AWS Standard Cloud vs. AWS GovCloud: What Agencies Need to Know

Cloud technology is transforming how public agencies serve communities. Moving to the cloud unlocks modernization, security, flexibility, and more. It allows your agency to improve service delivery while reducing the burden of on-premise maintenance.

CentralSquare captures the power of cloud technology in its suite of public safety solutions. After all, our mission is to build smarter, safer communities. That starts by equipping the everyday heroes in public safety with more efficient, connected operations.

But modernization raises a question: how do you ensure compliance and data security in a highly regulated environment? For 36% of public agencies, concerns about safety, storage, and governance remain the biggest barriers to cloud adoption.

As CentralSquare transitions from AWS GovCloud to AWS Standard Cloud, we understand that these concerns deserve clear answers. Keep reading as we explore the differences between each cloud environment, address common compliance and security misconceptions, and explain what our transition means for your agency.

What is Cloud Compliance and Why Does it Matter?

Cloud compliance means your cloud services align with the legal, regulatory, and industry standards that govern public data. Frameworks like CJIS, HIPAA, FedRAMP baselines, IRS 1075, and more. 

For government agencies, compliance isn’t a checkbox. It’s mission-critical. You need a trusted, secure environment that minimizes downtime and eliminates compliance gaps. Now more than ever, legacy systems are falling behind on patches, monitoring, and resilience—exposing agencies to cyberattacks and other risks of noncompliance.

To meet those demands, CentralSquare partners with AWS, the most comprehensive and widely adopted cloud platform in the world. AWS provides:

• Ready-made compliance programs and certifications that help agencies meet required standards.
• Advanced security (including encryption at rest and in transit), identity and access controls, and continuous threat monitoring.
• Continuous innovation, delivering updates and new capabilities without the disruption of traditional upgrades.

Combined with CentralSquare solutions, you get secure, compliant software that lets your agency protect sensitive data while improving performance and reliability. Are you ready to modernize with confidence? First, let’s explore the difference between two of AWS’s services.

AWS Standard vs AWS GovCloud: What’s the Difference?

Is AWS Standard Cloud CJIS-compliant?

Yes, AWS Standard meets CJIS requirements to keep data secure. Not only that, CentralSquare implements CJIS-aligned controls to protect your sensitive data.

Will my agency’s data be secure?

Absolutely. AWS Standard delivers the same encryption, monitoring, and auditing capabilities as GovCloud: encryption at rest/in transit, robust IAM, logging, and continuous monitoring.

Does AWS GovCloud offer stronger protection?

No. Both Standard and GovCloud have the same standards for security and compliance. GovCloud adds regulatory isolation for certain federal use cases, but it’s not a stronger lock.

How does AWS Standard impact system uptime?

AWS Standard offers a 99.99% uptime SLA. CentralSquare also designs for redundancy and high availability to keep your systems online.

What you need to know is that AWS Standard pairs top-tier security and compliance with faster innovation and more service options. With CentralSquare’s hardened configurations and 24/7 monitoring, your agency gets a secure, resilient platform without added complexity.

Why CentralSquare Uses AWS Standard

At CentralSquare, we strive to deliver software that meets the highest compliance standards without slowing innovation. AWS Standard lets us do both. Because new AWS services and updates land here first, we get quicker access to features and tools—while still aligning to required frameworks (CJIS-aligned implementations, FIPS-validated encryption options, SOC 2, etc.). In contrast, GovCloud’s broader federal requirements (like FedRAMP processes) can delay updates.

Operationally, AWS Standard provides more reliable, lower-latency access to apps and data. For public safety teams, that means you get the information you need without delay. It also offers better scalability and cost efficiency, so your agency can increase capacity on demand while keeping budgets predictable.

Ultimately, both AWS Standard and GovCloud offer strong, layered security. The difference is operational speed. AWS Standard delivers the service options, faster feature delivery, and plug-and-play integrations most agencies need. That means quicker deployments, scalability, and cost efficiency as your requirements evolve. 

For these reasons, CentralSquare determined that AWS Standard is the better solution for public agencies.

Does AWS Standard Deliver the Same Security?

GovCloud is more secure, but both services deliver strong, layered security. AWS Standard comes with the same security controls: encryption at rest and in transit, identity and access management, logging/monitoring, DDoS protections, key management, etc. Both environments participate in similar compliance programs and attestations (i.e. SOC 2, FIPS-validated encryption options, CJIS-aligned implementations).

Security comes from architecture, configuration, and operations. That’s the shared responsibility model in practice. CentralSquare designs and operates at the highest security and compliance level, regardless of region: hardened baselines, least-privilege access, continuous monitoring, and rigorous change management. At the end of the day, AWS Standard provides equivalent protection with broader services and faster innovation.

What Agencies Need to Know About AWS Standard Cloud

Is AWS Standard Cloud CJIS-compliant?

Yes, AWS Standard meets CJIS requirements to keep data secure. Not only that, CentralSquare implements CJIS-aligned controls to protect your sensitive data.

Will my agency’s data be secure?

Absolutely. AWS Standard delivers the same encryption, monitoring, and auditing capabilities as GovCloud: encryption at rest/in transit, robust IAM, logging, and continuous monitoring.

Does AWS GovCloud offer stronger protection?

No. Both Standard and GovCloud have the same standards for security and compliance. GovCloud adds regulatory isolation for certain federal use cases, but it’s not a stronger lock.

How does AWS Standard impact system uptime?

AWS Standard offers a 99.99% uptime SLA. CentralSquare also designs for redundancy and high availability to keep your systems online.

What you need to know is that AWS Standard pairs top-tier security and compliance with faster innovation and more service options. With CentralSquare’s hardened configurations and 24/7 monitoring, your agency gets a secure, resilient platform without added complexity.

Compliance and Innovation Without Compromise?

AWS Standard Cloud delivers the same security and compliance controls as AWS GovCloud. But it also unlocks greater innovation, scalability, and flexibility. That means agencies don’t have to choose between protection and progress. With CentralSquare, you get both. 

At CentralSquare, we implement CJIS-aligned controls, design for high availability, and use the broadest AWS service catalog to accelerate modernization. The result is a cloud foundation that keeps your critical systems secure today and ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

Schedule a discovery call today to learn how CentralSquare and AWS can help your agency modernize with confidence, strengthen compliance, and deliver better service to your community.