{"id":4735,"date":"2017-01-13T09:05:37","date_gmt":"2017-01-13T14:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.msdn.microsoft.com\/azuregov\/?p=4735"},"modified":"2017-01-13T09:05:37","modified_gmt":"2017-01-13T14:05:37","slug":"azure-dod-regions-accredited-at-impact-level-5-and-now-generally-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/azuregov\/azure-dod-regions-accredited-at-impact-level-5-and-now-generally-available\/","title":{"rendered":"Azure DoD Regions Accredited at Impact Level 5 and Now Generally Available"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DeptDefense[1]\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Earlier today Tom Keane, General Manager, Azure<\/a> announced<\/a> that Azure Government is the first and only hyperscale commercial cloud service to be awarded an Information Impact Level 5 DoD Provisional Authorization by the Defense Information Systems Agency. In addition, Azure Government regions dedicated to US Department of Defense customer workloads are now generally available.<\/p>\n

In anticipation of high demand for the DoD regions, we\u2019ve spent time compiling answers to the most frequently asked questions we\u2019ve heard during our recently completed Preview program to help interested customers and partners understand what this unique capability from Microsoft means to the Department of Defense and its mission partners.<\/p>\n

What are the Azure Government DoD Regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The US DoD East and US DoD Central regions are physically separated regions of Microsoft Azure architected to meet US Department of Defense (DoD) security requirements for cloud computing, specifically for data designated as DoD Impact Level 5 per the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG).\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

What is the difference between Azure Government and the 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 and operated to meet the security requirements for DoD Impact Level 5 data and FedRAMP High standards.<\/p>\n

The Azure Government DoD regions are architected to support the physical separation requirements for Impact Level 5 data by providing dedicated compute and storage infrastructure for the use of DoD customers only.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the difference between Impact Level 4 and Impact Level 5 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).<\/p>\n

Impact Level 5 data includes controlled, unclassified information (CUI) 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.\u00a0 More information on the SRG impact levels, their distinguishing requirements and characteristics is available in section 3<\/a> of the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Data is categorized as Impact Level 5?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Level 5 accommodates controlled unclassified information (CUI) that requires a higher level of protection than that afforded by Level 4 as deemed necessary by the information owner, public law, or other government regulations. Level 5 also supports unclassified National Security Systems (NSSs).\u00a0 This level accommodates NSS and CUI information categorizations based on CNSSI-1253 up to moderate confidentiality and moderate integrity (M-M-x).<\/p>\n

What is Microsoft doing differently to support Impact Level 5 data?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact Level 5 data by definition can only be processed in a dedicated infrastructure that ensures physical separation of DoD customers from non-Federal government tenants.\u00a0 In delivering the US DoD East and US DoD Central regions, Microsoft is providing an exclusive service for DoD customers that meets an even higher bar than DoD\u2019s stated requirements and exceeds the level of protection and capability offered by any other hyperscale commercial cloud solution.<\/p>\n

Do 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.<\/p>\n

What organizations in the DoD can use the Azure Government DoD Regions?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The US DoD East and US DoD Central regions are built to support the US Department of Defense customer base.\u202f This includes:<\/p>\n