Keeping Your Head in the Clouds: Creating an Effective Cloud Strategy

I was fortunate enough to have been interviewed by Patti Putnicki, Business Writer | posted August 13, 2011 | for this article.


Introduction
If you were ranking the most talked-about topics of 2011, Cloud Computing would probably fall somewhere in between Charlie Sheen and the Royal Wedding. But, in most cases, that talk hasn't translated into a groundswell of action. According to a recent Alsbridge eSeminar survey, one of the stumbling blocks appears to be the initial planning – namely creating a viable Cloud strategy. How do you start the process? What factors do you need to consider? How can you develop an approach that best mitigates risk


We asked some industry experts to weigh in with their advice. Go to: 
http://www.outsourcing-center.com/2011-08-keeping-your-head-in-the-clouds-creating-an-effective-cloud-strategy-article-45315.html

Thoughts to Destiny

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. 
Watch your words, for they become habits. 
Watch your habits, for they become character. 
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.


The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react.

Cloud Is No Passing Fad; Contractors Get On Board

http://govwin.com/lindleyashline_blog/cloud-is-no-passing-fad/104876



Original Blog - Added 02/17/2011 - 14:23 by Lindley Ashline Expert


In today’s GovWin webinar, “To the Cloud!,” a range of experts concurred: Cloud computing is no passing fad. The government agrees: Federal, state and local governments are clamoring for cloud services and guidance.


The panel, which included a range of industry experts, discussed cloud computing as a concept, its security implications and what contractors can do to get involved.


Cloud computing offers major advantages for government agencies even beyond the immediate cost, energy and environmental benefits. Agencies with no previous redundancy or facility control for data storage will both as they move data sets to the cloud, putting them on a level with security-conscious agencies such as the Department of Defense. Small agencies can get the same technology, security and services as major ones at the same price point.


The government says that three factors will be required to make the cloud work: security, interoperability and portability.


The security debate for cloud computing is "just warming up." Chris Mankle, CTO and Vice President of Innovation at ACS, thinks that the concept of "security" will be replaced with that of "trust" and networks of trusted entities. Government moves to the cloud may even have an unexpected side effect: Security could get tighter across the board as new security initiatives affect all government computing. "You're going to see security get higher where it was lax before," said Ted Brufke, U.S. Software as a Service (SaaS) Sales Leader, IBM.


A poll of webinar attendees was evenly split when asked whether moving to the cloud would make the government more secure, less secure, or neither.


Though community clouds are perceived to be the most secure, the experts -- and the audience, when polled -- agreed that there are no major differences in security between cloud types. Bill Perlowitz, Vice President of Advanced Technology at Apptis, said, "A leak is a leak. It doesn't matter what type of cloud it came from." Mankle cautioned that "We get focused on Internet security, but USB is always an issue. Maybe devices [that connect to the cloud] don't always need to have USB."


Identity management is still an issue with government use of cloud computing; Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) "appears not to have been the answer." Whether there will be a government-wide solution anytime soon is unknown, but in general, "you use whatever you'd normally use when working with the private sector," said Perlowitz. The cloud "doesn't really change the way you do business." The resources are shared, but all other factors remain the same.


Chief security officers at agencies are still responsible for their data, whether it is housed on site or remotely. "You can scatter the data where you want, but it will all be in hardened data centers," Brufke said.


Some agencies will use the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) security guidelines released this week [PDF]; others will add to them as needed. Perlowitz pointed out that the continuous monitoring required by FedRAMP also provides a minimal level of security.


The government is also looking to implement security solutions that private-sector organizations such as Amazon have been using in cloud computing for years. The NIST has five working groups dedicated to cloud computing; one of these groups deals exclusively with security. The NIST will reveal the groups' findings at an early April conference.


Contracting and the Cloud
Amy Rutt, President of Ciracom, said that her company's handling of cloud migrations is very process driven. "When an agency wants to move, we begin with a full assessment of all layers of the network, security, process and workflow." The process of migrating an agency to the cloud can take up to 60 months.


Government agencies need help migrating to the cloud, and are looking to the private sector. Agency buyers are interested in a complete package: They want contractors to come to them with "not technology, but a solution." Perlowitz advised contractors to "get past the immediate discussions, look at where the technology is headed and figure out how to make that usable and palatable to the government. If you can do that, you'll have a product that has longevity in the marketplace."


