Identity considerations for public sector hybrid cloud computing solutions

Cloud computing is a relatively new paradigm that provides increased flexibility and resiliency in information technology service delivery. The inherent elasticity and cost savings in public cloud computing have attracted many in the private and ever-cautious public sectors. Presuming the construct of a hybrid cloud offering composed of a combined public and private cloud solution, the public sector (government) has a daunting dilemma in balancing resilience and security. Key to the public sector requirement is continuity of mission critical and mission support operations. When involved in national security, disaster response, defense, or homeland security missions, the criticality of service availability is elevated. Delays in service provisioning and collaboration are often as a result of identity management issues within participating organizations. This paper details the public sector cloud security and usability needs, draws on previous definitions and models for cloud security, and provides an identity management architectural model for use in some of the most critical of public sector mission sets.