The State of Colorado Office of Information Technology (OIT) has adopted version 15 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) definitions related to cloud technology as an operating standard to enhance commonality in communications around cloud-based computing issues.

This document lays out the principles and decision criteria for employing “cloud first” services in specific instances and differentiates the different service and delivery models that may be appropriate for different application scenarios. Given the state of the industry, Colorado’s IT infrastructure and footprint, and the opportunities that are available, Colorado is proceeding with a “cloud first” policy, mirroring the Federal government’s cloud policy. To that end, Colorado is making a deliberate and explicit policy to “cloud first” services. The State will proceed with the presumption that new services, applications and major revisions to existing applications will be supported in a cloud based environment first, unless there are substantive reasons why they should be hosted on the State’s private infrastructure.