A primary challenge for US state and local government agencies is to drive IT innovation while maintaining regulatory compliance. As citizens expectations rise, agencies must work to modernize infrastructure while keeping costs contained. Many agencies are moving to the cloud to achieve both mandates. As they make this move, they need to assess and manage a whole new aspect of regulatory compliance, which varies depending on whether the agency is choosing Infrastructure-as-a- Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), or Software as a Service (SaaS) for a particular workload

Microsoft Azure Government is built to meet the critical requirements for government workloads to drive innovation and modernization while ensuring a broad level of compliance. And, with a flexible and truly hybrid environment, you can choose to maintain data and functionality on-premises to control the timing and implementation of digital transformation.

In addition, Azure Government gives you the option to manage a wide range of operating systems, programming languages, frameworks, tools, databases, and devices. You can build cloud apps for Java, Node.js, Python, Ruby, PHP, or .NET, and choose how and where solutions are deployed—on-premises, in the cloud, or both through hybrid scenarios.

Benefits of IaaS

Azure Government provides a set of tools and services to help optimize IT service delivery. Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) helps you avoid the complexity of buying and managing your own physical servers and other datacenter infrastructure. You can install, configure, and manage your own operating systems, middleware, and apps, only paying for what you use, when you use it.

Through Virtual Desktop Infrastructure on Azure, you can simplify day-to-day operations and reduce the upfront capital expense of migrating to Windows 10 Enterprise, enabling your agency to take advantage of the security, productivity, and mobility of Windows 10 faster and at a lower cost. Azure VDI leverages the power of Citrix HDX technologies to provide every user with secure access to Windows 10 running on Azure from any device, including Mac, Android, Windows, and Linux devices.

Benefits of PaaS

Citizens today expect more from government services in terms of user experience and speed of access. Building new applications to meet these expectations is easier with a cloud platform. Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions enable you to easily build intuitive mobile and web apps, making public services mobile and portable.

With advanced Azure PaaS solutions, you can enable modern technology solutions such as AI bot systems for automated call centers, intelligent parking sensors with real-time data, smart buildings using intelligent IoT devices, and emergency services optimization.

Benefits of SaaS

As agencies continue to innovate to better serve citizens, they need to make informed decisions about which workloads to manage in-house, and which projects and workloads to outsource. A complete software solution delivered by your cloud provider, SaaS offerings help you get up and running quickly with a minimal upfront cost.

As a leader in helping governments of all sizes modernize their systems and improve citizen services through the power of software, devices and services, Microsoft is here to meet the tough challenges of managing government. You can learn more about integrated solutions for such challenges as Digital Patrol for Public Safety, Tax Administration, or Traffic and Transit Optimization. We can also introduce you to skilful partners in your area who can help you build and manage your Azure Government solutions.

Choosing the most compliant platform

Compliance coverage is a serious issue and can be a blocker to state and local government agencies adopting the cloud. With broad compliance portfolio of Azure Government, you can benefit from the speed and scale of the cloud, knowing you’re supported by a highly secure and highly compliant platform. Compliance commitments include Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) agreements across 33 states, the ability to issue Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Business Associate Agreements, and support for the Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 1075 (IRS 1075). To learn more about compliance coverage, visit the Trust Center.

To learn more about the challenges and opportunities that come with a government cloud solution, view our on-demand webinar, The Benefits of Moving to the Cloud for State and Local Governments.