Video communication and collaboration has become a key part of the technology toolbox for organizations everywhere, and Peter McCarthy, VP Public Sector at Pexip shares his insight on what US federal agencies, and specifically the FedRAMP® program, are doing to help the government stay efficient, secure, and productive in today’s hybrid working environment.
First, let's catch up on the basics.
What is FedRAMP® and what’s it got to do with video conferencing and collaboration?
Peter: FedRAMP is an abbreviation for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, established by the US government in 2011 to ensure that federal agencies were taking a responsible and risk-based approach to the use of cloud services, which include video conferencing and collaboration tools.
Why is getting the FedRAMP® stamp of approval important?
Peter: Using FedRAMP-approved products is more important than ever. Agencies and organizations are not merely urged to adopt a FedRAMP framework, compliance is a must for a few reasons. First, the rise in cyber-attacks in recent years has increased the focus on and requirement for greater data security, privacy, and compliance. Second, organizations are urged to adopt a cloud-first mandate to reap the benefits of scalability, flexibility, and efficiency. FedRAMP helps accomplish both goals at the same time.
How does FedRAMP® ensure a responsible and secure approach?
Peter: It’s a framework that gives standardized security requirements for use of cloud services. This is a way to ensure high security standards across the board and to be more consistent and effective in the selection of secure cloud-based technologies in every corner of government.
When selecting a cloud-based video conferencing tool, what should government agencies consider?
Peter: First and foremost, security is paramount. The video technology solutions selected by the government must use the highest level of encryption and security protocols, as well as meet the strict requirements set by the US government when it comes to sensitive or mission-critical information.
In addition to security, are there other requirements to consider for video conferencing tools?
Peter: Interoperability is important, as there are many video conferencing systems in use today. There is a lot of legacy hardware out there and government agencies typically have multiple platforms they use, such as Microsoft Teams. All these need to work together, in a reliable and secure way, and this requires the right video technology that can connect anything and everything and get them to talk together.
What about user experience? With vast numbers of government employees now teleworking, how important is a unified experience?
Peter: Meeting equity has become a hot topic over the past few years. This means giving every employee an equitable experience, where they can be seen and heard, regardless of where they are working. We believe that joining a video meeting should be as easy as walking into the conference room and taking a seat at the table, and our FedRAMP meeting solution delivers on this promise by making it simple to join from anywhere.
When delivering a video solution to the federal government, is it one-size-fits-all?
Peter: The needs are unique and diverse across the government, which means that the video technology must be adaptable based on the users. This requires customization capabilities, so that a secure, FedRAMP-compliant solution can also be flexible enough to create custom experiences that meet the needs of the varying departments and organizations.
Does procuring a FedRAMP solution save my agency time?
Peter: As agencies adopt telework, having employees onsite to go into physical data centers becomes challenging. As a result, building their own on-premises solution can take longer. By procuring a FedRAMP, SaaS-based solution, agencies can get up-and-running much more quickly than building their own solution in house.
To learn more about Pexip’s FedRAMP-Authorized solution, visit Pexip Government Cloud.
To speak with Pexip about your agency’s needs, please contact us today.
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