Since announcing our Azure Government DoD Region Preview last week at Microsoft\u2019s Government Cloud Forum, we have had overwhelming interest from customers and partners in participating.\u00a0 We\u2019ve spent time compiling answers to the most frequently ask questions we\u2019ve heard to help customers and partners understand what this unprecedented investment from Microsoft means to the Department of Defense and its partners and how to qualify for access to the environment.<\/p>\n
What are the Azure Government DoD Regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>US DoD East and US DoD <\/span>Central <\/span>r<\/span>egion<\/span>s<\/span> are physically <\/span>separated<\/span> region<\/span>s<\/span> of <\/span>Microsoft <\/span>Azure architected to meet <\/span>US<\/span> Department of Defense (DoD)<\/span> security requirements for cloud computing,<\/span> specifically <\/span>for data designated as <\/span>DoD Impact Level 5<\/span> per the DoD Cloud <\/span>Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG)<\/span><\/a>.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is the difference be<\/span><\/b>tween Azure Government and the<\/span><\/b> Azure Government DoD Regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Azure Government is a US government community cloud providing services for Federal, State and Local government customers, tribal, entities subject to ITAR, and solution providers performing work on their behalf. All Azure Government regions are architected <\/span>and operated <\/span>to meet the security req<\/span>uirements for DoD Impact Level 5<\/span> data<\/span> and FedRAMP High standards<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>The Azure Government DoD regions are architected to support the <\/span>physical separation<\/span> requirements for Impact Level 5 data by providing dedicated compute and storage infrastructure for the use of DoD customers only.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is the difference between Impact Level <\/span><\/b>4<\/span><\/b> and Impact Level <\/span><\/b>5<\/span><\/b> data?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Impact Level 4 data is controlled unclassified information (CUI) that may include data subject to export control, privacy information protected health information and other data requiring explicit CUI designation (e.g. For Official Use Only, Law Enforcement Sensitive, Sensitive Security Information).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Impact Level 5 data includes controlled, unclassified information <\/span>(CUI) <\/span>that requires a higher level of protection as deemed necessary by the information owner, public law or government regulation.\u00a0 Impact Level 5 data is inclusive of unclassified National Security Systems.<\/span>\u00a0 More information on the <\/span>SRG impact levels, their distinguishing requirements and characteristics <\/span>is available <\/span>in <\/span>section 3<\/span><\/a> of the <\/span>DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is Microsoft doing differently to support Impact Level 5 data?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Impact L<\/span>evel 5 data <\/span>by definition <\/span>can only be processed in a dedicated infrastructure that ensures physical separation of DoD customers from non-Federal government tenants<\/span>.\u00a0 In delivering <\/span>the<\/span> US DoD East and US DoD <\/span>Central<\/span> regions, Microsoft is providing <\/span>an exclusive service for DoD customers that <\/span>meets an even higher bar than <\/span>DoD\u2019s stated requirements and <\/span>exceeds the level of protection and capability offered by any other hyperscale commercial cloud solution.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Do <\/span><\/b>these regions support classified data requirements?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These Azure Government DoD regions support only unclassified data up to and including Impact Level 5.\u00a0 Impact Level 6 data is defined as classified information up to Secret.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Wh<\/span><\/b>at organizations in the DoD can use the Azure Government<\/span><\/b> DoD Regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>US DoD East<\/span> and <\/span>US <\/span>DoD <\/span>Central <\/span>regions are built to support <\/span>the <\/span>US Department of Defense customer base.\u202f <\/span>This includes:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Are the DoD regions more secure?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft operates all of its Azure datacenters and supporting infrastructure to comply with local and international standards for security and compliance – leading all commercial cloud platforms in compliance investment and achievemen<\/span>ts<\/span>.\u202f These new DoD regions will provide specific assurances and commitments to meet the requirements defined in the DoD SRG for Cloud Computing.<\/span><\/p>\n Why are there multiple DoD regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By having multiple DoD regions, Microsoft provides customers with the opportunity to architect their solutions for <\/span>disaster recovery<\/span> scenarios across regions to ensure business continuity and satisfy requirements for system accreditation.\u00a0 In addition, customers may optimize performance by deploying solutions in the geography within closest proximity to their physical location.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Are these DoD regions connected to the NIPRNet?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The DoD mandates that commercial cloud services used for CUI must be connected to customers through a Cloud Access Point (CAP).\u00a0 <\/span>The<\/span>refore,<\/span> the <\/span>Azure DoD regions are <\/span>connected to the NIPRNet through redundant connections to <\/span>multiple geographically distributed CAPs<\/span>.\u00a0 A DoD CAP is a system of network boundary protection and monitoring devices that offer protection to DoD information system network and services.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When will the Azure Government DoD Regions be available?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We <\/span>are working with DoD customers who are interested in <\/span>previewing<\/span><\/a> the DoD regio<\/span>ns to provide them with access<\/span>.\u00a0 We <\/span>expect <\/span>the DoD <\/span>regions to <\/span>be accredited at Impact Level 5 by the government by the end of calendar year 2016 and <\/span>to <\/span>make our DoD regions <\/span>generally <\/span>available to <\/span>all <\/span>DoD customers<\/span> with financially-backed service level agreements<\/span> in January of 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n How<\/span><\/b> does a DoD customer<\/span><\/b> acquire Azure <\/span><\/b>Government <\/span><\/b>DoD services<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Azure <\/span>Government <\/span>DoD services <\/span>may be purchased by qualified entities <\/span>through the same <\/span>reseller channels<\/span><\/a> as Azure Government.\u00a0 <\/span>In keeping with Microsoft\u2019s commitment to make cloud services <\/span>a<\/span>\n