ARMONK, N.Y., Feb.
11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that
the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has authorized
the company to deliver IBM Cloud services at the highest security
levels – known as Impact Level 5 – for Controlled Unclassified
Information as defined by the Department of Defense (DoD), paving
the way for DoD agencies seeking to take advantage of the
innovations cloud can offer and manage sensitive data.
DISA has granted the company a Conditional Authority to Operate
IBM Cloud services hosted at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory
(ABL) data center in West
Virginia, which is owned by the Department of the
Navy and leased by IBM.
IBM is the first cloud provider with a direct connection to the
DoD's internal network known as the Nonsecure Internet Protocol
Router Network (NIPRNet). The authorization granted by DISA
will enable other DoD agencies the opportunity ultimately to
streamline their authorizations by leveraging the thorough process
DISA followed.
IBM Cloud will provide defense agencies with access to
commercial cloud services and technology in an environment
dedicated to their security needs. The highly secure data center at
ABL enables agencies to have dedicated environments, leverage cloud
technologies, or choose a hybrid solution where they can connect
existing on-premise applications with those that are ready for
cloud, migrate existing applications and/or develop new
ones.
"Department of Defense agencies have the opportunity to embrace
commercial cloud best practices and technology with the security of
a government-owned facility," said Sam
Gordy, General Manager for IBM Federal. "It will also
provide DoD agencies with an ideal option to launch workloads in a
hybrid cloud that can be easily integrated with their on premise
systems. DoD is serving as a strong model to other cabinet level
agencies in the federal government."
As the Department of Defense continues with announced plans to
move its data to the cloud, Bloomberg Government estimates that the
DoD will spend nearly $4 billion in
2016 on "cloud and provisioned services" taking advantage of the
security and flexibility cloud offers, and the ability for agencies
to deploy new applications when and where they are needed. To
further drive innovation around cloud at the ABL facility, IBM has
worked closely with the DoD, local universities including
Frostburg State University,
West Virginia University, Allegany College of Maryland and Potomac
State College of WVU; the
Greater Cumberland Committee, and others to attract and retain
talent who will work on projects critical to the federal
government's cloud strategy.
"ABL has long been a vital asset to our Nation's defense. First
as a Naval Industrial Reserve Ordinance Plant (NIROP) since World
War II and, in recent decades, a secure, resilient information
technology hub," said West
Virginia's Senior Senator Joe
Manchin, III, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services
Committee. "The DoD, the Intelligence Community and other federal
agencies will be well served by this ABL certification."
"This designation is great news for the state of West Virginia and recognizes the high
standards upheld at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory," said
West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a member of the U.S.
Senate Appropriations Committee. "This facility plays a critical
role in our national defense, and this designation will enable our
Defense agencies to securely incorporate the best advanced
practices in commercial cloud computing."
This authorization rounds out the comprehensive IBM cloud
portfolio that IBM offers its Federal customers, including services
that meet Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program
(FedRAMP) and Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
requirements for government workloads.
In December 2014, IDC named IBM a
leader in U.S. Government private cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service
(IaaS). For more information about IBM Cloud, visit:
http://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing.
Media contact: Mitchell Derman,
mderman@us.ibm.com or 571-216-8712
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SOURCE IBM