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A Perfect Storm? Cloud, Mobility and Information Sharing for the Federal Government Addressing the Government’s requirement to better share and collaborate – securely from any device, anywhere. The military and civilian students who attend the U.S. Army
Global Institute’s July 2012 report, The Social Economy:
Unlocking Value and Productivity through Social Technologies, found that there is significant impact for those businesses that allow employees to interact with each other as well as
War College are used to having their hands full at the beginning
customers, partners, and prospects. According to the report,
of each academic year – literally.
the average worker spends about 28 percent of his or her
“Over the course of our 10-month program where people
workweek dealing with emails, and another 20 percent of their
get Master’s of strategic studies, we issue a stack of printed
time looking for information or colleagues who can help them
books — printed PDFs and other types of reading materials,”
do their jobs.
explains Col. Steve Sobotta, director of educational technology
Indeed, until now, most collaboration has been done via
at the U.S. Army War College. “That stack might be two-to
email, but that model is no longer sustainable or smart, says
two-and-a-half feet tall when placed on top of each other. Not
Laurence Hart, CTO at AIIM, a non-profit industry association
only is that a heavy load to carry for the student, but it’s also
providing education, research, and best practices to help
a heavy financial burden for the College to print those books
organizations find, control, and optimize their information.
for each of the 400 students
“E-mail is inherently
who attend our school.”
insecure,” says Hart. “If you
The other issue the
are sending an email you
College faced: It was
don’t know who receives
difficult to provide access
it, if it has been forwarded,
to materials online since
or what happens to your
students had to be located
information once it leaves
within the physical institution
your organization. There’s
to log on to the classified
also no version control.”
network. About a year ago
Improving communication
the War College piloted a
and collaboration could
program using Box that gives
raise the productivity
all of its students the ability to access those printed materials
of “interaction workers” by between 20 and 25 percent,
from any mobile device or Web browser. Today students
according to the McKinsey Global Institute report. Box’s
are able to go online to read their coursework, including
vision – simple, open, and secure content collaboration – is a
copyrighted texts. But even more important, they can discuss
panacea for those looking for ways to do this. It certainly helps
those texts, highlight them electronically, and merge them with
people like Col. Sobotta and countless other agency heads
other types of media including audio and text files.
who are experiencing the need for constant communication
Thinking Outside the Box With its efforts, the U.S. Army War College, like many federal
and information sharing first hand but can’t find the technology to make it happen. “Across the board, there’s a need to be able to collaborate
organizations, is fulfilling the Cloud First policy mandate, which
and share much more effectively, and right now the technology
directs organizations to prioritize the use of of cloud computing
out there impedes our ability to make that happen,” agrees
offerings to reduce costs, among other things. It’s also
Aaron Levie, the CEO and co-founder of Box. “When you have
moving to facilitate collaboration, something that is becoming
technology that doesn’t support collaboration, and when you
increasingly important within enterprises as well as public
have information systems that are really meant to lock down
organizations and agencies.
data and knowledge, it’s very, very hard to be able to have
There is research to back this up. For instance, McKinsey
people share information as quickly and easily as possible.”
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Cost is also an issue since the federal
In addition, even those agencies that
budget crisis is affecting every agency
can handle security and compliance have
out there, according to Alex Rossino,
infrastructure that is stove-piped. It’s
principal research analyst at Deltek’s
nearly impossible for them to even fathom
Federal Industry Analysis arm. “Agencies
re-architecting their existing content
are looking for any way that they can cut
infrastructure to allow content sharing
budget, and cloud is just a logical way to
across departments much less agencies.
do that,” he says.
“Most people today are just emailing [files] or using a SharePoint repository –
Content in the Cloud
whatever they have on hand. The idea is
Box allows people to more easily share
to cut through the knot, and the only way
content because everything — including
to really do that is to go whole hog into
multiple types of documents, images,
the cloud,” Says Rossino.
