Cloud Advantages Help Government Resiliency
July 25, 2022 by Peter Friesen
The cloud has become present in our daily lives, from hosting your favorite streaming service to storing account information for many public and private services. As more governments dip their toes into cloud-based systems, the benefits become clearer than ever. Here are four key ways the cloud can help governments operate more efficiently and work through disruptions.
1. Increased Employee Effectiveness
Many businesses had to move rapidly at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to enable employees to work from home. Cloud-based solutions offered many benefits at that time, including remote access to regular programs and sensitive data (secured with multifactor authentication and other security measures). Even though many workers are now back in the office, they have increased flexibility to view or download important files while at a conference or to work from home during a snowstorm without missing a beat.
2. Constituent Benefits
Cloud solutions make constituents’ lives easier as well. Traditionally, there are many hurdles to a standard court appearance, for example. In rural areas, people may have to drive several hours, which requires a reliable vehicle, or childcare. Many jobs lack flexibility, forcing people to take time off to appear. Cloud services help courts operate virtually when needed, allowing a mix of in-person and virtual attendees, as well as text and email notifications. This reduces the chances of appearances being rescheduled or delayed, which helps courts clear their backlogs. It allows those appearing to use a 15-minute break to take care of a traffic ticket, instead of dealing with time off, parking downtown, and searching for the right courtroom.
3. 24/7 Access and Support
The benefits of around-the-clock access extend from the cloud services provider to government, to the end user. Providers have eyes on solutions at all times, receiving real-time alerts that are quickly moved through tech support to be solved, ideally, before clients even pick up the phone. Users can pay bills, submit permit applications, or fill out jury forms at any time. This eases the burden on employees, who no longer deal with crowded offices when filing deadlines draw closer. They can show up on Monday morning, see all of the forms submitted since they left Friday, and get to work at once.
4. Emergency Preparedness
Physical data centers are expensive to maintain and vulnerable in a disaster or emergency, where basic services or sensitive information could be taken offline or lost. Backup centers are an option but ultimately are expensive to build and support. With cloud solutions, everything is backed up through the provider, and the cost is built-in, taking away the need for server rooms and maintenance professionals. If there’s an emergency that impacts government buildings, all programs, data, and services can still be relied upon. The provider uses multiple data centers, meaning if one is shut down for any reason, hosting seamlessly shifts to another available site.