Wyoming implements cloud computing for many employees

Friday, June 24, 2011

State government workers in Wyoming will be using Google's cloud computing products for a number of important functions, making it the first state in the nation to employ the technology on such a scale.

According to the Associated Press, Wyoming hopes to save more than $1 million annually on IT spending thanks to the lack of server hardware and maintenance required by cloud systems. The news source also said that Google's handling of updates for the various platforms it uses will be a time-saver for employees.

Some cities have already chosen this option for their IT services, the AP reported, as well as several government agencies at the federal level.

Contrary to the belief of many cloud computing skeptics, officials told television station KUSA that the security measures in place to protect the state's cloud are more robust than anything that had been used previously.

Efforts to broaden the use of cloud computing in the executive branch took a hit recently with the departure of federal CIO Vivek Kundra, but experts say the transition will continue, albeit at a potentially slower pace.