Moving information technology to a cloud computing environment without first adopting standardized platforms and virtualized environments would damage federal information technology systems, warned Defense Department Chief Information Officer Teri Takai.

"We are not going to be able to move, in any way, into a cloud environment if we do not move to a more standardized environment. If we move to a cloud environment with the technology the way it is today, we will make our world worse, not better," said Takai April 21, while speaking at an INPUT event in Arlington, Va.

Takai said "it's great" that some agencies want to move to the cloud, but warned: "Just remember that those cloud services have got to fit into what an overall architecture is."

The Defense Department is "100 percent supportive" of the 25-point plan laid out by the Office of Management and Budget, and Federal CIO Vivek Kundra, said Takai. Kundra's plan takes a cloud-first approach to technology adoption and focuses on data center consolidation among other things. Takai said the DoD will publically post it's own strategic IT plan online in the next few months.

The forthcoming plan may not reflect all the goals mentioned in the DoD's fiscal 2012 budget request of $38.4 billion, though. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is committed to reducing the DoD budget from an administrative and structural perspective, said Takai.

"That's a stance that's a very difficult one to take," she said, and as a result Gates is asking IT to take a closer look at its programs "in a way that does not sacrifice our efficiency and effectiveness."

Takai also addressed speculation around Defense IT reorganization. Referring to the possibility that the OCIO would be placed within the Defense Information Systems Agency, she said, "the rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated."

Everything that the DoD is working on is doable with the structure currently in place, said Takai. However, she added, some restructuring could make things slightly easier.

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