With G-Cloud 11 launching, what is G-Cloud?
1 Jul 2019With G-Cloud 11 launching and Memset once again proud to be included within the portal: What exactly is it? What does it mean? And where is it going?
What is G-Cloud and why do we love it?
G-Cloud, AKA Government Cloud, is a UK government programme promoting government-wide adoption of cloud computing. It was first introduced in 2012 with the aim of encouraging public sector organisations to evaluate and pursue cloud-based services over on-premises alternatives.
It is a commodity-based framework allowing UK public sector bodies to select and purchase cloud computing services. It is a one-stop shop covering everything from infrastructure to software and even specialist services.
All suppliers on G-Cloud have been pre-vetted and signed off to provide products and services to the Government. Which saves time and effort in procuring for the public sector, but also shows due-diligence for the private sector.
It has 3 categories:
- Cloud Hosting (IaaS and PaaS)
- Cloud Software (SaaS)
- Cloud Support - introduced most recently with G-Cloud 9 in 2017
“If you work in the private sector it’s always worth asking your supplier whether they are G-Cloud approved, it shows they are audited and go through strict approval and vetting. “
What did we do to get G-Cloud approved?
The G-Cloud application is a lengthy one! It requires the submission and completion of:
- Pass / fail questions around compliance (and company background)
- Description of service and solution offering
- Pricing documents
- Terms and conditions
- And much more…
It is a fully transparent portal, which was always key for our co-founder who was integral in the development of G-Cloud.
As the first government-approved hosting provider in the UK, our Dunsfold data centre was built specifically with government in mind. It follows most compliance security standards including ISO 27001 and provides our unique PSN to Internet Gateway solution.
Our gateway between the Internet and PSN allows government departments a secure bi-directional route between high-security PSN and internet facing services. Making it the most cost-effective way to protect and present sensitive data to the Internet.
Digital transformation in the public sector
We live in a digital world and as consumers, we have come to expect easy access to online services whenever we want. This demand translates into public services from education to healthcare but digital automation isn’t possible with much of the existing technology of the public sector.
Digital transformation is the transformation of digital technology into all aspects of a business, or in this case government. Exactly what it is is hard to pinpoint, as all organisational needs are different, some may require new infrastructure some new software.
A recent survey conducted last year by Digital Leaders and GovNewsDirect found that many government organisations were on their way to digital transformation. However, over half the responders stated seeing slow adoption. Citing a number of reasons from skills shortage, to open source and lack of cloud computing. The G-Cloud framework helps to cut through some of the red tape, acting as a one-stop shop with all the pre-approved solutions a department may require.
A great example of why the move is hard for the public sector is the sheer amount of PII (personally identifiable information) on individuals, which is heavily legislated for processing and storing. They have to ensure that the companies they are working with are compliant and follow GDPR and DPA legislation; making the movement of data challenging, it’s not a blocker though. Solutions such as our PSN to Internet Gateway offer assurances to public bodies. Learn more about our solution for the Ministry of Justice where we delivered just this.
G-Cloud is a platform paving the way the digital transformation within the government. The public sector is accountable to the British public for the money they spend, so a transparent platform for pricing through to service is a great solution. Whether G-Cloud is used to its full potential…
… well that’s a question for another blog.