DoD Looks to Forward Deployed Data Centers

The Defense Department may develop forward deployed data centers to handle computing requirements for forces operating outside the United States, Teri Takai, the Defense chief information officer told a House Armed Services Committee hearing earlier this week.

In written testimony submitted to the HASC merging threats and capabilities subcommittee this Tuesday, Takai said she envisions "the possibility for some forward deployed/deployable data centers. The centers will be flexible and will hold both regional and enterprise services and data, all tailored to the mission situation and to the speed and reliability of the connection to the more fixed portions of the network."

A number of outfits already offer containerized data centers, which require only power and network connections to operate.

This gives a whole new meaning to the concept of plug and play.