“Cash for Clunkers” Should Have Used the Cloud!

August 24, 2009 / G C Network /

Cloud Acquisition Strategy, Customized to the Right Cloud Model

By G C Network | March 17, 2015

by Melvin Greer Managing Director, Greer Institute  This year has brought big news, significant changes and increased awareness of the adoption of cloud computing in Government. In fact Cloud computing…

Women leading us to the cloud

By G C Network | March 14, 2015

By Jodi Kohut Government Cloud Computing Professional   By Jodi Kohut Government Cloud Computing Professional March is Women’s History Month. As we celebrate women and their role in our history, our…

CSCC Cloud Privacy Summit – Reston, VA March 26th

By G C Network | March 12, 2015

Please join the Cloud Standards Customer Council in Reston, Virginia on Thursday, March 26th for the Cloud Privacy Summit. This all day symposium will stimulate lively, interactive discussion and deliver…

Bangladesh: A country transforms with IT

By G C Network | March 9, 2015

Born out of a nine-month war of liberation in 1971, Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy and a predominately Muslim country. After years of being a center for textile manufacturing, the country of…

Introducing CloudTek University

By G C Network | March 5, 2015

Visit us at https://www.CloudTekU.com Cloud Computing Basics https://sqz.co/Fs34AaX Cloud Technologies https://sqz.co/s2ACt68 Cloud Security https://sqz.co/Mp7m3TE Business Innovation https://sqz.co/j4NZb37 Cloud Computing Pilots https://sqz.co/e5HFy24 Cloud Operations https://sqz.co/p5CJo24 CloudTek Overview https://sqz.co/k9S4Ewt ( This content…

The Emerging Science of Digital Forensics

By G C Network | February 24, 2015

By Melvin Greer Managing Director, Greer Institute for Leadership and Innovation Without question, the rise in cyberleaks, nation-state cyber terrorism and the beach of consumer data across multiple industry domains…

African-Americans and STEM careers: Getting a foot in the door

By G C Network | February 16, 2015

By Sandra K. Johnson Technology leadership is driven by the innovation and creativity of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals. STEM careers offer some of the highest-paying jobs and the…

U.S. Department of Defense sets its cloud security guidelines

By G C Network | February 12, 2015

By Jodi Kohut Those watching federal cloud security in the defense space were pleased to learn the Defense DOD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (v1) (SRG) last month. This 152-page document outlines…

Circles are good for the economy

By G C Network | February 9, 2015

Contrary to what your mother may have told you, going in circles is sometimes a good thing. When it comes to our economy, it is actually a great thing. Throughout…

2015 National Chief Information Security Officer Survey

By G C Network | February 4, 2015

Cybersecurity breaches are seemingly making headline news every day. Recent cases have highlighted identity theft, the loss of personal financial data, and the disclosure of sensitive national security information.  The…

Rich Bruklis wrote an excellent essy on how the government missed a perfect opportunity to use cloud computing. In “Cloud Opportunity Missed” he writes:
“It appears that the voucher system set up to handle dealer claims was crushed by unusual high demand. Now ‘unusual high demand’ to me is synonymous with cloud computing.”
He also cited three drivers that caused the problem:
– The high popularity surprised the auto industry which forecasted that the program wouldn’t have a major effect on sales.
– The dealer sales people ‘pre-sold’ the program to customers causing an initial rush to the Cash for Clunkers web site and crashed the system.
– The Transportation Department officials were presented with just 30 days to get the program up and running.
As Rich also noted, it seems that the Government instictively relied on less automation, not more, by adding 700 more human claims processors to the original 300 midway through the program.
Why didn’t they consider cloud computing !! SCRATCH THAT!!

Update: Apparently they did use cloud computing !! According to a Washington Post article, Oracle OnDemand application was used:
“Administration officials said the On Demand program, produced by Oracle, allowed Cash for Clunkers to keep running even as consumer interest in it rose in the initial days by more than 10 times the government’s projections.”
( Thank you. If you enjoyed this article, get free updates by email or RSS – KLJ )
Follow me at https://Twitter.com/Kevin_Jackson
Posted in

G C Network

3 Comments

  1. Rebecca on August 25, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    Kinda reminds me of the "Look before you leap" quote. Rushing into things just to get them done often leads to big mistakes which can be very costly.



  2. Venkat Girish CISSP on September 29, 2009 at 2:53 am

    This is a huge misnomer that the Government didn't use cloud. It used Oracle's OnDemand services – which essentially is a cloud based offering from Oracle – See vivek's acknowledgement of the same and how it saved the day for Cash for clunkers eventually by just googling "Washington post Vivek Cash for clunkers"



  3. Kevin L. Jackson on September 30, 2009 at 11:53 am

    Outstanding!! Thanks for clearing that up.



Cloud Computing

Cybersecurity