Microsoft offers cloud services for the feds
C|Net | at | by Mike
Microsoft on Wednesday launched a new cloud-computing service targeting the federal government.
Business Productivity Online Suite Federal offers higher security standards than the company's regular cloud-computing service, including fingerprinting as part of background checks and biometric access control, said Ron Markezich, corporate vice president of Microsoft Online Services.
Additional security mechanisms are required for agencies like the Defense Department and NASA, but the standard suite has obtained a number of security and privacy certifications that make it attractive to local and state governments as well, he said in an interview after announcing the offering at the Microsoft U.S. Public Sector CIO Summit.