Google Cloud, Partnered With Palo Alto Networks, Receives US Government Success Memo

We are proud to share that Google Cloud, partnered with Palo Alto Networks, has successfully completed the United States Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Secure Cloud Management prototype evaluation. DIU’s goal is to identify secure alternatives to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) traditional cloud access point technology that can scale to overcome current limitations as user demand continues to grow. Now, DoD organizations seeking direct, secure and controlled access to software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications in any cloud vendor can purchase the Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks offering – without having to recompete against additional vendors.

Advanced, Cloud-Delivered Security Offering for Government Organizations

In the DoD environment, digital transformation, cloud adoption and remote work are eroding physical perimeters, creating an imperative for a scalable way to secure remote access for every user and remote location. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access security platform seamlessly extends centralized, stringent security controls, providing the foundation for consistent, cloud-delivered security for all users and locations. As a true end-to-end solution, Prisma Access provides:

• Protection for all application traffic: providing access to all applications and securing against threats – across all ports and protocols – reducing the risk of a data breach.
• Complete, cloud-delivered security: including industry-leading capabilities converged into a single platform. Artificial intelligence (AI)- and machine learning (ML)-powered single-pass detection protects against previously unseen threats.
• Exceptional user experience: massively scalable network connectivity offers ultra-low latency, providing end users with the best digital experience possible.

With cloud native architecture, Prisma Access is designed to lower the costs and complexities of securely connecting users and devices to any service anywhere. Forrester Consulting’s Total Economic Impact spotlight report shows that using Prisma Access reduces the likelihood of a data breach by 45%, enabling respondents to realize $9.2 billion in savings.

The Power of Partnership

The combined strengths of Google Cloud, together with Palo Alto Networks in a partner role, bring an even greater level of value to DoD customers. Google Cloud’s Anthos platform enables management of applications via Kubernetes. Clusters can be run in cloud environments, providing a managed Kubernetes experience with simple installations and Google Cloud-validated upgrades.

Together with Palo Alto Networks, this powerful combination not only enables DoD customers to have best-in-class, secure remote access, but also brings applications closer to the user. For instance, a DoD department may wish to control and replicate an internal, container-based application used by another department. The application can be quickly and easily transported via the Anthos Service Mesh and secured with the Palo Alto Networks portfolio, decreasing time to value for the DoD.

Zero Trust Principles

The Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks solution is built to support Zero Trust requirements. Given the DoD’s continually changing distributed environment, Zero Trust is essential for protecting data from the network to the cloud. The Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks solution aligns to the Biden Administration’s May 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, and the DoD’s Zero Trust Reference Architecture, assuring DoD organizations that those requirements are met.

An Easy Path to Acquisition

The DIU prototype success memo means that the Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks solution is now available for purchase without recompete. It can be easily procured through the DIU Secure Cloud Management other transaction agreement (OTA). The DIU’s Defense Engagement Team can even help agencies leverage their OTA in their procurement effort.

Learn more about our security solutions for federal agencies.