The government is looking to not only decrease its number of servers and data facilities, but increase the productivity of its employees, and will be open to contractors that offer training and integration as part of larger plans.


The panelists encouraged contractors to look at cloud computing with a long-term perspective. "It's here to stay, so take advantage of it," said Brufke.


Responding to a question from the audience, the panelists also provided an update on the General Services Administration (GSA) Apps.gov cloud computing services. The service, provided by 12 contractors, is predicted to be available in April, as soon as the first provider completes its authentication.


Green Cloud Considerations
An obvious benefit of cloud computing is the environmental advantage it gives by consolidating servers and other equipment. Buyers of cloud services no longer need to worry about environmental mandates; cloud vendors will already be taking them into consideration. Vendors also have incentive to run as efficiently as possible to save money on their own facilities.


Green considerations are important, but as an "add-on" for contractors rather than a make-or-break selling point.


Leveling the Playing Field
Jodi Kohut, Director of IT Practice Area at EyakTek, noted that getting into cloud computing "is not as scary as some people think. It's just a different style for delivering computing."


ACS' Mankle predicts increasing diversification and large numbers of small, targeted applications within a larger, standardized cloud framework. For small- and medium-sized businesses, cloud computing is, Kohut said, "a really good leveler and opportunity to showcase their specializations and core competencies. If they specialize in a particular item or are developing a particular application, they have access to the same computing power that Microsoft does."


The Cloud as Solution
Is cloud computing a fad that will vanish as soon as its evangelists turn to the next big thing? "There's no way this is turning back," said Rutt. "I think you'll have different architectures based on the customer's requirements, with private or shared clouds, however they feel most comfortable and can mitigate risk." The term "cloud" may have appeared overnight, but the underlying technology has been in use for years.


Popular culture may help the transition: The average person is using more cloud services such as Web-based e-mail. "I go home and use the cloud, so why can't I go to work and use the cloud?" asked Rutt. Brufke agreed: "This is the new normal."


However, "It's not a cure-all," Mankle said. "Look at it as, 'What are the requirements I'm trying to solve, and how do the different aspects of the cloud address that?' "

Taking the Fear out of Cloud Computing

I just authored an article in the Cloud Computing Journal


Article Summary:
Taking the Fear Factor Out of Cloud Computing — It’s allowing organizations to free themselves from building and managing their own technology infrastructure and is changing how businesses operate. It touches everything from the software running desktop computers to complex business processes and foundational IT infrastructure. The cloud has provided dramatic gains in efficiency and productivity. It has pervaded blogs, industry conferences and the minds of CIOs with its promise of adaptability, cost benefits and agility, but despite its advantages, some are still hesitant to get onboard due to its inherent risks. While some simply aren’t ready to take a leap of faith, they’re putting themselves at another kind of risk: losing ground to competitors that are taking the risk, and becoming more agile and flexible as a result.


To read the full article: 
http://cloudcomputing.sys-con.com/node/1613671 

Putting People Back In Cloud

Cloud computing has dominated blogs, conferences and the minds of CIOs around the world in recent days, bringing the promise of agility, scalability, and cost advantages to waiting markets. Although nearly all potential users can see the benefits of the concept, one key issue is slowing or preventing more from jumping on board. Even a partial transition from a tangible, visible world into a multi-tenant virtual environment can feel more like a leap of faith than a viable business decision. Users want to know that their processes will continue to function, that their data will be protected and kept confidential, and that they will still have the same level of governance in the widespread, data-everywhere cloud environment as they do in the data center next door. They have contracts, assurances, and descriptions of a litany of tools designed to protect data, promote confidentiality, and audit performance. Still something is missing.

That something is trust.

Countless papers have been written on hypervisor firewalls, redundancy, and cloud computing technology itself, yet the fear factor remains unchanged. ACS has a different perspective on building trust in the virtual world. In our minds, although the security safeguards and base technology are vitally important, no one really trusts a computer or a cloud. Even in the virtual world, it all comes down to people making the computers, networks, and storage solutions work. So the question becomes not “what will make you trust cloud,” but rather, “who do you trust to manage your cloud environment on your behalf?”


