Navy halts creation of new data centers, server purchases

The Navy froze its purchasing of servers and halted the creation of new data centers as a step toward reducing its IT infrastructure.

The only way Navy buyers can purchase new services, upgrade servers or add data centers is to get a waiver, the Washington Post reported. 

More agencies are expected to make similar moves as they line up behind the push for consolidating their data centers. The Office of Management and Budget wants specific targets from agencies on how much they will reduce their infrastructure.

“If you shut off the spigot and don't let anyone buy those kinds of things, you at least begin to get a handle on the propagation of the activity and you can begin to move in the other direction,” said Trey Hodgkins, vice president for national security and procurement policy at TechAmerica.

Federal CIO Vivek Kundra has estimated that the government has nearly 2,100 data centers. Reducing that number will save on energy, real estate and operations. The move to reduce data centers also is part of his push for wider adoption of cloud computing to gain efficiencies and save money.