For companies in the Defense Industrial Base (DIB)—if you deal with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or have DFARS 7012 clauses, the reality of 2026 is brutally simple: Get compliant or lose the contract.

At Atomus, we work with over 100+ companies that are going through CMMC Level 2—it’s all we do. In our calls with prospective customers, we actively talk to companies losing or unable to bid on contracts and subcontracts today because they lack CMMC Level 2 compliance.

The Old Choice vs. The New Reality

Previously, if a company chose to comply, they had two distinct paths based on their business model:

1. The "All-In" Traditional Approach: For long-term defense contractors. This was the gold standard—full native performance, offline capabilities, and a robust physical network.
2. The "Enclave" Approach: For "Defense Curious" companies. This was for commercial firms where defense was less than 10% of revenue. They didn't need a full network; they just needed a small, virtual locker to store a few files for 2–3 people.

Atomus caters to companies that are long-term defense—we specialize in being long term partners for defense and critical infrastructure companies. As a result our customers are traditionally in the all in approach because it’s the ideal solution for their business.

But the landscape has changed.

Serious, long-term defense contractors are coming to us after losing contracts. They may have chosen a bad vendor, not been serious about these requirements, or be a new business. But they don't have 12–18 months to build the "perfect" All-In network. They need a score in 60 days to stop the bleeding.

This has given rise to a third option: The Hybrid Enclave.

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What is the Hybrid Enclave?

The Hybrid Enclave is designed specifically for long-term defense contractors who are late to CMMC.

It acknowledges a difficult truth: The enclave (VDI) does not make long-term financial or operational sense for your business, but you need it right now for its speed. It is not a permanent destination; it is a bridge.

This approach uses a "Crawl, Walk, Run" strategy to secure your revenue immediately while building the infrastructure you actually need for the future. It does have significant trade-offs, and the companies who invested earlier in these requirements are better off for it. But it is a lifeboat for companies who find themselves in a bad situation.

The Strategy: "Crawl, Walk, Run"

Phase 1: Crawl – The Virtual Beachhead

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Concept: 100% Virtual. No physical documents. No local data.

The Setup: You deploy a cloud-hosted VDI environment (like Atomus Atlas). Employees access CUI exclusively through a secure remote window on their existing computers.

Why start here? Speed. This is the fastest route to a passing SPRS score and CMMC certification because the "Scope of Assessment" is contained entirely within the cloud.

Systems in Scope:

1. Cloud: Microsoft 365 Government (Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint).
2. Hardware: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (Azure Virtual Desktop / Atomus Atlas). Physical endpoints accessing the virtual desktop are out of scope.
3. Network: Not in Scope. (The local network is treated as "untrusted").
4. Physical Facility: Not in Scope. (Since CUI never exists physically at your location).

Estimated Timeline:

1. Self-Assessment Readiness: ~3 months
2. Audit Readiness (C3PAO): ~6 months

Phase 2: Walk – Scale Up & Native Systems

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Concept: Bringing "Normal Systems" into the fold.

The Setup: You deploy hardened physical laptops (like Atomus Aegis) that store CUI locally. You typically introduce Zero Trust Networking (software-based VPNs like Cloudflare WARP) so you can work securely from anywhere without needing complex office firewalls.

Why move here? Performance + Ease of Use. VDI can be laggy for developers or engineers using heavy tools. This phase gives them the native power they need to work offline or run CAD software. You also have the ability to deal with paper/physical CUI at this stage.

Systems in Scope:

1. Cloud: Microsoft 365 Government (Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint).
2. Compute: Local Windows or Mac workstations (Hardened), Mobile Devices (iOS/Android).
3. Network: Basic Network Scope. You rely on software-defined networking (Zero Trust) through Cloudflare WARP to tunnel traffic. Your local Wi-Fi is just a utility, but you’re using a secure tunnel. 
4. Peripherals: Non-Networked Printers, Test Equipment, etc.
5. Physical Security: In Scope. Because CUI is now stored on laptops or may be printed, you need visitor logs, locks for offices where work occurs, and clean desk policies.

Estimated Timeline:

1. Self-Assessment Readiness: 6–9 months
2. Audit Readiness (C3PAO): ~12 months

Phase 3: Run – The Full Environment

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Concept: Local Networks and Full System Integration.‍

The Setup: You have customizable local network infrastructure. This involves securing on-premise hardware, local data storage, among other custom systems.

Why end here? Maturity. This environment has the most flexibility and ability to deploy/utilize systems and tools in a safe, secure, and compliant way.