Flash, presentations, video and audio
When this happens, decision-making
files, PDFs, HTML pages, Javascript
becomes less fragmented and better
files — is stored within the cloud.
since information can be assembled into
The service’s underlying design provides enterprise-class
a single repository and everyone with the correct permissions
collaboration, security, and compliance with the ease-of-use
can access it, comment on it, and use it to guide innovation,
and simple integration of a software-as-a-service offering.
discussion, and strategy.
The simplicity is key because, up until now, one of the
This is certainly true in the case of the U.S. Army War
main things that have thwarted collaboration within the federal
College. Box richly enhances the educational process within
government and other public agencies has been complexity,
the school, says Col. Sobotta. “Deep discussions have started.
says Rossino. Files must be stored and archived in a specific
Instead of going a mile wide and an inch deep we can go a
manner and with high levels of security and replication, as
mile deep and an inch wide,” he says. “Plus, students and
spelled out by a variety of reporting and compliance mandates.
faculty can do so 24/7 wherever they happen to be.” •
The Three Faces of Box Box services address three main
tagged with metadata, and stored.
uploaded, or deleted a file. In
trends that are driving the way IT
Data and files can be searched by
addition, since the Box platform is
and business gets done today.
keyword and attribute, and there
built on open APIs, users can create
1) Sync and share: Consumers
is high-level annotation, structure,
apps to help manage their data and
and business users are already
and taxonomy available. In addition,
use it to its fullest extent.
used to Microsoft’s SkyDrive™,
version control becomes easier as
The result is a platform that’s ready
Apple’s iCloud, and Dropbox™’s
documents and files are checked
to alter the way business gets done.
service. Box takes this paradigm
in and out. The best part: Access
“We’re still figuring out what it means
farther by making access device-
remains in the hands of IT, which
in terms of the way it’s going to
and OS-agnostic and coupling it
sets and grants access based on
change how government, healthcare,
with the security and compliance
user, department, and any number
and other security-sensitive verticals
that the public sector and some
of other parameters.
do business, but the ability to pull up
enterprises require.
3) Mobile access and tracking: Data
data that you want and instantly get
2) Enterprise-level content indexing
can be shared in its native form
it in front of you and others who are
and access: Data is only as good
on any device or platform, but
working with you is incredibly game
as how quickly it can be found.
controls are still in place. IT can see
changing,” says Aaron Levie, the
With Box, all files are indexed,
who opened, shared, downloaded,
CEO and co-founder of Box.
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Cloud Security: It’s Not Ethereal Two of the main cloud concerns that most public and private sector users have voiced are related to security and compliance — can you have both when you’re dealing with the public cloud?
This couldn’t be further from the truth, he says. Most cloud providers are able to offer security levels that are on par if not more stringent than what can be found in the enterprise. Corporate America recognizes this. A May 2013 cloud security study commissioned through IDG Connect found that
Box employees live and breathe security, constantly striving to
companies have become increasingly comfortable with the
create a better cloud ecosystem for Box’s customers and the
security of third-party cloud service providers.
industry as a whole, says Justin Somaini, the company’s chief
According to the study, 51 percent of IT executives surveyed
trust officer. There’s good reason
believe that the cloud increases
behind this focus.
data security overall, while 59
Cloud-based services are
percent of respondents were very
exploding in the public and private
confident in their ability to control
sectors, but there’s a struggle
and manage access from mobile
going on in IT, according to a
devices to cloud services. Several
December Gartner special report,
federal CIOs agreed during an April
Gartner Predicts 2013. The U.S.
18 panel discussion. “Trust on the
federal government is in the thick
government side is increasing as
of it, according to Gartner, thanks
we see it work,” explained Chuck
to Cloud First and The Federal Risk
Riddle, CIO of the Government
and Authorization Management
Printing Office during the event.
