FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IDC Government Insights today announced a new IDC MarketScape report, IDC MarketScape: U.S. Government Private Cloud IaaS 2014 Vendor Assessment (Doc #GI252460). The report provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of 12 vendors that provide private Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to the U.S. federal government. The evaluation is based on a comprehensive framework and set of parameters expected to be most conducive to success in providing cloud IaaS for both the short term as a means for Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) and the long term for the transformation of IT services. Vendors evaluated in this report include: Accenture, AT&T, Amazon Web Services (AWS), CenturyLink, CGI, CSC, Dell, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Unisys and Verizon.
- ClicktoTweet: IDC Government Insights Evaluates U.S. Government Private Cloud IaaS Vendors in New IDC MarketScape
Government agencies are facing the combined struggle of exponential data growth and tight or diminishing budgets and are viewing cloud as the way to transfer more workloads to lower-cost hosting platforms, often without acquiring significant resources. While sharing information through cloud computing can liberate data and greatly enhance situational awareness leading to better-informed decisions at all levels of government, the use of cloud in government raises concerns such as privacy, data veracity, and ownership.
According to the new report, security is also paramount, and the U.S. federal government will continue to spend more on private cloud systems than on public over the next five years. The U.S. Government Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and other secure certifications are easing this concern, and in addition to the 19 commercial vendors that have certification, another 34 vendors are lined up and working to get their FedRAMP certifications.
Government cloud buyers want vendors' portfolios to offer a full range of integrated physical and virtual infrastructure systems with pre-integrated, modular units of compute, storage, and networking that allow IT to add blocks of physical resources in a repeatable, scalable fashion. Government is also looking for vendors that can use their domain knowledge, technology expertise, and intellectual property (IP) to reduce cost and increase efficiency from day one.
Additional requirements that U.S. federal government agencies should require from their IaaS vendors and are used as the basis for evaluation in this IDC MarketScape include:
- Scalability
- Compute services
- Pricing
- Value-added services
- Single point of accountability
"Government decision makers should review their strategic plans and select vendors for their IaaS based on best fit," said Adelaide O'Brien, Research Director, IDC Government Insights. "If there isn't confidence in a prospective vendor's ability to securely meet projected capacity requirements in a timely fashion, with the capability (often through partners and alliances) to meet future needs through deployment of proven best practices, then it's time to look elsewhere."
IDC MarketScape criteria selection, weightings, and vendor scores represent well-researched IDC judgment about the market and specific vendors. IDC analysts tailor the range of standard characteristics by which vendors are measured through structured discussions, surveys, and interviews with market leaders, participants and end users. Market weightings are based on user interviews, buyer surveys and the input of a review board of IDC experts in each market. IDC analysts base individual vendor scores, and ultimately vendor positions within the IDC MarketScape, on detailed surveys and interviews with the vendors, publicly available information, and end-user experiences in an effort to provide an accurate and consistent assessment of each vendor's characteristics, behavior and capability.
For additional information about this report or to arrange a one-on-one briefing with Adelaide O'Brien, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-378-2674 or sarah@attunecommunications.com. Reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact insights@idc.com; reporters should email sarah@attunecommunications.com.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a transparent foundation to allow companies to independently compare the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About IDC Government Insights
IDC Government Insights assists government policy, program, and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them, in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of government and IT industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing the Federal/Central and local/provincial Governments. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc-gi.com, email info@idc-gi.com, or call 703-485-8300. Visit the IDC Government Insights Community at http://idc-community.com/government.
