Microsoft's Azure cloud platform is now available to federal agencies thanks to a moderate provisional authority to operate granted by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. The P-ATO includes Azure's identity services — Azure Active Directory and Multi-Factor Authentication — according to a blog post by Tom Keane, partner director in program management with the Azure program.
The action included a level 2 provisional authorization from the Defense Information Systems Agency, allowing DoD customers to place non-sensitive information and defense applications into Azure Government.
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The approvals "apply to Azure Government customers immediately, enabling trusted cloud scenarios across a broad range of services," Keane wrote. "Azure Government delivers on the criteria necessary for government agencies and their partners to use cloud services, adding assurance that data will remain in US facilities, datacenter personnel have been screened according to strict guidelines, and continuous monitoring ensures effective incident detection and response."
