Catch the Cloud with DorobekINSIDER LIVE!

Operation Golden Phoenix

By G C Network | July 22, 2008

This week, Dataline is participating in Operation Golden Phoenix. Operation Golden Phoenix is a four-day multi-agency collaborative training event designed to assist federal, state and local agencies with large and…

DISA Reaches out to Industry on Cloud Computing

By G C Network | July 21, 2008

In an interview with Computerworld , published in the New York Times, John Garing expanded on his goals for the DISA cloud computing initiative. Garing said that, “… he and…

Cloud Computing is $160B Market

By G C Network | July 18, 2008

According to the Financial Post, a Merrill Lynch Note estimates that cloud computing could be a $160B market by 2011. The companies that they see in the marketplace are shown…

SOA-R Educational Series: What is Cloud Computing

By G C Network | July 18, 2008

On July 16th, SOA-R held it’s first of six educational sessions on cloud computing for national security missions. Presenters during this first event were: Steven L Armentrout, PhDPresident & CEOParabon…

Gartner: Cloud Computing Fraught with Security Risks

By G C Network | July 17, 2008

Cloud computing is fraught with security risks, according to analyst firm Gartner. Smart customers will ask tough questions, and consider getting a security assessment from a neutral third party before…

The Definition of “Net-centric”

By G C Network | July 16, 2008

Last week, the Google Cloud Computing Group debated the definition of net-centric. The key thought was that net-centric was nothing more than internet-centric or basically “online” and therefore it really…

Cloud Computing Journal Launched

By G C Network | July 15, 2008

“The world’s first journal devoted to the delivery of massively scalable IT resources as a service using Internet technologies has been launched by SYS-CON Media. The all-new “Cloud Computing Journal”…

SOA-R First Session Presentations Announced

By G C Network | July 14, 2008

The presentations for the first session of the SOA-R Educational Series sesion have just been announced: Steven L Armentrout, PhDPresident & CEOParabon Grids, Clouds and Computation: Getting to Ground Truth…

Cloud Storage as a Service

By G C Network | July 14, 2008

In SAN vs cloud storage – a gray or silver lining? , Joseph Hunkins review last December’s observations of cloud storage by Chris Mellor of Techworld: “Google does not use…

Google: Model for the Systems Architecture of the Future

By G C Network | July 14, 2008

In December of 2005, Prof. Paul A. Strassmann of George Mason University, provided an excellent outline for cloud computing success in a netcentric environment: Network-Centric Requirements (2010)• Downtime ( 1…

 

Yesterday I thoroughly enjoyed an opportunity to participate in the DorobekINSIDER LIVE edition on cloud computing.  The conversation was both lively and informative.  Joining me on the show were:

Emily Jarvis

In partnership with GovLoop, the Knowledge Network for Government”, Chris Dorobek and Emily Jarvis get smart people together in order to share ideas because they believe that the real power of information comes when it is shared.

This event was the ninth edition of DorobekINSIDER Live and the focus was looking at the progress agencies have made in moving to the cloud.

Some of the key points addressed include:

Why Does Cloud Matter?
Sweeney: I’ve read so many cases studies that feature government at all levels using cloud to improve their efficiency and speed. Take the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board for example. Cloud is important because it shows the shift from products to services.
Jackson: What is really different about cloud computing is it changes the way we deal with IT. Cloud is:
  1. Agile: the cloud should be reevaluated and changed every day, week, month or year. It is not a static product.
  2. Efficient: the cloud is efficient because you can apply parallel processes.
  3. Global: by nature cloud is a global enterprise.
“Cloud computing is a new business model. It is driving the cultural change in government to a service management mindset,” said Jackson. “CIOs have to not only have the technical capabilities but they also have to know how to manage financial disclosures in the cloud, know how to change to a new provider and re-deploy data to the cloud. Federal CIOs Vivek Kundra and Steven VanRoekel with their Cloud First and Share First policies are really driving the need to reduce costs and increase efficiency in the cloud. It is not about if agencies will go to the cloud, but how.”
Do more with less with cloud?
Sweeney: Do more with nothing is more like it. The do more with less saying has been the mantra for IT shops for a long time. But by using cloud IT departments don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time. So it saves time and money.
Jackson: I think although time and money are huge factors the other big development with cloud was seeing how it impacts the mission. How by using cloud services agencies could show increased deliverables on mission. The issue comes in the form of procurement. How do you change the policies on IT contracts? This is all new and the policies need to be changed and modified. Cloud procurement is a 180 degree shift from the waterfall acquisition approach.
Sweeney: New providers are coming into the market and taking major contracts away from traditional providers. The question is now, how can we become more rapid while still be secure? Agencies that are using cloud to build-up that security are the real winners.
Changing role of the CIO?
Sweeney: If CIOs don’t evolve and embrace cloud technologies their employees will go around them. Take the Dropbox example. Dropbox is technically verboten at agencies, but all the employees use it. They want to be able to access documents anywhere on any device. People say if IT won’t provide me with a solution I will go around you. That is dangerous for an organization.
Jackson: This phenomenon is called shadow IT. People have a real desire to solve problems and if policies are too slow, they find alternative ways to get it done.
Listen to the full show below!

Bookmark and Share

Cloud Musings on Forbes
( Thank you. If you enjoyed this article, get free updates by email or RSS – © Copyright Kevin L. Jackson 2012)

Follow me at https://Twitter.com/Kevin_Jackson
Posted in

G C Network