DHS DCCO Support Services - Executive Summary - Objectives and Scope.pdf

DHS Data Center and Cloud Optimization (DCCO) Support Services

Executive Summary – Objectives and Scope

Introduction

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to acquire Data Center and Cloud Optimization

(DCCO) Support Services for management of its enterprise data center and to implement and manage its future state enterprise hosting environment.

Purpose

The DCCO requirements will be the core support services capability to drive a more efficient, responsive hybrid information technology (IT) hosting environment that also serves as the foundation for the management and integration of a multi‐cloud and co‐location environment.

These services must optimize and ensure continued Data Center 1 (DC1) operations, while implementing and managing the future state enterprise compute and storage environment in support of the DHS mission and, where appropriate, migrate fixed infrastructure and mission applications to a multi‐cloud or co‐location operating model.

Background

DC1 is located at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. This is a government‐owned, contractor‐ operated data center. NASA owns and manages the data center facility. DHS uses approximately 35,000 square feet of raised floor space in the data center. NASA provides power management, raised floor space, physical security, office space, environmental control, and fire suppression to support DHS IT needs.

This requirement focuses on information technology services in DC1, not provided by NASA, as well as the migration to and the operation of cloud and co‐location environments. As stated above, NASA provides facility support services that are not included in this requirement. DHS Federal staff act as the intermediary between NASA and data center support service supplier.

DHS intends to migrate some of its applications to the cloud with the remainder of applications hosted in DC1 or co‐location service providers. This leaves DC1 as the core DHS compute and storage environment from which to host and manage enterprise infrastructure and applications.

The data center support service provider currently manages both Sensitive, But Unclassified IT and classified IT infrastructure, applications, and data.

As of January 2020, the current scope of operations is as follows:

126 hosted customer FISMA systems

640 populated racks

7,605 servers and network devices

1,051 Windows operating environments

1,284 Linux operating environments

2,268 virtual devices across all environments

Target Environment

The DHS future state computing environment includes a hybrid IT environment that encompasses:

The operation of the data center (i.e., DC1)

Co‐location environments

Infrastructure, Software, and Platform as a Service

Professional services that support migration to and ongoing operation of infrastructure and applications to cloud service providers or co‐location environments. Specifically, the professional services would provide a managed service to develop and operate innovative service offerings to meet DHS business objectives.

Ongoing management of the hybrid IT environment and delivery of new mission and emerging technical capabilities.

Operational Environment

DHS intends to continue operations within the DC1 data center as a high‐priority 7/24/365 data center supporting critical mission and business needs for the Department. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining Service Level Agreement/ Service Level Objectives (SLA/SLO) and having the appropriately cleared and qualified staff necessary to maintain operations.

Scope

The scope of this requirement is to provide managed hosting and professional services for DHS computing and storage sites, specifically DC1, cloud environments, and co‐location facilities. The provider will identify and manage personnel, processes, tools, and reporting to facilitate transparency and decision‐making as well as to support the transition to the future state, hybrid model that includes

DC1 services, cloud services, and co‐location services.

The scope of this requirement is to purchase services in the following areas:

1. Operate, Maintain, and Optimize DC1 Services: Provide continuing support of current services.

Implement, optimize and operate compute and storage infrastructure and applications in DC1 and other associated locations. These data center services include:

Current Data Center Services

Hosting/Computing Services Application Services

Performance and Capacity Monitoring

Network and Security Services

Data Storage Services Operation/Monitoring and Maintenance Services

Data Archiving Disaster Recovery/Continuity Services/Reconstitution

Technical Guidance Classified Computing Services

Network and Security Infrastructure

Program & Project Management

Migration Services Virtualized Compute Services

Professional Services supporting data center operations

Transition Support Services for technology and supplier changes

2. Professional Services: Provide professional services that support ongoing operations, optimization, and implementation of the target state and continued advisory services for emerging technology and IT hosting practices. This support includes, at a minimum, the following needs and are not limited to current systems and infrastructure in DC1:

Provide application rationalization and assessments for infrastructure and applications to determine whether migration to the cloud or co‐location is appropriate

For those applications assessed, provide analysis and recommendation for optimal courses of action: Rehost, Replatform (e.g., Platform as a Service (PaaS)), Repurchase

(e.g., Software as a Service (SaaS)), Refactor, Rearchitect, Retire, or Retain

Implement the approved courses of action, including planning, implementation, and testing migrations as well as post‐migration support or enhancement

Analysis, recommendations, and implementation for optimization across DC1 and other

DHS hosting environments

Provide expertise on emerging cybersecurity, technology, and IT management practices and reporting to ensure that the target environment continues to evolve IT standards, innovation, and practices

Enhance management, cybersecurity, service level, and performance monitoring and reporting of the target hosting environment to allow greater operational and cost transparency and data availability to inform real‐time status and decision making.

3. Cloud, Co‐location and Integration Services: Provide services from and integration to FedRAMP‐ certified Cloud Service Providers (CSP) to support Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a

Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Provide services from and integration to co‐ location service providers.

