Vermont using cloud computing from IBM for greater efficiency

Friday, July 22, 2011

The state of Vermont's Department of Information and Innovation is using cloud computing from IBM and Silanis for greater collaboration with vendors, to improve its operations, boost efficiency and increase profits.

By utilizing the cloud, Vermont is also decreasing the amount of paper it consumes, as well as its vendor contract process.

"Our department signs as many as 80 vendor contracts a month," said Kris Rowley, DII's chief information security officer. "A cloud-based business process using Silanis and IBM technology helped us keep up with Vermont's commitment to the environment and our plans to adopt productivity-enhancing technologies."

Rowley also said the department was involved in a tedious process of correcting errors and approving signatures. According to the IBM, the state is using its cloud services to address this issue in an efficient manner.

While the state of Vermont is experiencing the benefits of the cloud, the U.S. government is projected to shut down 800 of its data centers to become more sustainable. Federal CIO Vivek Kundra told the New York Times the government could save an additional $5 billion annually by using more efficient technology such as cloud computing.