At this year’s Federal Executive Forum, Microsoft will be speaking to technology leaders from federal government about how technology is helping with cost savings and innovation. Highlighting the importance of technology, this is a forum at which some of the attendees appear in person, while others opt for a virtual presence.
At the forefront of Microsoft’s vision of technology within federal government are the cloud as well as mobile devices. Working online and storing data in the cloud has become increasingly common in every day computing, but the needs of governmental agencies are slightly different. This is something that Microsoft recognizes and has been able to tailor a specially design Azure cloud to cater for these needs.
Microsoft announces that previews of the Azure government cloud are being made available so that different departments will have the chance to assess their needs and tailor a package accordingly — to appease security fears, “it will be run by U.S. personnel with government background investigations and follow defense-in-depth, multi-level security practices.”
At the forum Microsoft also highlights the fact that there has been a massive uptake in the use of mobile devices, with estimates suggesting that in the coming year tablets will account for nearly half of the PC market. Different form-factors, such as convertibles and straight tablets, cater for a variety of needs, and Microsoft is kee.n for governments as well an individuals to appreciate the power of the Windows 8.1 family.