Continually evaluate services and cost models for CSPs and co‐location environments Ensure U.S.‐based operations and management of CSPs and co‐location environments

Optimize costs to provides services from CSPs and co‐location facilities for appropriate performance and scaling to and across environments

Ensure disaster recovery, continuity services, and related data portability and storage in geographically dispersed locations that continue to support U.S.‐based operations to ensure availability requirements are met

Ensure system interoperability, availability, performance, and security across hosting environments.

Objectives

The objective of DHS’s DCCO support services is to expedite the transformation of legacy IT capabilities from an asset‐based culture into a service‐based, customer‐centric IT business model; provide transparent operational expenditures; and reduction in both capital expenditures and time‐to‐delivery for new capabilities. To accelerate this transformation, DHS will continue existing initiatives associated with cloud optimization efforts as well as leverage new approaches. Our business objectives for this requirement include:

Improved Total Cost of Ownership and Cost Transparency ‐ DHS requires cost management and transparency to better understand how to reduce costs, improve efficiencies, and provide accountability. The reporting and management of costs should comprise DC1, cloud and co‐ location services, and enable feasible adjustments as new technical and management methods are implemented.

Responsiveness ‐ DHS must improve its customer service approach to maximize the customer experience, improve trust, reduce the time to deliver, and enhance operational performance while fostering improved communication, innovation, and accountability.

Scalability ‐ The target hosting environment and supporting services must quickly scale and provide the elasticity to meet mission operations and surge capabilities. Additionally, the environment and services must adapt to organic growth of operational and data needs.

Improved Reliability and Availability ‐ DHS needs to implement and manage an ecosystem of the

DC1 enterprise data center, CSPs, and co‐location providers to ensure the Mean‐Time‐Between‐

Failures and the Mean‐Time‐To‐Repair are continually monitored and improved throughout the period of performance. This also includes the ability to provide disaster recovery and continuity services.

Continuous Security Monitoring and Mitigation ‐ The complexity of the target hybrid IT environment and the critical nature of the DHS mission requires the continuous monitoring and evaluation of systems, capabilities, interfaces, applications and data transactions to assess and mitigate threats to cybersecurity that may affect confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Security countermeasures are integrated from the beginning to protect critical data to maintain a

Zero Trust model.

Continual Operational Assessment and Improvement ‐ Because of evolving mission, IT, and industry capabilities, DHS must continually analyze and deliver an environment that optimizes cost, service delivery, and performance and is the best fit for evolving business, technology, and mission needs. A continuous improvement methodology should bring gradual, ongoing improvement to products, services, or processes through constant review, measurement, and action.

Architectural Approach ‐ DHS must maintain an understanding its current state, including a variety of architectures, configuration items, services, deployment models, and technologies.

Also, DHS must identify opportunities and improvements to transition to a target state that maintains architectural principles to enhance interoperability, improve standards, reduce risks, improve security, and support emerging technologies and capabilities.

Service Governance ‐ A strong governance mechanism is needed to ensure consistent interpretation of policy, monitor DHS enterprise computing performance, and address consumer and provider issues. Service governance will ensure alignment of DHS investments, policies, processes and standards.

Simplified Management ‐ Improved communication through a data‐driven, transparent management approach that allows for clear focus and attainment of management and technical goals. This includes the management of asset and application lifecycles.

References

The DCCO requirement should ensure alignment with Federal and Department‐wide IT policies and strategies. Specific policies, strategies, and guidance include:

President’s Management Agenda ‐ Lays out a long‐term vision for modernizing the Federal

Government in key areas. This will improve the ability of agencies to deliver mission outcomes, provide excellent service, and effectively steward taxpayer dollars.

(https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/pma/)

Report to the President on Federal IT Modernization, December 13, 2017 – In accordance with

Executive Order 13800, the report outlines a vision and recommendations for the Federal

Government to build a more modern and secure architecture for Federal IT systems.

https://itmodernization.cio.gov/)

Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, June 24, 2019 ‐ Equips agencies with actionable information and practical implementation guidance for Government missions to fully actualize the promise and potential of cloud‐based technologies. Founded on three key pillars of successful cloud adoption ‐ security, procurement, and workforce ‐ these elements embody the interdisciplinary approach to IT modernization. (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp‐ content/uploads/2019/06/Cloud‐Strategy.pdf)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A‐130, Managing Information as a Strategic

Resource, July 2016 ‐ Establishes general policy for information governance, acquisitions, records management, open data, workforce, security, and privacy. Promotes innovation, enables appropriate information sharing, and fosters the wide‐scale and rapid adoption of new technologies while strengthening protections for security and privacy.

(https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A130/a130revised.pdf)

OMB Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI), M‐19‐19, June 25, 2019 ‐ Requires agencies to develop and report on data center strategies to consolidate inefficient infrastructure, optimize existing facilities, improve security posture, achieve cost savings, and transition to more efficient infrastructure, such as cloud services and inter‐agency shared services.

(https://datacenters.cio.gov/policy/)

Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) ‐ A government‐wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. (https://Fedramp.gov/)

DHS Information Technology Strategic Plan 2019‐2023 ‐ Sets the IT goals and strategies for fulfilling the mission of DHS. (https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OCIO

Strategic Plan.Dec2018.pdf)