FedRAMP Authorization is a complicated undertaking due in no small part to the layers of requirements that cloud offerings must meet throughout the process. As part of the government’s turn to more comprehensive security, FedRAMP requirements include significant risk management standards that all providers must meet.
There are two clear paths through FedRAMP Authorization–the agency path and the much less-common Joint Authorization Board (JAB) path. While much more rigorous, this second course opens up several critical doors for cloud offerings that provide real and significant value to various federal agencies. However, the JAB path is exclusive and requires that cloud service providers be accepted into the FedRAMP Connect program.
This is no small feat and requires significant work on the part of the CSP to justify why their offering is uniquely impactful for the federal government marketplace.
Last week, we discussed the process for Agency Authorization under FedRAMP guidelines. This route is, by far, the most common form of Authorization and one that most cloud providers will engage with. However, there are several use cases where a provider may seek more rigorous assessment to better open doors to serve with agencies across the government. As such, these CSPs may seek Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO) from the Joint Authorization Board.