Automating Government Compliance and Security
Compliance and security are two of the biggest challenges facing government agencies today. With budget and staffing constraints, it can be difficult to keep up with all the regulations and requirements. That's where infrastructure automation comes in.
This post will cover the benefits of infrastructure automation for government agencies and three use cases for how automation can help.
The Need For Modernization of Government Compliance and Security
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced government agencies to reassess their security and compliance posture across legacy systems and processes.
In order to support future missions with innovation and assurance, agencies must first lay the foundation with a comprehensive modernization strategy. This strategy should include migrating to cloud-based solutions, implementing advanced infrastructure automation and configuration capabilities, and establishing a robust security monitoring and response program.
With these measures in place, agencies can confidently move forward with their digital transformation initiatives and support the needs of their constituents.
Back to topBenefits of Automation for Government Compliance and Security
Some of the benefits of infrastructure automation for maintaining compliance and security in government systems include the ability to quickly and easily identify and address potential security issues. There is also peace of mind that comes with knowing that systems are being constantly monitored for compliance with security standards.
Many government agencies are turning to enterprise-grade solutions for large-scale automation and mission-critical systems. Fortunately, Puppet’s advancements in infrastructure automation allow for a smooth path to compliance and digital transformation, even on tight deadlines. The right secure infrastructure automation solution enables agencies to achieve their transformation and compliance objectives even when facing resource and budget limitations.
For example, one of Puppet’s customers, a federal agency in the energy sector, expanded its Linux servers from 30 percent to 98 percent compliance to meet Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) through Puppet’s continuous compliance solution. As a result, the agency saved on fees paid due to non-compliance, time spent on manual intervention, and gained visibility into its infrastructure.
Speed
With an automation platform, agencies can achieve compliance faster and complete program rollout and updates on time.
Simplicity
Program teams can effortlessly manage their infrastructure and lower program costs with autonomous compliance. IT staff enjoy the ease of a “write once, run everywhere” implementation.
Assurance
Intelligent continuous compliance helps with risk management when rolling out new systems and updates.
Back to top3 Use Cases for Infrastructure Automation
There are three use cases where a modern, secure infrastructure automation platform helps federal agencies become faster and more efficient.
Continuous Security and Compliance
Compliance regulations such as DISA STIGs can be exhaustive and tedious. But automation can ensure that each new app or system meets all requirements. Furthermore, some advanced automation systems can monitor drift and enforce system state automatically—as often as every 30 minutes.
Digital Transformation Assurance
Rolling out new systems and making changes always risk disrupting some mission-critical systems. Automation in government systems can ensure deployment consistency, so configuration changes don’t wreak havoc on vital systems. Some platforms will even allow agency staff to preview the potential effect of proposed changes before implementing them—for additional peace of mind.
Fast-Track Modernization
The lift and shift of legacy systems to the cloud can be complex—with many repetitive, manual administrative tasks. Modern automation can increase mission success and effectiveness while scaling across thousands of cloud and legacy applications. A modern automation platform can relieve overburdened IT teams and help ensure modernization efforts stay on track without compromising the mission.
Back to topPuppet and Government Compliance
Puppet Enterprise helps government agencies achieve their digital transformation and compliance objectives by providing infrastructure automation and compliance solutions. With Puppet, agencies can automate the provisioning, configuration, and management of their IT infrastructure, making it easier and more efficient to stay compliant with regulations.
Ready to get started with Puppet Enterprise? Download a free trial today!
Learn More
- Why Puppet is the proven leader of infrastructure automation for government agencies
- How to get started with self-healing infrastructure for government agencies
- Read about the importance of modernization of systems for FedRAMP accreditation
- Speed vs. security: Why you don't have to choose one or the other
- Read about the importance of Puppet + Carahsoft partnership for government agencies
- How government agencies can achieve a successful Zero Trust adoption with Puppet
