Cloud Computing Journal

The Defense Information Service Agency (DISA), US combat support agency, has opened phase two of its infrastructure-as-a-service cloud to Defense Department customers and users.

The so-called Rapid Access Computing Environment (RACE) widgetry will now let them provision operating environments in the highly secured Defense Enterprise Computing Center’s (DECC) production environment.

Launched a year ago, RACE initially allowed for the rapid delivery of test and development environments.

DISA technical program director Henry Sienkiewicz said, “RACE is a first for DOD – our users can now customize, purchase and receive their test and development computing platform within 24 hours and the production environments within 72 hours, and that’s a must for worldwide missions with ever-changing computing requirements. Our goal is to allow software development to securely occur within the decision-making cycle. RACE and other DISA initiatives such as Forge.mil, Global Content Delivery Services, and the Net-centric Enterprise Service posture the Agency to support the ever evolving needs of the American warfighter.”

RACE’s quick-turn computing solution offers DOD customers standardized computing platforms good for one-four CPUs, 1GB-8GB of memory and 60GB of storage.

They’ll get pre-established inherited IA controls as well as the ability to promote projects and programs from test to the production environment.

SAN storage of up to 1TB per RACE server is also on, with additional storage from 10GB to 1TB in 10GB increments available.

Customers need a government credit card or completed Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR) to begin.

In FY10, DISA will deploy RACE on DOD’s classified network (SIPRNet), as well as completely integrate an accelerated accreditation processes.

RACE will also integrate with DISA’s standardized configuration management system (BladeLogic).

DISA engineers and provides command and control capabilities and enterprise infrastructure to operate and assure a global net-centric enterprise in support of joint military operations, national leaders and other mission and coalition partners.