Program (FedRAMP). CIOs and their organizations are looking
The Secret Security Sauce
to encourage and support the
At Box, customers such as the
expansion of cloud computing, but
Government Services Administration
at the same time make sure that
(GSA) are seeing it work because
the appropriate security is in place.
it gives end users instant access
Only companies that understand this
to critical information in a secure
struggle – and the reasons behind it
fashion. GSA files — like all files that
– can be part of the solution. Somaini
are stored on Box — are encrypted
says Box is one of them.
while they sit on Box servers, and
Better Than Your Data Center This requires a very basic yet significant focus on back-end
only those GSA users who have the right authentication credentials can access and decrypt files. From a rights management perspective, control lies solely
security features well as what happens during information
in the hands of the administrator, who controls all the account
transport and delivery. It also includes not only a willingness to
settings and access for GSA users.
have an exchange of ideas but a desire to work with partners
Everything from password strength and resets to the number
and customers to advance cloud security as a whole, says
of failed logins allowed to session duration is customizable. In
Somaini.
addition, the administrator can set permission as to what users
Indeed, security is often the first thing that many CIOs and
can do once they access files. They can allow – or disallow – a
CISOs bring up when they sit down with a cloud provider.
user to download, edit, or share a document, and can require
“There’s a natural fear from leveraging past services,”
file-level password protection for confidential or high security
explains Somaini. “The impression is that cloud services
documents or assets. Those rights can be set to expire, too,
are not secure or, more importantly, less secure than their
so contractors or employees have time-limited access to files
enterprise is today.”
or instant access when they need it.
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“Box gives us the perfect combination of being able to
the ability to access deep forensic information about who
transport information really easily, but then restricting selected
has accessed data, where they accessed it from, and what
information very tightly,” explains Bob Armstrong, program
changes were made to the data once it was touched.
analyst at GSA. Many of Box’s security controls are behind the scenes,
“You’re going to get a lot of information right there on the admin console,” explains Crispen Maung, the company’s
starting with the development of new code and features, says
senior director of compliance. “You’ll see a report that lists all
Somaini. Everyone who works at Box — from the software
the users who logged in, the IP addresses they originate from,
developers to the quality assurance staff — is taught to bring a
and the date and time of their access.”
security mind-set into everything they do.
Another unique benefit that Box brings to its customers is a
“There’s no better tool
willingness to sit down and
that you can have than an
discuss business-specific
educated developer who
security and compliance
goes through a process from
requirements and provide
the very beginning, who
advice about both, explains
learns how to code safely
Maung. “We want to talk
and securely while providing
through all the different
those rich features that
requirements and their
customers are looking for,”
interpretation of requirements
Somaini says.
so we can help guide them
Box’s management
through to help them make
supports this security
their systems and their use
mindset with weekly
of our systems compliant,”
meetings where they discuss
he explains.
at length numerous security
For instance, Box is
issues, such as the current
focused on making sure the
industry situation with
service is compliant with
advanced persistent threats
the ISO 27001 standard
and attacks, as well as customer and partner concerns. In
under Annex A, which means that it has taken a wide variety
addition, developers and other key staffers go through rigorous
of security and compliance issues into account, including
training and certifications. They are also given access to the
asset management, human resources security, access control,
many industry groups, partners, and security experts who have
information systems acquisition, security incident management,
been recruited to assist and collaborate with Box on cloud
business continuity, and regulatory compliance. “Internally,
security issues. The Box teams are also doing outreach on a
security and compliance are huge components of our
daily basis with partners
company’s DNA,” agrees Somaini.
“All of the processes incorporate security at such a deep
Finally, since one company cannot do it all, Box has created
level, such an expeditious level, that we’re able not only meet
partnerships with best-in-breed companies such as cloud
the feature functionalities we need to, but we do it with an
identity management company Ping Identity, mobile security
extreme scrutiny to identify faults, issues and security concerns
and management firm MobileIron, analytics provider Good
so our customers don’t have to worry,” says Somaini.
