Category: Best Practices

Edge computing moves data processing and analysis close to endpoints where data is generated to deliver real-time responsiveness, and reduces cost associated with transferring large amounts of data. Edge environments include Internet of Things (IoT) or mobile devices, sensors, video cameras, and other connected resources. With edge, the usual security principles still apply such as protecting data at rest and in motion, but new considerations emerge. Learn more in the new IDC whitepaper.

Security is priority number one at AWS. Data stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) is private by default. However, some datasets are made to be shared. In this blog post, we cover the no-cost mechanisms data providers can utilize to create access control policies for their highly distributed open datasets.

Customer experience (CX) has emerged as a key priority in the US following the 2021 Biden Administration Executive Order (EO) to transform federal customer experience and service delivery. Application modernization enables agencies to simplify business processes and provide customers with flexible, interactive, and simple to use applications, resulting in improved CX. In this blog post, we present an AWS architecture framework that agencies can use to develop and deploy a modern application that helps improve CX.

Public sector organizations and commercial enterprises alike are reaping the benefits of AWS Ground Station, which lets customers command and control satellite communications, process satellite data, and scale their satellite operations. This article provides a general overview of AWS Ground Station, its key benefits, and general advice for getting started.

This blog post explores the options US public sector customers and their business partners should evaluate when selecting an AWS partition. We discuss the differences between AWS GovCloud (US) and the AWS standard partition and how to decide which partition may be the best match for your organization’s security, compliance, and availability needs.

Whether filing taxes, applying for student financial aid, seeking healthcare coverage, or receiving disaster support, every interaction with the federal government is an opportunity to strengthen the customer experience with rich citizen engagement and direct lines of feedback. But legacy technology, siloed data, lack of digital skills, and a one-size-fits-all design approach can limit the ability of government to meet the demands of their constituents. Using cloud technology and AWS can improve customer understanding, create personalized interactions, and modernize constituent experiences.

In a recent disaster response field testing exercise (FTX), the AWS Global Social Impact Solutions (GSI) team developed a prototype cloud architecture and tested it in a search and rescue (SAR) scenario simulating a missing responder crisis. This blog post walks through the SAR simulation and result, and provides an overview of the AWS services and technical architecture components the GSI team used to provide a hybrid edge/cloud COP solution that helped locate the missing team member in the simulated scenario within 20 minutes.

Before building in the cloud, government agencies need to determine how they want to allocate cloud costs in accordance with their jurisdictions’ transparency requirements and legislative oversight. A cloud cost allocation strategy–deciding how to distribute cloud costs to the users or beneficiaries of those incurred costs in a pre-defined way—is a foundational part of any agency’s cloud journey. Even though every organization’s cost allocation model may be unique, there are some common patterns, approaches, and best practices that you can leverage to design an effective strategy to meet your organization’s needs.

The education technology industry is rapidly evolving. In 2021, education technology companies (EdTechs) had another record year of investments, mergers and acquisitions, and global expansion. To help early stage EdTechs entering the market navigate this unique point in history, AWS released the 2022 EdTech Startup Guide. The guide describes seven key trends in the EdTech market in 2022, along with market and technology recommendations for those who are developing or scaling their EdTech solutions. We’ve summarized these seven key trends for EdTechs in 2022 in this blog post; dive deeper into these trends by downloading the guide.

When I worked in the UK government, I led the Government Digital Transformation Service (GDS) Transformation Program, where we used an Agile approach to modernize a range of services, from social care benefits to prison visit booking. Now, I work with the AWS Institute executive education program to teach public sector leaders how to accelerate and expand their impact for citizens with digital transformation. In this blog post, I share my experience using the Agile approach to transform government services, and offer some best practices for organizations who want to adopt a bias for Agile action to deliver successful modernization faster and at scale.