MOD's private Cloud goes live

CGI and the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) Information Systems and Services (ISS) have achieved Interim Approval to Operate for the new Foundation Application Hosting Environment (FAHE) and the first applications have successfully transitioned onto the new platform hosted at CGI’s secure facilities in South Wales.

FAHE is a dedicated private cloud solution, based on CGI’s existing Secure Cloud Reference Architecture and will enable the MOD to adopt a shared services model for secure application hosting. FAHE has enhanced security, offering application hosting to ‘Official Sensitive’ government standards, ensuring MOD meets its security requirements. MOD ISS Users will be supported by CGI’s 5 star accredited service desk also based in Bridgend, South Wales.

Highlighting an on-going change in Government ICT procurement strategy, MOD ISS has procured a 2 year Contract for an ICT Hosting Environment through the G-Cloud framework, a mechanism for local and central government to select proven, flexible cloud-based IT services, using a compliant, regulated and regularly refreshed framework. The FAHE design provides a scalable platform which will help to support MOD future requirements to host a wide range of applications in an efficient and effective manner and within the scope of the contract.

Keith Jefferies, ISS Programmes, EMPORIUM Deputy Head, UK Ministry of Defence commented “FAHE provides the foundation of our Applications Services approach and a future-proofed platform for secure application hosting. Our vision is that ISS will be the Defence provider of choice for applications development, hosting, and management. FAHE is the first delivery contract under the broader banner of the Applications Programme and we have selected CGI on their ability to deliver a secure environment coupled with a flexible commercial model that allows us to rapidly up and down-scale in line with future demand”.

Steve Smart, UK Vice President of Space, Defence, National and Cyber Security at CGI, added, “MOD ISS is taking an important step towards delivering the Government’s vision of using flexible cloud services. The CGI platform is compliant to Defence and pan-Government ICT strategies and architectures. It will provide multi-discipline services from the most appropriate source with the agility and cost of industry best practice. We are delighted to have been trusted to deliver and support this requirement. We are building on the success of our Secure Government Cloud to design and deliver the FAHE to high performance and security specifications.”