computing offering and gave
examples of what that might look like.
Agencies could identify infrastructure and web application requirements using a menu-type screen,
pay by credit card and gain access to a secure environment supported by the selected applications
configured for the agency.
Kundra said agencies would not have to worry about Federal Information Security Management Act
compliance, certification, accreditation, or how services get provisioned.