Will Vivek Kundra’s Departure Impact Federal Cloud Computing Initiatives?

I recently had an impromptu run-in with Greg Gardner, our Chief Architect for Defense Solutions in NetApp U.S. Public Sector. One of the topics we discussed was the recent resignation of the Federal CIO Vivek Kundra and how his departure may impact the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy. I admit that I was somewhat surprised when Greg offered to author a post on the topic in order to share his perspective and insights with a broader audience. Thus, it is my privilege to share them with you here.

Greg's Perspective:

As most who watch the Federal IT market closely know, Federal CIO Vivek Kundra, architect of the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy and the 25 Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management, announced his resignation. What does this mean for the future of cloud computing in the Federal government and how will Vivek’s initiatives be executed going forward? Allow me to addresses these questions.

Let’s begin...

Vivek Kundra, the nation’s first Chief Information Officer, announced Thursday morning that he was stepping down to become a joint fellow at the Kennedy School and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard this August. At present, his successor has not been named.

When Vivek was appointed CIO by President Obama in March 2009, many wondered what his new role would entail. To the surprise of many and the delight of some, he tackled many different projects focusing primarily on modernizing Federal Government IT, and pressing for a shift towards cloud computing for government agencies.

In a statement, Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew noted that Mr. Kundra, “…cracked down on wasteful IT spending, saved $3 billion in taxpayer dollars; moved the government to the cloud; and strengthened the cyber security posture of the nation while making it more open, transparent, and participatory. His work has been replicated across the world from 16 countries that have deployed the data.gov model to tap into the ingenuity of their people to multiple countries that have deployed the IT dashboard to save money.”

Some have asked if Vivek’s departure will impact the cloud computing initiatives with in the Federal Government. Frankly, I don’t think so. There’s sufficient momentum behind these initiatives – and more than enough budget pressures – to carry them forward. As Steve O’Keefe, founder of MeriTalk and a sharp-eyed critic of Federal IT issues notes, “The Genie is out of the bottle.”

Four Observations

First, Vivek‘s initiatives were visionary and they accelerated actions by within the Federal Government and the IT industry to develop practical, measurable efforts to improve the capabilities of both cloud computing and datacenter consolidation. The Federal CIO Council stated that they are fully on board and will continue to drive the efforts initiated by Mr. Kundra.

Second, the Commission on the Leadership Opportunity in U.S. Deployment of the Cloud (CLOUD2) is continuing its work unabated and will render its report to OMB and the Commerce Department in late July. The Commission is generating recommendations and ideas that will help cement the United States’ position as the world leader in cloud computing. The report will incorporate the opinions of experts in government and elsewhere, embrace the experience of those deploying or considering deploying cloud, and recognize and build upon related cloud activities and initiatives by other groups. The report will include actionable recommendations – simple steps the Federal Government and Industry can take to overcome the barriers that exist today.

Third, industry analysts like Gartner are recommending that both industry and government organizations shift from traditional computing to virtualization and cloud computing to speed IT services. Transitioning a traditional physical server network to a virtualized cloud, Gartner notes, must be done with strategic planning in capacity management and staff training.

Finally, the burgeoning Federal budget deficit is driving Federal agencies to operate more efficiently, more flexibly. Cities and states have had to deal with these pressures for years and many have turned to cloud computing and data center consolidation to save millions of dollars while significantly improving customer service. Federal agencies now realize they must follow suit.

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The Bottom Line:

Vivek Kundra is a talented and dedicated public servant who by force of will, tenacity, and persistence has forced agencies of the Federal government – and, in turn, private industry - to recognize and adopt modern IT capabilities, including cloud computing, to enable more efficient, more effective, more responsive government. We thank him and wish him well.

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