National security is critical to every personas software developer Tom Keane recalls. Therefore, we must invest our time and skills in developing technologies to support this mission. Among the many tools available, Microsoft Azure provides a platform which allows the development of innovative solutions for National Security purposes.
The Intelligence and National Security communities can use Microsoft Azure’s tools. Since identity is increasingly recognized as a key requirement for effective applications, Azure can be used to provide Identity services. Tom Keane recalls how the real-time analytics and visualization in Azure make it possible to effectively support Intelligence gathering by guiding the analysts towards the truth.
The security challenges are, however, not limited to ensuring the integrity of data, its availability, and its confidentiality as Tom Keane recalls. In some cases, certain considerations also need to be taken for dealing with specific aspects of National Security challenges. These tools include monitoring Internet-connected devices and devices on the same network, logging and auditing network protocols used by applications, and effective encryption to ensure confidentiality.
In addition to this, Azure provides a secure platform to test solutions. This is especially useful for testing solutions that require in-depth knowledge of the product’s capabilities as Tom Keane recalls. He states that the ability to perform thorough tests with Azure allows companies who develop cutting-edge solutions for National Security purposes to meet their customer’s needs without compromising on security.
Tom Keane is the Corporate Vice President of Mission Engineering at Microsoft and is responsible for Microsoft’s strategy and investments in national security. He has more than two decades of experience in the security field. These days, he is focused on enabling the use of Azure in industries such as national security, defense, and emergency services. In addition, Tom Keane heads Microsoft’s effort to bring the power of Azure to its cloud customers across government agencies and enterprise verticals.