The U.S. government’s pursuit of digital transformation initiatives creates valuable new opportunities for SaaS providers. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), for example, now leverages AWS GovCloud for workloads and data analytics to support Mars missions.

But ISVs that want to sell to government agencies, contractors, and other institutions through GovCloud must first meet a complex array of compliance requirements. Navigating these barriers to entry is its own challenge, with few resources available to explain the various steps and prerequisites. Fortunately, our team of experts offers an AWS GovCloud assessment to help you understand the mandates that apply to your business and the actions that will enable you to ensure compliance as you prepare to launch on GovCloud.

Compliance is front and center on AWS GovCloud

Numerous compliance stipulations may apply to GovCloud sellers depending on the type of technology and the intended customer(s). Without diligent preparation, your company might not have the necessary qualifications, credentials, or validated data to pass the platform’s audit process to provide products and services.

Simply understanding the various compliance frameworks can be tricky and many sellers need to follow more than one. Some of the programs supported on AWS GovCloud include:

• Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)
• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
• Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2

Identifying which you need to meet—and the processes involved in fulfilling the requirements of each—is often difficult without experienced guidance.

Before your business sets a strategy to launch on GovCloud, it’s important to know where you stand. Some sellers aren’t required to be FedRAMP compliant with a completed audit under their belt. It’s possible that you only need to be FedRAMP ready. However, mistakes and misunderstandings can sink your chances of entering the GovCloud market, and identifying the necessary action steps is key to success.

Know your AWS GovCloud boundaries

Deployments on GovCloud must also follow stringent rules on boundaries, a concept that largely doesn’t exist outside this unique and highly regulated platform. They aren’t always well understood and it’s easy to misinterpret what the boundaries mean for technology development. This can be particularly problematic for ISVs accustomed to the structure of the standard AWS Marketplace environment.

In GovCloud, your technology must remain within the boundaries of a compliant architecture. In addition, services (including all supporting services, which may encompass dozens of apps) generally need to be audited and accepted into the AWS FedRAMP framework before your technology can leverage them.

The boundaries in AWS GovCloud elevate the complexity of selling on the platform, since most commercial cloud services don’t meet FedRAMP requirements. This creates big hurdles for SaaS vendors that haven’t fully vetted their technologies to ensure compliance. Properly architecting your technology to abide by the boundary limitations can be among the riskiest and most problematic elements of deploying on GovCloud.

Prepare for the move with an AWS GovCloud assessment

Given the complex nature of GovCloud deployments and the sometimes intricate measures necessary for compliance—along with the high risk factor if your registration to sell on the platform should fail—it’s vital that you have the necessary pieces in place ahead of time. The Cloudnexa team has deep experience in GovCloud and its compliance requirements. We can help you understand which mandates apply, how they will influence your strategy, and the best actions to prepare.

From findings to action, we can help you make your AWS GovCloud strategy a success

An AWS GovCloud assessment, complete with a compliance and security analysis, will show you where gaps exist, and where your architecture may need adjustments to align with the applicable compliance frameworks. We will deliver the insights you need to proactively identify and mitigate these risks and remediate architecture missteps. Our assessment covers staffing, technology, operations, and financial vulnerabilities, too, all of which can represent significant hurdles to deployment. You’ll have the opportunity to address issues and reduce the risk of non-compliance, giving you confidence in your readiness to succeed on GovCloud.

Accelerate your journey to AWS GovCloud with a thorough pre-deployment assessment. The financial and reputational stakes are high, but the rewards of achieving compliance and connecting with GovCloud customers can be even higher. The Cloudnexa team has the experience and expertise to help you assess your operations, identify gaps and potential vulnerabilities, and craft a roadmap with the right actions to make your launch on GovCloud a success. Contact Cloudnexa https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-dm6sqlpxmn3vw for a tailored assessment today and put your business on solid ground for the move to GovCloud.