GCP – FEDRAMP High Development in the Cloud: Code with Cloud Workstations

In the demanding world of federal software development, teams are constantly challenged to deliver innovative solutions while upholding the highest security standards. The complexity of scaling teams, managing infrastructure, and ensuring consistent development environments can quickly become overwhelming. In a recent webinar featuring Forrester, Devin Dickerson, Principal Analyst at Forrester, discussed the results of a commissioned TEI study on the impact of Google Cloud Workstations on the software development lifecycle, emphasizing their ability to enhance consistency, agility, and security while reducing costs and risks.

The Numbers: A Forrester Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) Study

A commissioned TEI study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Google Cloud in April 2024 reveals the significant impact of cloud workstations on development teams:

• Thirty percent increase in developer productivity: Streamlined onboarding, pre-configured environments, and AI-powered tools like Gemini Code Assist eliminate bottlenecks.
• Three-year 293% ROI: The investment in cloud workstations pays off rapidly through cost savings and efficiency gains.

Department of Defense Experience

While serving in the Navy, the industry analyst recounted an alarming incident: a contract developer lost their laptop while traveling, potentially exposing sensitive information and jeopardizing national security. This cautionary tale underscores the critical need for secure, cloud-based solutions like Google Cloud Workstations. By centralizing development environments and eliminating the need for local code storage, Workstations protect sensitive data and mitigate the risk of lost or stolen devices. Additionally, they streamline onboarding processes, ensuring new developers have access to secure, standardized environments right from the start, further enhancing security and operational efficiency.

Streamlining Government IT Modernization with Google Cloud Workstations

Google Cloud Workstations offer a robust solution specifically designed to alleviate the pain points faced by government agencies in modern software development:

• Simplified Cloud-Native Development: Seamlessly integrate and manage complex toolchains, dependencies, and cloud-native architectures, reducing the overhead of maintaining disparate development environments.
• Reduced Platform Team Overhead: Streamline infrastructure provisioning, developer onboarding/offboarding, and maintenance processes, freeing up valuable resources to focus on strategic initiatives.
• Standardized Development Environments: Ensure consistency and reproducibility across teams, eliminating the notorious “works on my machine” problem and fostering seamless collaboration.
• Enhanced Security & Compliance: Meet and exceed stringent federal security and compliance requirements with FedRAMP High authorization, built-in security controls, and centralized management for comprehensive data protection.

The Way Forward

Google Cloud Workstations, now FedRAMP High Authorized, are not just a technological upgrade; they are a strategic investment in team productivity, security, and innovation. By embracing this cloud-native solution, government organizations can avoid costly mistakes, streamline operations, and empower developers to focus on what they do best: building cutting-edge solutions that serve the nation.

To learn more about the transformative potential of Google Cloud Workstations, download the full Forrester TEI study. Witness the technology in action by watching the webinar on the benefits of Google Cloud Workstations.