GSA assistant commissioner: Cloud computing is safe, cost-effective

In a recent blog post written for the General Services Administration's website, GSA assistant commissioner Mary Davie explained that cloud computing is safer and more cost-effective than most consumers or businesses think.

Davie's article comes in response to recent governmental mandates requiring federal agencies to adopt the managed IT service in favor of in-house data centers.

The GSA typically provides these agencies with technology products and services and recently began offering software-as-a-service through its Apps.gov avenue.

According to Davie, the Office of Management and Budget has already taken "an aggressive stance on the cloud. We're all on the hook to move three systems to the cloud by 2012. I'm here to tell you that it can be done intelligently and securely."

Furthermore, Davie told the audience "if an agency is facing a technology transition that requires a large capital investment, say in hardware, then making that technology transition may be easier and faster in the cloud."

With more companies realizing the benefits Davie explained, the cloud market is set to experience significant growth during the next several years. IDC predicted the public cloud market to be worth $29.5 billion by 2015.