As you already know, Office 365 is a familiar, reliable, and cutting-edge platform for consumer and enterprise cloud productivity. With over 1TB of cloud data available for free (and unlimited storage with a paid account), there's nothing that comes close to the support and capability of Office 365.
A major announcement last week brings Office 365's cloud capabilities into the government realm. The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has approved Office 365 as a cloud solution for government agencies like the Department of Health. This means that in the future, more agencies will incorporate the platform for their own cloud purposes. FedRAMP standardizes security assessments, monitoring, and authorizations for computer programs and systems.
This is a huge step not only for Microsoft, but for cloud computing as a whole. The FedRAMP stamp of approval is a much sought-after authorization, as it gives the security capabilities of software for the backing of a public sector institution. Private organizations like corporations and businesses generally weigh that highly when making buying decisions.
In addition to receiving Authority to Operate approval, Microsoft has been working on government-only instances of their Office 365 services, including SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Lync Online. Writing for the official Office Blog, acting FedRAMP director for the General Services Administration Matt Goodrich explained the announcement and what it meant for government services in the United States:
“Microsoft’s authorization with HHS OIG makes Office 365 the first cloud based email and collaboration service to obtain a FedRAMP authorization. Microsoft worked with the HHS OIG and the FedRAMP PMO to demonstrate Office 365’s adherence to the stringent FedRAMP security requirements that are critical for U.S. government adoption of cloud services.”
What levels of authorization has Office 365 met and which plans are FedRAMP approved? A third-party assessment organization (3PAO) has assessed Office 365 at a moderate level and HHS OIG has awarded the service a FedRAMP ATO. It applies to Office 365 Government plans E1, E3, E4, and standalone plans like the Exchange Online Plan 1 and Plan 2 etc. The designation given to these plans is Government Community Cloud, or GCC.
The good news for private organizations and individuals? The same level of strict security and functionality standards required by FedRAMP have been implemented into commercial Office 365 offerings as well. This ensures that Office 365 operates at the highest level of regulatory standards, security, and compliance along both industry and government fields.
To find out how Office 365 can replace your outdated services and bring your organization up to regulatory standards as well as meeting current tech trends, contact Vorsite today to schedule a consultation.
