The Obama administration’s “cloud-first” strategy helps federal agencies leverage data sharing, video conferencing and collaboration tools while saving money, research analyst Judith Lamont writes in a KMWorld Magazine article published Monday.

According to Lamont, former Federal CIO Vivek Kundra introduced the program in late 2010 with the goal of helping agencies shift to a cloud computing infrastructure and reduce information technology costs.

The departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture and State as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency are among the organizations that see multiple benefits from cloud usage, Lamont writes.

She says cloud service providers work with agencies under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program to meet each agency’s security requirements.

An IDC report estimates that federal agency spending on private cloud services will amount to $118.3 million this fiscal year, while agency investments in private cloud technology will reach more than $1.7 billion.

Private cloud investments across the government are also projected to increase after fiscal 2014 and hit $7.7 billion by fiscal 2017.