The use of cloud computing is one of the major aspects of the administration’s “25 Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management.” OMB recently announced a cloud-first policy for agency IT programs moving forward.

Last week, OMB released more details on its cloud computing plans for agencies.

Federal News Radio’s Jason Miller reports, OMB wants every agency to identify three “must move” technologies that will go to the cloud by March, move at least one of them by the end of 2011, and the other two within 18 months.

The report from Kundra says he will “publish a strategy to accelerate the safe and secure adoption of cloud computing across the government” within the next six months.

In addition, the implementation plan says the General Services Administration will use requirements developed by the Software-as-a-Service E-mail Working Group to “stand up government-wide contract vehicles for cloud-based email solutions. GSA will also begin a similar process specifically designed for other back-end, cloud-based solutions.” This will happen within the next 12 months.

The plan also requires agencies by 2015 to reduce the number of data centers by at least one-third, or 800, from the more than 2,100 they reported earlier this year. OMB said agencies must “designate a data center program manager…who will be 100 percent dedicated to and accountable for driving change.” It also will “launch a data center consolidation task force of data center program managers, sustainability officers and facilities managers” to review the progress and ensure agencies are on similar paths. OMB will create a public dashboard to track agency progress.

Industry is also responding to the new cloud computing requirements for agencies. Read Jason Miller’s report.

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