CUI enclave design
Should your CUI live in a separate enclave?
Often, yes. An enclave puts Controlled Unclassified Information in a segregated environment with its own identities, data flows and a defined authorization boundary, so the NIST SP 800-171 requirements apply to a smaller, controlled footprint instead of your whole company. We design the enclave, often in Microsoft Azure and M365 GCC High, and direct the provider that builds it.
CUI enclave design in Microsoft Azure and M365 GCC High, with a defined authorization boundary, for defense contractors.
Book a 30 minute callWhat does the engagement include?
- Scoping and mapping of how CUI flows through the business
- Enclave architecture, including GCC High, Azure Virtual Desktop and dedicated identities
- Network segmentation and controlled data flows
- Authorization boundary definition and diagram
- Build oversight with your MSP or MSSP
- Enclave documentation ready for your System Security Plan
Who is this for?
Contractors where CUI touches only part of the business, such as one program, one engineering team or one set of drawings, and who want the assessment scope as small as the work allows.
What do you get?
How does the engagement run?
- A 30 minute call about your contracts, your deadline and where your sensitive data lives.
- A written scope that names the deliverables, the schedule and who does what.
- A kickoff with your leadership and your IT provider, then regular progress briefings until the deliverables are accepted.
No consultant can promise the outcome of an assessment or authorization. The assessor or authorizing official decides it.
What else do buyers ask?
Is GCC High required for CMMC?
No. CMMC does not name a product. GCC High is a common choice because it is built for US government and defense workloads, but the requirement is that your environment meets NIST SP 800-171 and, where DFARS 252.204-7012 applies, the cloud service provider requirements in that clause.
Does an enclave reduce the work?
It can, when CUI really is confined to part of the business. The requirements are the same, but they apply to fewer systems and people. If CUI is everywhere, an enclave can add complexity, and the design work tells you which case you are in.
Can our existing MSP build the enclave?
Often, yes. We design it and direct the build, so the provider you already trust implements it to a defined architecture and boundary.
Ready to talk it through?
BOOK A CALLPick a time for a 30 minute call with the practice.
What happens in 30 minutes
- We learn about your company, the contracts you hold or are bidding on, and what is driving your timeline.
- We talk through where you stand and which engagement fits, if any does.
- If there is a fit, we follow up with a written scope. No slides.