Assigning Trust is a Scientific Process
By definition, trust is reliance on the integrity or justice of a person, or confidence in some quality, feature or attribute of a person or thing; a person on which one relies. Although it may feel instinctual, trust is something most human beings are conditioned to assess, based on context and other factors, in what has proven to be a very scientific way.

Let’s step outside of cloud into real, everyday life for a moment. You’re at home and someone comes to your door and knocks. How you react depends on what you see when you look out of the peephole.

For example, if you see a good friend, you’ll probably swing open the door and invite him or her in. If you see a neighborhood kid selling popcorn or the UPS delivery person with that e-reader you’ve been waiting for, you’ll probably open the door without trepidation. Chances are you’ll react differently if you see someone you don’t recognize at your door. Maybe you’ll open the door with the safety latch on – or not open the door at all. Now, if that stranger is standing there with a bouquet of flowers, and there’s a delivery van emblazoned with the logo of a local florist visibly parked on the street, you’ll have a different reaction still.

Trust isn’t stagnant. It’s something that’s continually accessed and built over time, and also something that can be lost in an instant. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a great new restaurant. You might look at the newspaper, some on-line reviews or seek out the recommendation of a co-worker whose culinary opinion you trust. A good experience builds trust and keeps you coming back. But, if one night, that now-favorite restaurant becomes the cause of food poisoning, the trust quickly diminishes or disappears.

In your personal world and in the business world, there is a direct correlation between trust and risk. Going back to the stranger at the door example, if that person is standing there with a delivery or floral arrangement, you’ll probably assign a lower risk level to the situation than if there’s a stranger at the door, standing there empty-handed.


When CIOs look at cloud computing, they see that stranger at the door – the potential for risk. So, after looking at the background, track record and approach of potential cloud services providers, the deciding factor has to come down to who has the capability to best manage your risk in the cloud environment? That’s the provider you can trust to transform your organization into a cloud.

Finding and Driving Change

A business is a social organization created to achieve specific goals and those goals are what drives the organizational structure.  With that being said there are patterns of activities/actions which help drive efficiencies in those activities; the problem is people new to the organization have a to take the time to  discover the patterns and they also prevent people from creating new ideas/innovations. 

So in the era of finding and driving change, what is a person to do who is in charge of finding and driving innovation?  

You start with finding the current patterns ingrained into the organization as to where ideas start and how they flow from approval to execution. This will guide you to find the current sources of ideas and innovation in the organization.  I also propose you start with the following steps:

• Look for the patterns of where ideas originate in the company, business units and teams.
• Evaluate the influence the leaders in those areas might have, both formal and informal.
• Identify how & where those ideas are introduced in the approval process.
• Determine how & where you can attach yourself in the approval process. This has the benefit of earlier awareness and the ability to impact or influence direction and leverage IT’s capabilities.

These steps will get you to the current source of ideas, but this is primarily a short-term and  “reactive” approach to change. To start driving change/ideas/innovations, you begin by sharing your approaches/perspectives/outlooks with the current change-agents and together start with the following steps:

• Explain your goals are “better outcomes and agility” for the business and the focus is on outcomes.
• Begin a campaign aimed at the CxOs, stating the innovation focus is on achieving business goals, and how your enhanced connectivity is creating an impact.
• Ask for an active role in strategic planning. The styles of leadership/ownership at each organization differ, so each situation will require a different approach and pace to define the role.

The first 4 steps yield results quickly, the next 3 steps are long-term commitments. If done correctly, you’ll be able to dramatically change the perception and actual value of the ideas/innovations/change and move yourself to a more valuable role in your current and next job.

What If

Why are we afraid of change?  Don't we love new gadgets, shows, clothes, toys ...  Don't these new items represent change?  So why are so many of us afraid it? 


Our brain is one the best pattern recognition engines on the planet. Which makes us very good at routines, sports plays, math problems, and every day tasks.  This enables us to be very efficient at tasks, which is great, but it can lead to habits, which makes us predictable. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with routines, we all need them.


But, why can't we all posses a little child-like curiosity when we interact with the world.  Be curious like a child, but maintain the adult common sense. Ask questions, do not take everything for granted; play the "what if" game.  


What if I drove a different route to work?
What if I interacted differently with my family and friends?
What if I went back to school?
What if I changed careers?


The world is changing, what if tomorrow your skills were no longer needed, what would you do?


What If?