Data, and security control and analytics provider docTrackr.
Compliance and the Cloud: A Pair Made in Heaven
the best ones to be creating a security feature that customers
Security is only half of the equation, though. Compliance
these areas so that our customers get the peace of mind they
with government mandated regulations is crucial for most
need,” says Somaini.
government and public organizations. To that end, there are Box features that help IT more easily meet compliance requirements. For instance, Box gives IT
“Whenever we are unable to execute or are possibly not want we can turn to our partners, who are laser-focused on
And when that happens, when customers have the peace of mind and confidence in cloud security and access, everything falls into place. •
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Customized Content and Collaboration in the Cloud In the age of bring-your-own-device, users want to do more than just see their content.They want to collaborate, too. Mobile devices and customized apps are making that happen for Box users.
people who are on the road and in the office.”
The days of the one employee/one computer paradigm
and their clients to create custom apps that are designed
are over. Today, employees work using a variety of devices
around specific missions and needs.
and applications – and many are designed and released by
Box’s staff is constantly working with app developers, selecting and evaluating the most popular productivity apps in the market and helping to integrate them securely with the Box platform. In addition, Box works with application developers
These apps, which are branded around the customer, make
companies that people have never heard of. This creates
workflow easier and more seamless, says Aaron Levie, Box’s
a conundrum for IT: CIOs and CISOs must decide which
CEO. “What’s exciting about these apps, especially the custom
applications and providers meet their users’ needs, while still
ones, is that a specific workflow or a specific set of documents
meeting the security and compliance levels that are required by
could be put out there and the employee in the field only gets
their organizations. “The entire mobile app ecosystem is completely fragmented,” agrees
to see those documents that apply directly to him or her.” These apps often end up in an
Chris Yeh, senior vice president
agency’s or organization’s own
of platforms at Box. “And IT often
private app store, says Yeh, providing
chooses to ignore it completely due
another layer of security. “You’ve got
to the fact that even when there are
CIOs or CISO’s saying, ‘Yeah, I’m
mobile apps out there, there’s a lack
going to build this app and it’s going
of confidence in them.”
to have special requirements that are
The result: There are still many
unique to me, and I’m going to host
agencies out there stuck using
it privately, and I’m still going to take
on-premises applications, which only
advantage of all of the power of the
work when users are in their offices
Box platform to enable it.’”
or tethered to secure networks. The
These users can create specific
Box OneCloud ecosystem is designed to solve all of these
paths within those apps that streamline use on-premises, too.
problems, giving agencies and organizations a way to improve
So, for instance, someone who was visiting an agency for a
productivity and accelerate their missions.
day can be given a mobile device that – when Box and the
The Box Mobile Connection
app is launched – takes them directly to the view and content that they are supposed to see. The process is simplified even
Box OneCloud is an ecosystem of mobile apps that integrate
further by Box customer success managers, who are available
with Box’s core features. Using OneCloud, IT can provide users
to answer questions, handle issues, and advise organizations
more than 500 apps that can be used to interact with the
on the best ways to roll out Box to the entire organization. And
various file types and content that can be stored, accessed,
this is only the beginning, says Levie.
downloaded, and shared using Box. In many cases, says Yeh, this also provides a way for users
“We have about five hundred partners on OneCloud today. We hope that we can eventually get into the thousands of
to interact with workflows in their organizations even when they
developers using this platform. This is a huge part of our
are on the road or in the field. “This is something that most Box
strategy and what we offer to agencies and the enterprise:
users need to get a handle on. Box isn’t just www.box.com and
Being open and being able to serve all of these different use
a set of mobile applications, but a platform that can start to tie
cases quickly, securely, and instantly.” •
into the mission systems and provide true collaboration between
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Solving the Data Leak Issue Cloud adoption has shifted into the mainstream, according to the
FCW: Where have your government customers and users
third annual Future of Cloud Computing Survey, released June
seen the biggest benefit and return on investment (ROI)?