Systems in Scope:

1. Cloud: Microsoft 365 Government (Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint).
2. Hardware: Local Workstations + On-Premise Servers + Other Custom Hardware.
3. Storage: Network Attached Storage (NAS), Local Servers, etc.
4. Network: Advanced Network Scope. Your physical switches, Wi-Fi access points, and hardware firewalls are now in-scope assets that must be managed, logged, and updated. (You may replace Cloudflare WARP with your local network).
5. Physical Security: In Scope (Facility-Centric). Same as "Walk"—with additional focus on server rooms, wiring closets, and network infrastructure.

Estimated Timeline:

1. Self-Assessment Readiness: 12–18 months
2. Audit Readiness (C3PAO): 15–24 months

The Certification Choice: When Should You Audit?

Here is the critical financial reality: You can choose to get audited at the end of any stage. Your audit timeline is built on your business deadlines, the phase you get audited is built on your technical timeline. 

However, CMMC Level 2 audits from third-party auditors (C3PAOs) are expensive. Based on market rates we see (which Atomus does not control), you can expect to pay $30,000–$60,000 for an assessment. This certification lasts for 3 years.

Therefore, you must choose your phase to get audited carefully based on your company profile:

Which Phase Fits You?

Phase 1 (Crawl) is for:

1. "Defense Curious" Companies: Firms where defense is a small side business.
2. GFE-Heavy Contractors: Long-term defense contractors who primarily use Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and don't have much CUI on their own corporate network.
3. Warning: If you are a standard defense contractor, you will likely outgrow this phase quickly. If you need CMMC certification fast, you will likely pay for 2 different audits over the 3-year period.

Phase 2 (Walk) is for:

1. For Most Small Defense Contractors (<50 Employees): This is the "Sweet Spot."
2. Engineering-Heavy Firms: Companies that need native performance for CAD/development tools.
3. Companies with no dedicated IT Person: Or those who have an IT MSP that doesn’t specialize in CMMC.

Phase 3 (Run) is for:

1. Mature Defense Contractors: Firms that usually have internal IT staff.
2. On-Premise Requirements: Companies that must manage local servers, manufacturing equipment that needs to be networked, or complex local networks.

The "Hidden Trap": The Lock-In Risk

Because audits are expensive, when you get audited at a certain stage you are somewhat locked into that system architecture. 

If you certify Phase 1 (Virtual Only) to save money today, your System Security Plan (SSP) effectively states: "We do not have physical CUI documents or systems in our facility"

If, 6 months later, you decide you need physical laptops for your engineers (Phase 2) or need to print physical CUI documents, you have fundamentally changed your security architecture. The DoD calls this a "Significant Change."

The Result: Your original certification does not cover these new risks (physical CUI documents, USB drives, physical security controls), etc.

The Cost: This triggers the need for a new audit—costing you another $30k–$60k.

You are effectively paying double because you didn't plan for growth.‍

Solution 1: The "Seeded Scope" Strategy (Recommended if Possible)

If you have the extra time - try and structure your initial audit to allow for growth.

Even if you intend to stay in Phase 1 (Virtual) for now, smart companies will include at least one physical device/printer/system they will grow into (a "seed") in their initial audit scope.

By certifying 10 Virtual Desktops and 1 Physical Laptop (e.g., an Atomus Aegis unit) in your initial assessment, you have the auditor to validate your policies for both virtual and physical environments Day 1.

• Day 1: You operate 99% in the cloud to keep costs low.
• Day 180: You win a new contract and need to deploy 20 physical laptops for engineers.
• The Difference: Because the controls for physical laptops (encryption, AV, FIPS) were already approved in the initial audit, adding more of them is just an "Operational Change" (maintenance) rather than a "Significant Change."

‍Solution 2: Ask the C3PAO for 2 Audits

Sometimes, you don't have time to configure a physical "seed" device. You simply need the fastest possible certification to save a contract today.

In this case, you can choose to budget for two audits. You sprint to certify Phase 1 (Virtual) now, knowing you will pay again to certify Phase 2 (Native) later.

Pro Tip: If you choose this path, tell your C3PAO upfront. Don't hide your plan. Tell the auditor: "We need a Level 2 certification for our Virtual Enclave immediately, but we plan to expand to a Full Network in 12 months." Some C3PAO firms may offer a bundled price if they know they are securing your business for both the initial sprint and the future expansion. You might be able to lock in a slight discount.

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How Atomus Can Help

We designed our platform to support the exact "graduation" path described above:

For Phase 1 (Crawl): We deploy Atomus Atlas, our secure virtual desktop environment. It gets you a passing SPRS score in weeks, not months, by keeping your scope small.

For Phase 2 & 3 (Walk/Run): We deploy Atomus Aegis, our software that hardens your native laptops and local networks to military standards.

The "Seeded Scope" Advantage: Crucially, we can help you "seed" your initial audit. By combining Atlas (VDI) and just one Aegis (Native) device in your initial System Security Plan, we ensure your certification is flexible enough to grow with you. You get the speed of the enclave today without being trapped in it tomorrow.

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