Moving DHS into the Cloud

Data & Information Management

To support the mission of countering border related threats, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to adopt more advanced and modern technologies. Partnering with Kurrent Logic (KL), DHS has requested migrating multiple applications to Cloud which provides DHS powerful tools and an edge in supporting the mission. These tools include access to security, data analytics, AI data models, and abstraction of environments.

The Obstacle

Moving on-premises (On-Prem) applications to the Cloud

The Kurrent Logic team works with DHS to address the challenges of moving current DHS applications into the modern age of the cloud. These challenges include:
Educating product owners about the advantages of migrating applications to the cloud.
Choosing the correct cloud platform: Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft’s Azure, and Google’s Google Cloud.
Balancing development work with customers from each application while determining the best timeframe to migrate applications to the cloud.
Determining what teams at DHS are available to support The Kurrent Logic team during the migration process.

Our Path

Ensuring the right people(team) are in place to work through the migration cloud.

Knowing that DHS will soon expect their applications to migrate to the cloud, Kurrent Logic management anticipates this and makes sure they have the right people to make smooth transition from On-Prem to the cloud.

This includes:
Hiring and training the Kurrent Logic team to make sure they have experience with cloud technologies.
Working with the DHS leadership, Kurrent Logic determines what teams outside of the KL team need to be contracted to gain understanding of resources the DHS Cloud team provides.
Working with the KL team developers to determine what changes need to be applied to migrate current On-Prem applications to the cloud.
Providing customers with the knowledge and advantages of migrating applications to the cloud by setting up informational meetings and providing links to knowledge content relating to advantages of the cloud versus OnPrem.
Finally, KL with DHS make the decision on the best cloud technology. The team is trained on multiple possible platforms that DHS provides.

The Result

Migrating the applications to the Azure Government (Gov.) Cloud

After reviewing the different platforms that were provided by the DHS Gov. Cloud team, KL in agreement from DHS, determines that the Microsoft’s Azure Gov. Cloud is the best platform for the current applications. KL specializes in Microsoft technologies and is confident that this platform is the best to migrate OnPrem applications to the cloud. To address the challenges of this project the KL team:
Uses the Agile process to balance the development work by adding stories to the backlog for the developers to work on. This solution allows us to prioritize the work and begin migrating to the cloud.
Working closely with the DHS Azure Gov. team allows the migration team/developers proper access to the Azure Gov. Cloud. This solution ensures the team can migrate and maintain the applications after migrations.
Training all KL team members in DHS policies and procedures. This solution allows KL to properly deploy the applications to the Azure Cloud.
Working with the customer to plan, test and deploy the applications to the Azure Cloud. This solution is the last piece to complete the Azure Cloud migration project

Examples

HR System

The HR System application is designed to document staffing information, including office surpluses and shortfalls, current and past personnel locations (preventing incorrect reassignments), language training statuses, foreign area rotation eligibility, travel funding, family transport, and other critical staffing needs. We developed, upgraded, and migrated multiple solutions for a human resources group at a government agency. Our team created a position tracking/human resources management information system. It includes extensive reporting capabilities with various filters and drill-down options, allowing users to create and consume their own reports. The system also leverages Microsoft Azure Blob storage to capture and deliver automated reports, primarily needed by field personnel (non-headquarters).

Reporting System

Our application development work includes development, operations and maintenance for multiple reporting system applications. In 2006, Kurrent Logic team members played a key role in the creation of a reporting system application. Our team is the sole company currently supporting this application and its ongoing security and functional enhancements. Prior to our involvement, the maintenance of the reporting system application required multiple engineers in an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) state. Since 2009, our team has saved the government hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by significantly reducing the number of engineers needed to support the reporting system application.

The Obstacle

Moving on-premises (On-Prem) applications to the Cloud

The Kurrent Logic team works with DHS to address the challenges of moving current DHS applications into the modern age of the cloud. These challenges include:

Educating product owners about the advantages of migrating applications to the cloud.
Choosing the correct cloud platform: Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft’s Azure, and Google’s Google Cloud.
Balancing development work with customers from each application while determining the best timeframe to migrate applications to the cloud.
Determining what teams at DHS are available to support The Kurrent Logic team during the migration process.

Our Path

Ensuring the right people (team) are in place to work through the migration cloud.

Knowing that DHS will soon expect their applications to migrate to the cloud, Kurrent Logic management anticipates this and makes sure they have the right people to make smooth transition from OnPrem to the cloud.

This includes:

Hiring and training the Kurrent Logic team to make sure they have experience with cloud technologies.
Working with the DHS leadership, Kurrent Logic determines what teams outside of the KL team need to be contracted to gain understanding of resources the DHS Cloud team provides.
Working with the KL team developers to determine what changes need to be applied to migrate current OnPrem applications to the cloud.
Providing customers with the knowledge and advantages of migrating applications to the cloud by setting up informational meetings and providing links to knowledge content relating to advantages of the cloud versus OnPrem.
Finally, KL with DHS make the decision on the best cloud technology. The team is trained on multiple possible platforms that DHS provides.

The Result

Migrating the applications to the Azure Government (Gov.) Cloud

After reviewing the different platforms that were provided by the DHS Gov. Cloud team, KL in agreement from DHS, determines that the Microsoft’s Azure Gov. Cloud is the best platform for the current applications. KL specializes in Microsoft technologies and is confident that this platform is the best to migrate On-Prem applications to the cloud. To address the challenges of this project the KL team:

Uses the Agile process to balance the development work by adding stories to the backlog for the developers to work on. This solution allows us to prioritize the work and begin migrating to the cloud.
Working closely with the DHS Azure Gov. team allows the migration team/developers proper access to the Azure Gov. Cloud. This solution ensures the team can migrate and maintain the applications after migrations.
Training all KL team members in DHS policies and procedures. This solution allows KL to properly deploy the applications to the Azure Cloud.
Working with the customer to plan, test and deploy the applications to the Azure Cloud. This solution is the last piece to complete the Azure Cloud migration project

Examples

HR System

The HR System application is designed to document staffing information, including office surpluses and shortfalls, current and past personnel locations (preventing incorrect reassignments), language training statuses, foreign area rotation eligibility, travel funding, family transport, and other critical staffing needs. We developed, upgraded, and migrated multiple solutions for a human resources group at a government agency. Our team created a position tracking/human resources management information system. It includes extensive reporting capabilities with various filters and drill-down options, allowing users to create and consume their own reports. The system also leverages Microsoft Azure Blob storage to capture and deliver automated reports, primarily needed by field personnel (non-headquarters).

Reporting System

Our application development work includes development, operations and maintenance for multiple reporting system applications. In 2006, Kurrent Logic team members played a key role in the creation of a reporting system application. Our team is the sole company currently supporting this application and its ongoing security and functional enhancements. Prior to our involvement, the maintenance of the reporting system application required multiple engineers in an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) state. Since 2009, our team has saved the government hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by significantly reducing the number of engineers needed to support the reporting system application.