Cloud Exchange 2025 brought together federal and industry technology leaders to discuss how agencies are integrating cloud services into their enterprise strategies. With modernization, cybersecurity, and AI all accelerating simultaneously, IT teams in the civilian and defense sectors are navigating how to manage cloud environments in real time, securely and at scale, while staying mission-focused and cost aware.
In one of the industry insights sessions, Lamont Copeland, Senior Director for Federal Solutions Architecture at Verizon, spoke with Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu on how modernization challenges can affect mission success. He emphasized that for agencies like the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the stakes are particularly high. While the NNSA is focused on improving production capabilities for the nation’s nuclear stockpile, the mission is equally reliant on a resilient digital backbone as it is on physical infrastructure. “If you’re not able to have that underlying infrastructure built to drive that, you’re not going to be able to meet the mission in an expedient manner,” Copeland said.
Much of the discussion focused on why modernization is more than just the budget to acquire new IT. While legacy systems and under investments are part of the problem, Copeland highlighted the need to align policy, technology, and workforce operations. Rapid technological shifts, particularly in AI, require agile and mobile networks capable of handling increasing data demands and dispersed workforces. “Now we are a workforce that is not just sitting in our homes or in a brick-and-mortar office, but moving in our cars, different locations, in the field,” Copeland noted. “Information sharing is now part of our life.”
Security was another major theme in the conversation. In a world where sensitive data moves across people, devices, and networks, agencies must thoroughly understand how their assets, users, and applications interact. That level of visibility is critical for successfully implementing Zero Trust principles. “If we understand who’s touching what, where everything is, and how all the information flows, then you can build the right security to support and secure the mission,” Copeland said.
He also cautioned against taking a one-size-fits-all approach to modernization. Technologies such as 5G, FWA, and private networks can be game changers, but only when applied to the right use case.
“Sometimes we over-rotate when we think, ‘I need to modernize, so I have to move everything to 5G or Wi-Fi.’ But it’s about understanding your application, your use case, and your mission. This is where working with industry partners becomes important, so you can identify the right technology to support the specific outcomes you’re trying to achieve.”
Copeland closed the session by reinforcing that modernization is not a one-time project. It is an ongoing journey that benefits from strong public-private collaboration. “This is one of those things that you don’t do alone,” he said. “That is where there’s a healthy partnership.”
His insights underscored the need to align mission needs with the right technologies, people, and policies. As Cloud Exchange 2025 highlighted, success in today’s rapidly evolving landscape depends on secure, scalable solutions driven by meaningful partnerships and a clear focus on mission outcomes.
Watch the full video here.