Summary

The DOI OCIO and USGS have made great progress toward creating a secure, flexible, and highly available DOI-wide hybrid cloud hosting environment. This was accomplished through work performed on multiple cloud contracts. DOI plans to build on these efforts using a unified team of partners and cloud service providers (CSPs). The CHS III contract serves a prominent and critical role enabling DOI’s IT transformation. Also, continuing mission success of component bureaus. DOI OCIO and USGS require a proven and trusted partner with successful hybrid IT service delivery experience, strong industry partnerships, extensive DOI and USGS mission knowledge, and market-leading cloud service solutions.

Xentity and other partners support multiple data management and geospatial programs. The prime contractor’s strategic partnerships with major CSPs and many innovative cloud technology companies. This includes AWS, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM, VMware, and NetApp. All of which offer additional technology and service benefits to DOI and its bureaus.

Problem and Solution

Data and the systems and processes using the data tend to become more and more difficult to move. This is due to fast growing data size and the increasingly interdependent and complex data services and processes. As an organization’s data accumulates in size, instead of pushing data over networks toward applications and services, Data Gravity pulls these applications and services toward the data itself. This process aggravates the challenges of data sharing, replication, relocation, and protection. 

The prime contractor addresses these challenges through the application of data governance best practices. Also, through data rationalization, and innovative data management solutions. Xentity supports data architecture at DOI and brings a deep understanding of these challenges. Xentity has provided data programs and professional data services for the USGS for nearly 20 years. This includes LRS, CSS, Geology, GeoPlatform, and the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP)—considered one of the most critical civilian geospatial U.S. Government programs.

Outcome and Benefit

The success of the CHS III program does not rely solely on technology solutions. It also depends on delivering positive total user experience, building broad awareness of program services, communicating to the community of stakeholders, and delivering tangible values by solving problems and achieving desired outcomes. Xentity’s assistance builds a community of awareness and understanding of reuse and standardization opportunities.