VMware, Slack announce secure cloud services
VMware Cloud on Amazon Web Service’s GovCloud (US) has been issued an authority to operate at the high impact level, and Slack’s GovSlack will meet both FedRAMP high and Department of Defense impact level 4 certifications.
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has awarded VMware Cloud on Amazon Web Service’s GovCloud (US) an authority to operate at the high impact level.
Announced Sept. 21, the ATO was sponsored by the U.S. Marshals Service, which has included the VMware Cloud on AWS GovCloud service as a component of its multicloud strategy.
VMware Cloud on AWS offers U.S. public-sector agencies VMware’s software-defined data center software in the AWS GovCloud, enabling them to securely run applications across VMware vSphere-based private, public and hybrid cloud environments. The VMware Cloud service operates in the AWS GovCloud (US-West) region.
VMware Cloud on AWS GovCloud integrates VMware’s compute, storage and network virtualization products and optimizes them to run on dedicated, elastic, Amazon EC2 bare-metal infrastructure that is fully integrated as part of the AWS GovCloud.
The FedRAMP High authorization will make it easier for agencies to move their highly sensitive workloads and applications to cloud environments.
“U.S. federal, state, and local government agencies from law enforcement and emergency services to financial and healthcare systems can now confidently leverage the best of VMware and AWS to more securely run their mission critical applications across private, public, and hybrid cloud environments to take full advantage of the cloud’s agility and cost savings,” AWS Vice President of Partners and Programs Sandy Carter said.
Secure collaboration
Also on Sept. 21, Slack announced GovSlack, a version of its collaboration platform that will meet both FedRAMP high and Department of Defense impact level 4 certifications.
While Slack Enterprise Grid already meets federal security requirements, the company said in a blog post that it wants to “extend our compliance commitment to meet an even broader section of the public-sector market.”
“More and more public sector agencies and partners are looking to modernize their day-to-day operations with tools that increase productivity and collaboration, but must also meet rigorous government security and compliance requirements that can often limit tech choices,” Slack’s VP of Product Ilan Frank said. “By meeting government-grade compliance standards like FedRAMP High and DOD IL4 certifications, we’re bringing the power of Slack’s best-in-class, secure, centralized digital HQ to federal government customers and their partners.”
GovSlack, an instance of Slack hosted in a government-certified cloud environment, is expected to be available in 2022.
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