Cloud computing represents a fundamentally different way for government to architect computing resources. It allows CIOs to leverage powerful IT infrastructures in a fraction of the time it takes to provision, develop and deploy similar assets in-house.

The cost saving potential is huge. Adopting cloud technologies eliminates capital and operational expenses associated with servers, software licenses, maintenance fees, data center space and the employment of IT personnel. Thanks to the cloud, government won't be stuck with obsolete legacy systems and outdated hardware that require expensive maintenance.