Note: All identifying details have been anonymized at the client’s request. The insights and outcomes shared are accurate.
About
A large U.S. federal system integrator responsible for managing technology infrastructure and program delivery on behalf of government end-agencies. As a trusted partner to multiple federal customers, this integrator holds the technical and operational responsibility for ensuring mission-critical programs run securely and efficiently.
Operating at significant scale, supporting thousands of end users across sensitive federal programs, the organization must balance the overarching compliance requirements of the Department of Defense while meeting the specific operational demands of each unique program. Much of this work takes place in SCIFs and other secure environments where reliable, compliant communication is non-negotiable.
The Challenge: Fragmented toolsets across a large federal program with no unified, compliant collaboration platform.
When this system integrator took on responsibility for a major federal agency’s collaboration infrastructure, they inherited a fragmented environment. Multiple disparate toolsets were in use across the program, with no single unified solution bringing teams together. This lack of standardization created friction, inconsistency, and compliance risk at scale.
In classified and sensitive environments, having multiple non-uniform communication tools isn’t just inefficient, it creates real security and audit concerns. The integrator needed to replace the existing toolsets with a single platform that could support over 4,000 users while satisfying stringent federal security standards.
Key challenges:
- Fragmented toolsets: Multiple incompatible tools in use, preventing a unified collaboration experience.
- No single source of truth: Without a uniform solution, auditing and oversight were difficult to enforce.
- Compliance requirements: Any replacement had to meet full DOD security standards, including ATO authorization at IL6, and support complete data ownership.
- Air-gapped environment: The solution had to function fully on-premise in a classified, air-gapped network with no reliance on external or foreign cloud infrastructure.
The Solution: On-premise, air-gapped deployment at IL6 for 4,000+ users
The integrator selected Rocket.Chat and Pexip as the joint collaboration solution, deployed fully on-premise in an air-gapped environment. The deployment was purpose-built to meet the program’s classified communication requirements, including ATO authorization and compliance with DOD IL6 standards, while maintaining complete data ownership within sovereign infrastructure.
The combined Rocket.Chat and Pexip platform provided a single, unified toolset that consolidated chat, voice, and video capabilities under one roof, replacing the legacy systems entirely and giving the agency full visibility and control over all communications.
The Outcome: A sovereign, unified collaboration platform across the full program
By deploying Rocket.Chat and Pexip, the system integrator successfully replaced a fragmented legacy environment with a single, compliant, and fully sovereign collaboration platform. More than 4,000 users across the federal agency now operate on a unified system, with every interaction auditable and every piece of data fully owned and controlled within classified infrastructure.
Key benefits:
- Unified communications: One platform replaced multiple legacy toolsets, providing a consistent experience across the entire program.
- Mission-ready compliance: Full ATO authorization and IL6-compliant operations give the agency confidence in the security of their communications.
- Data sovereignty: No reliance on foreign or commercial cloud infrastructure. All data stays within the agency’s controlled environment.
- Full auditability: Every communication is tracked and auditable, supporting both compliance requirements and operational oversight.
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