Unisys details its two-pronged cloud strategy under $2.5B GSA contract

Unisys details its ideas for public and private cloud solutions under the GSA's $2.5 billion cloud-based e-mail services contract.

Almost two months ago, Unisys Corp. was picked as one of 17 winners of the General Services Administration’s $2.5 billion cloud-based e-mail contract. But what’s the company’s strategy as to how it will deliver these services?

Unisys said in an announcement today that it will offer two cloud options to agencies. First, it will offer a “community cloud,” which can be accessed by multiple organizations with similar missions, and is based on Google Apps for Government.

Option number two is a private cloud solution dedicated specifically for use within a single agency, and is based on Microsoft Corp.’s Microsoft Office 365.

On the two-pronged strategy, Unisys Federal Systems group vice president for civilian agencies, Venkatapathi “PV” Puvvada said that “by offering both community and private cloud solutions on two of the leading cloud email platforms, we are positioned to address the specific needs of agencies regardless of their size or mission.”

Unisys is providing cloud-based email and collaboration platforms to several agencies including GSA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Energy Department's Idaho National Laboratory.