Cloud Acquisition Strategy, Customized to the Right Cloud Model

Enomaly: Startup of the Week

By G C Network | November 18, 2008

Congratulations to Enomaly and Reuven Cohen for being named Startup of the Week byInformationWeek !!! Reuven and I collaborate quite a bit and his blog, Elastic Vapor, is a staple for anyone interested in…

Cloud Computing at DoD, DISA, DIA, CENTCOM and NCOIC

By G C Network | November 17, 2008

At CloudCamp last week, Military Information Technology distributed free copies of it’s November issue to all attendees. The issue contains a very informative article by Cheryl Gerber titled “Computing in…

Last Night’s Camp Out !!

By G C Network | November 13, 2008

Check out Tech BISNOW for more on CloudCamp Federal! Follow me at https://Twitter.com/Kevin_Jackson

CloudCamp Federal was AWESOME !!

By G C Network | November 13, 2008

Just got home from CloudCamp Federal. What an event!! The over 100 attendees definitely made the statement that the Fed is interested in cloud computing. As expected, cloud security was…

DISA taps CollabNet to manage DoD cloud software development

By G C Network | November 12, 2008

This week, the Defense information Systems Agency (DISA) announced that they will be using Collabnet tools to manage application development for RACE. The Computerworld article said that DISA will use…

Today is CloudCamp Federal !!

By G C Network | November 12, 2008

Today we kick of off the first CloudCamp Federal. Reuven Cohen, Bob Lozano, Brand Niemann and over 150 other cloud computing enthusiast are expected to attend. We also plan to…

CloudCamp “Sold Out” !! More Tickets Added

By G C Network | November 11, 2008

We are happy to announce that CloudCamp Federal (aka DC), taking place tomorrow at Apptis headquarters in Chantilly, VA (directions), is sold out. But don’t fret, we’ve added 25 more…

President-Elect Obama: Good for Cloud Computing

By G C Network | November 11, 2008

In his article, “What Does Obama Revolution Mean to Cloud Computing“, Krishnan Subramanian lays out a rosy picture for cloud computing: Protecting the openness of Internet: crucial for cloud computing…

Only 9 tickets left for CloudCamp Federal !!

By G C Network | November 10, 2008

Only 9 tickets left from the original allotment of 150 for CloudCamp Federal this week. We’re working to free up some more, but don’t leave it to chance. Go to…

Valiant Angel – A Perfect PED Application for Cloud Computing

By G C Network | November 10, 2008

A few weeks ago in an article title “Why the Cloud? Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination“, I described two instances where the newspaper industry used cloud computing in order to process,…

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 may be the biggest and most overhyped term in Government information technology today.   It is also the most discussed topic in agency strategy, cyber security forums and mission / program reviews.  While lots of conversation has been devoted to technology and the benefits that government customers can derive from Cloud, in the end the biggest challenge may be the acquisition of cloud services. Cloud computing presents a different set of acquisition challenges to the federal government and this shift requires a rethinking the agency acquisition process. Smart purchasing decisions require an understanding of security requirements, service models and service level agreements.
Clearly adherence to the Federal Risk Authorization and Risk Management  (FedRAMP) cloud security requirements are central to acquisition of cloud services. This includes issues like data location and jurisdiction, privacy, and eDiscovery, as they are very important in a service-based environment.
An enhanced view of cloud acquisition involves the mapping of the right acquisition strategy with the right cloud deployment model. The dominant cloud deployment model in Government is the hybrid cloud model. Given that agencies will not likely limit themselves to one cloud deployment but will rather incorporate different and overlapping cloud services the acquisition strategy for the hybrid model will need to provide the flexibility necessary to map to the varying deployment models.
By focusing on a customized acquisition strategy in contracting for cloud services, agencies can reduce the risk of vendor lock-in, improve portability, and encourage competition.  With these goals in mind, agencies will want to establish explicit Service Level Agreement (SLA) information for security, continuity of operations, and service quality and the impact on the cloud service provider of not meeting SLA metrics.
By developing a cloud acquisition strategy that comprehends security requirements, service models and service level agreement metrics, agencies can acquire the benefits of cloud adoption required to meet their mission needs.  Learn more about the acquisition of Cloud in the ViON eBook, “The Business of Cloud”
https://www.vion.com/
 

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( This content is being syndicated through multiple channels. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of GovCloud Network, GovCloud Network Partners or any other corporation or organization.)

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