The UK MoD is using a hosted private cloud for internal shared services apps

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) Information Systems and Services (ISS) has deployed a private cloud based in CGI’s South  Wales datacentre which is being used to host internal applications for the public sector authority.

The ISS said it received Approval to Operate for the new Foundation Application Hosting Environment (FAHE), which is hosted as a private cloud instance in CGI’s facilities, and that the first applications have successfully transitioned onto the new platform.

The hosting environment was procured through the G-Cloud framework, the UK government’s cloud-centric procurement framework, and the contract will run for at least two years.

“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,” said Keith Jefferies, ISS Programmes, EMPORIUM deputy head, UK Ministry of Defence.

“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,” Jefferies said.

Steve Smart, UK vice president of space, defence, national and cyber security at CGI said: “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.”

The move comes just a few months after the MoD contracted with Ark to design a new state-of-the art datacentre in Corsham, Wiltshire, a move that will allow the department to decommission its Bath facility and save on energy and operations costs.