In-Depth

Apps.gov To Add Storage, Virtualization and Web Hosting Services

• By Rutrell Yasin
• October 20, 2010

Government agencies will soon have access to storage, virtualization and Web hosting applications via Apps.gov, the General Service Administration's cloud-based storefront, government officials said yesterday.

Vendors that are awarded an infrastructure-as-a-service contract will provide federal, state, local and tribal agencies with cloud storage, virtual machines and Web hosting to support an ongoing expansion of cloud computing capabilities across government.

"Offering IaaS on Apps.gov makes sense for the federal government and for the American people," federal CIO Vivek Kundra said in a prepared statement.

"Cloud computing services help to deliver on this administration's commitment to provide better value for the American taxpayer by making government more efficient," he said. Kundra noted that cloud solutions not only help lower the cost of government operations but also drive innovation across government.

Each year, the government spends tens of billions of dollars on IT products and services, with a heavy focus on maintaining current infrastructure needs and demands. A major element of every federal agency's IT infrastructure includes storage, computing power and website hosting.

The new cloud infrastructure offerings can help agencies realize cost savings, efficiencies and modernization without having to spend capital resources expanding their existing infrastructure, GSA officials said.

On Apps.gov, IaaS offerings will include on-demand, self-service that allows agencies to utilize or discontinue use of products as needed. Resource pooling for practically unlimited storage and automatic monitoring of resource utilization are also features.

Prior to making IaaS products available through Apps.gov, vendors must complete the certification and accreditation process at the Federal Information Security Management Act Moderate Impact Data security level, as administered by GSA. Once granted authority to operate, services will be made available for purchase by agencies through the Apps.gov storefront.

"Through offerings such as IaaS, GSA is providing government entities with easy access to cost-saving, high-value, more efficient technology solutions by doing a major part of the procurement processes upfront," said David McClure, GSA associate administrator of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

Awarded vendors and their associated teams include:

• Apptis partnered with Amazon Web Services and AT&T.
• Autonomic Resources partnered with Carpathia, Enomaly, and Dell CGI Federal.
• Computer Literacy World partnered with Electrosoft, XO Communications and Secure Networks.
• Computer Technology Consultants partnered with Softlayer, Eyak Tech.
• General Dynamics Information Technology partnered with Carpathia.
• Insight Public Sector partnered with Microsoft.
• Savvis Federal Systems.
• Verizon Federal.