Key Takeaways
- The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected Oracle Cloud as part of its STRATUS program, managed by the Digital Infrastructure Services Center (DISC).
- STRATUS streamlines cloud service procurement and offers technical support and training to federal agencies.
- Federal agencies can now access a broad range of Oracle Cloud services, including OCI, AI infrastructure, and enterprise applications.
- USDA currently uses the company’s Cloud for various internal operations, including finance, HR, and plant protection systems.
- OCI offers potential cost savings and performance benefits for federal agencies transitioning to multicloud environments.
USDA Adds Oracle Cloud to STRATUS Program
Expanding Access to Cloud Services for Federal Agencies
At the Oracle Federal Forum, the USDA announced its inclusion of Oracle Cloud in the agency’s STRATUS program, a cloud services platform managed by its Digital Infrastructure Services Center (DISC). The program is designed to provide U.S. federal agencies with streamlined access to cloud infrastructure, technical support, and training resources.
Through STRATUS, participating agencies can now utilize a range of Oracle Cloud services, including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Oracle Exadata, AI services, and various enterprise applications.
“STRATUS provides a range of services from cloud brokering services to managed solutions,” said Dave Peters, Associate Chief Information Officer at USDA.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure for Federal Use
Cost Efficiency and Security for Government Workloads
With Oracle’s addition to STRATUS, USDA and other federal entities can access Oracle’s US Government Cloud, enabling cloud migration with a focus on security, scalability, and performance. The USDA currently leverages Oracle solutions for programs such as NFC Insight, EmpowHR, and APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine.
According to Oracle, OCI offers notable price and performance advantages compared to other cloud providers:
- 50% lower compute costs
- 70% lower storage costs
- 80% lower networking costs
These efficiencies are intended to reduce the complexity and cost of managing multicloud environments across civilian and defense agencies.
“USDA STRATUS will enable federal agencies to more quickly move toward multicloud solutions, creating greater agency efficiency,” said Kim Lynch, Executive Vice President, Government, Defense & Intelligence at Oracle.
Supporting Modernization and Migration Efforts
Oracle Cloud as a Strategic Tool for Federal IT Goals
The inclusion of the company in STRATUS reflects broader efforts to modernize federal IT systems and support agency-level transitions to cloud-native infrastructure. In addition to infrastructure services, the company’s enterprise applications provide support for finance, human resources, and other mission-critical functions.
The platform also introduces AI and data capabilities to federal agencies seeking to enhance operational performance, improve service delivery, and increase cybersecurity.
Oracle’s Continued Engagement in Public Sector Cloud
Enhancing Accessibility Across Civilian and Defense Agencies
The company’s participation in STRATUS broadens its role within U.S. government technology initiatives. The move supports wider access to Oracle Cloud services across federal departments and reinforces the USDA’s goal of building a more agile, cloud-enabled government infrastructure.
As a Lloyd’s Coverholder and long-standing enterprise provider, the company continues to expand its government cloud offerings to meet evolving demands in public sector digital transformation.
