As IT leaders in the public sector are aware, cloud computing holds immense potential for transforming public sector IT. But adopting cloud solutions comes with its own set of challenges, making any transformation project seem daunting.
Having worked across such projects, Akita is familiar with many of these cloud challenges. Below, we outline how they can be overcome:
Data Security and Privacy
Data security and privacy sit at the heart of public sector operations, where safeguarding information is both a regulatory obligation and a matter of public trust. Local authorities manage extensive volumes of sensitive citizen records, operational data, and critical infrastructure information, all of which make them prime targets for cyber threats. Strengthening protection requires not only implementing advanced security measures such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, continuous monitoring, and routine security audits, but also ensuring these controls are consistently maintained and updated as risks evolve.
Working with cyber security-focused cloud providers adds further assurance by aligning systems with rigorous industry frameworks and compliance requirements such as GDPR and other public sector mandates. This combination of proactive security design, modern technology controls, and trusted cloud partnerships significantly reduces vulnerability, supports resilience, and builds confidence in the integrity of government-held data.
Compliance and Regulatory Issues
Adhering to regulatory requirements such as GDPR, PECR and the Data Protection Act is a significant challenge. Ensuring compliance when data is stored and processed in the cloud, particularly across multiple jurisdictions, adds complexity. To address this, public sector organisations can work with cloud providers that offer extensive compliance support and maintain data centres in appropriate regions. Akita can assist by regularly reviewing compliance status, and supporting the maintenance of documentation to ensure regulatory compliance.
Cost Management
Managing and predicting cloud expenses within the constraints of public sector budgets can be daunting. Unexpected costs often arise from inefficient usage, over-provisioning, or underutilisation of reserved instances. Implementing ongoing management services and solutions to monitor and optimise cloud spending is vital. This will also ensure best practices are followed, such as right-sizing resources, leveraging auto-scaling, and utilising discounts and reserved instances can significantly help in controlling costs.
Integration with Existing Systems
Integrating cloud services with existing on-premises systems and legacy applications poses substantial challenges, particularly where ageing infrastructure or bespoke solutions create tight dependencies. Compatibility issues, data migration complexities, and differing integration standards all need to be resolved to maintain seamless operation across hybrid environments. Establishing a detailed migration strategy that includes assessment, prioritisation, data cleansing, and phased deployment is essential for reducing disruption.
Working with cloud service providers that deliver strong hybrid cloud capabilities, alongside technical support and governance frameworks, can significantly ease the transition. These public sector IT partners help align architectures, streamline data flows, and ensure that both legacy and cloud-based systems operate cohesively, enabling organisations to modernise without compromising stability.
Improving Performance and Reliability
Improving performance and reliability is fundamental to keeping public sector services running smoothly, particularly where departments depend on major cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS to support front-line operations and citizen-facing systems. Any disruption, whether through downtime, latency, or inconsistent performance, can hinder essential services, create operational delays, and weaken public confidence. Maintaining resilience therefore calls for a disciplined approach that combines proactive oversight with strong technical safeguards.
Outsourcing management to specialist providers under formal service level agreements (SLAs) offers stable, accountable performance standards while ensuring access to dedicated expertise capable of swift intervention when issues arise. Building redundancy across Azure and AWS environments, supported by automated failover mechanisms, allows critical services to continue operating even during component failures or high-demand periods. When complemented by advanced monitoring and optimisation tools native to these platforms, public sector teams gain real-time visibility of system health, enabling them to detect bottlenecks early and make informed adjustments. Taken together, these measures create a resilient cloud foundation built to sustain uninterrupted, high-quality service delivery.
Skill Gaps and Training For Public Sector IT
The rapid adoption of cloud technologies often outpaces the availability of skilled personnel. Local governments may struggle to find and retain employees with the necessary expertise to manage cloud environments effectively. Investing in training and certification programs for existing IT staff is a proactive solution. Additionally, partnering with managed service providers like Akita can help fill skill gaps and provide essential support.
Akita is a public sector IT partner with expertise spanning cloud, infrastructure, cyber security and beyond. To discuss solutions, please get in touch:
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