2013 by North Bridge Venture Partners and GigaOM Research.
Manouse: In some cases it is easy – it is as easy as using Box to
Cloud adoption was up from 67 percent to 75 percent. More
replace a lot of investment for things like file shares and “S” drives,
important: 52 percent of organizations say they are using cloud-
or leveraging Box to eliminate infrastructure for things like managed
based applications to advance business priorities. Gaining business
file transfer. They are spending money on storage, infrastructure,
agility, cited by 54.5 percent of respondents, was the main reason
disaster recovery, and backup and the personnel to manage these
behind the push to the cloud. Box is one of those companies
outdated systems. The millions of dollars they spend on legacy
making it easier for organizations to improve business outcomes
systems could be put to better use or be dramatically reduced.
and boost productivity for employees, partners, and, in some
That represents immediate ROI.
cases, customers. FCW spoke to Chris Manouse, senior director,
I spoke to one agency with a mission that involves recruiting –
Box U.S. Federal Government, to learn more about what the
mostly younger people. And they very much compete for the best
company brings to the public sector.
and brightest. In order to review the applications, which arrive in one part of the country, they FedEx them, spending to the tune of
FCW: What are the basic business problems that
seven figures a year, as their means of collaboration. The simple
government and other public sector organizations are
mechanism of creating application folders inside of Box and having
looking to solve using Box ?
reviewers access them online would eliminate more than one
Manouse: There is a range – but for many it is as simple as what
million dollars a year. Plus, they’d be more competitive because
agencies call their Dropbox problem. They have employees who
the candidates could fill out their applications on Box and have an
want access to their content anywhere at any time on any device,
electronic interface with them. Or consider an organization like the
which is a good thing. However, what happens is they start to
U.S. Air Force with their initiative to bring iPads into the cockpit.
bring in these unsanctioned tools that create a problem because
They don’t want to haul heavy, 30- to 40-pound briefcases that
there’s no way to find out what they are doing with the content or
contain flight manuals and instructions, plus they may be in parts
who they are sharing it with. This is a problem for Federal CISOs.
of the world where they aren’t able to connect back to the official
With Box, sync and share is table-stakes. However, we provide it
systems. They need to be able to get to these documents and
with the enterprise security controls and governance required by
collaborate on the mission with field-level collaboration – and the
the CISOs. Yet, most agencies want to do more – they want to
reduction of weight in the cockpit has the potential to save millions
collaborate; they want to securely exchange content and advice
in fuel cost. And there are hundreds of other use cases I could give
with colleagues who are not with them or perhaps external to their
you, too.
agency. Furthermore, over the past several decades, agencies have deployed very complex – and quite expensive – enterprise
FCW: How does someone find out if Box is right for their
applications to manage the business processes that require these
agency or organization?
interactions, but the minute an employee leaves the building they
Manouse: In every single instance we sit down and discuss the use
are instantly disconnected. In addition, if they have to interact with
case of what they are looking to do. Then we can stand up a test
individuals outside of those organizations that don’t or can’t access
environment that’s unique and specific to their content so they can
those systems that presents an even bigger problem.
see that they can control everything and create content processes that are meaningful to their missions. They can also vet the security
FCW: What are the biggest misconceptions about Box?
and compliance perspective of Box. These free pilots are typically
Manouse: Many folks don’t have visibility to the platform side of
30 days and allow customers to see firsthand how Box can meet
Box, nor the enterprise security and administrative controls that
their requirements from both an IT and end-user perspective.
are availed to our enterprise customers. As a result, it may not be
Because the application is so intuitive, users are up and running in
obvious the power that Box provides as compared to consumer
no time with a full admin console on the backend for IT. •
tools or other point sync-and-share solutions. To learn more about Box, Inc’s products and services, please go to https://cloud.box. com/business/industry/government/. To reach a Box representative, e-mail sales@box.com or call 1-877-729-4269.