Orchestrating the Tools: Reducing Friction in Federal IT Modernization

Original broadcast 5/18/25

Presented by Rancher Government Solutions

The federal government is no longer starved for technology—it’s swimming in it. With the widespread availability of cloud platforms, advanced on-premise solutions, edge devices, and an explosion of artificial intelligence tools, federal agencies now have more capabilities at their fingertips than ever before. But as Ryan Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Rancher Government Solutions, explained on Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, the real challenge is not acquiring more tools, but orchestrating the ones agencies already have.

Lewis emphasized a core idea during the segment: federal IT modernization is not just about technology—it’s about reducing friction. That friction comes in many forms, whether it’s the complexity of deploying applications across hybrid environments, the difficulty of modernizing legacy systems without service disruption, or the challenge of delivering consistent performance at the tactical edge.

According to Lewis, the problem of “tool sprawl” is now one of the biggest barriers to modernization. Program offices often find themselves buried under layers of redundant systems and management interfaces. In response, some teams fall into the trap of buying yet another tool to manage the tools they already have. This creates a compounding effect that slows progress, increases technical debt, and distracts from the agency’s core mission.

That’s where platforms like Rancher come in. Lewis explained how container-based technologies can provide a unified framework that allows agencies to abstract away the underlying complexity of their infrastructure. Instead of managing every environment and tool individually, these platforms enable cross-platform orchestration, simplifying deployment, scaling, and monitoring.

This becomes especially important when considering the increasingly common demand to deploy applications across multiple clouds, or to manage hybrid cloud and on-prem environments simultaneously. Agencies need to move with agility, and that means investing in solutions that are modular, secure, and designed to work across various architectures.

One of the most compelling use cases Lewis discussed was edge computing—a concept once confined largely to the Department of Defense, but now gaining traction in civilian agencies as well. From mobile command kits to remote field devices, agencies are realizing the need for computing capabilities that are portable, resilient, and capable of operating in disconnected environments.

Lewis pointed out that edge solutions must offer the same functionality users would expect in a traditional data center or command hub. That includes the ability to run critical applications, process data locally, and maintain high levels of security—even under bandwidth constraints or while offline. The demand for ruggedized, mobile, and smart devices is growing, and the underlying infrastructure must keep up.

The edge conversation is also about mission continuity. Whether it’s a disaster response team in the field or a defense unit deployed abroad, users need access to the tools and services that power their mission, regardless of their physical location or connectivity. And that means agencies must reimagine how they build and deliver IT.

Lewis noted that in many cases, agencies come to his team with a single pain point in mind. But once the conversation begins and they map out the full ecosystem of needs, it often becomes clear that the challenge is broader and deeper than initially assumed. That’s why modernization is not a one-size-fits-all effort—it requires tailored solutions that take into account the unique demands of each mission and user environment.

Security, of course, remains a fundamental concern. As Lewis explained, the core technologies for cloud, on-prem, and edge may be similar, but the security implications vary depending on the use case. That’s why solutions must be hardened, tested, and adaptable to different operational requirements. Agencies can’t afford to trade off security for usability—or vice versa.

Ultimately, Lewis returned to a recurring theme: federal IT teams need solutions that minimize friction and maximize focus on the mission. The more intuitive and integrated the tools are, the more time and resources agencies can devote to delivering value for the American people. Complexity may be inevitable in modern IT environments, but it doesn’t have to be a roadblock.

As the technology landscape continues to evolve, agencies will need partners who understand not just the tools themselves, but the operational realities of government missions. From container orchestration to edge enablement, the goal is to equip agencies with infrastructure that works for them—not against them.

In Lewis’s view, success in federal modernization isn’t just about adopting the latest tech—it’s about making it usable, scalable, and mission-ready from day one. And that starts with reducing friction, embracing orchestration, and putting end users at the center of everything.