Government
Google cloud-computing applications get certification for federal government use
Aug 1st
Google cloud-computing applications get certification for federal government use
Google wants the federal government to use its e-mail.
The company earned federal certification last week for its cloud-based e-mail, calendar and other collaboration applications after the General Services Administration determined they met moderate-level federal security requirements.
It’s the first cloud-based suite to earn such accreditation and serves as an impetus for the Mountain View, Calif.-based giant to ramp up its sales efforts in Washington, said David Mihalchik, Google’s federal business development executive.
“We hear them tell us that federal employees are clamoring for the same technology [at work that] they have at home,” Mihalchik said. “What we’ve done is to certify Google Apps so that government has an apples-to-apples comparison of their existing system and Google Apps.”
Once largely absent from Washington, Google has expanded its reach here in recent years, mainly to lobby on Internet and antitrust policies. Its offices in Reston and north of Metro Center currently contain about 30 employees each.
But the notion of the federal government as a potential customer has only begun to take shape as lawmakers and executives look to cut information technology costs with cloud computing, a burgeoning trend whereby organizations receive IT services and software via the Internet.
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Fujitsu sales suggest the market is turning
Jul 28th
News that Fujitsu UK & Ireland has signed £200m in new business with three large customers will be seen as welcome relief to Fujitsu shareholders, among others.
While it will disappoint the companies that lost to Fujitsu, they will nevertheless be encouraged that the private sector is once again spending money. After keeping their hands in their pockets for the past 30 months, customers now seem more open to suggestion.
Fujitsu UK CEO Roger Gilbert detects a new note in discussions these days. IT is a boardroom topic, especially when it comes to mergers and demergers, he says. And where the CEO has plans, IT is beginning to figure prominently in his or her calculations, he says.
Customers are coming back to the market to find a different set of conditions compared to when they last were here. Thirty months is almost two generations of silicon life, so, following Moore’s Law, they are getting about four times more processing power for the same pound.
They are also seeing a tectonic shift towards “cloud computing”, however that is defined. That is putting a greater emphasis on the capacity and reliability o of the networks to bring it all together.
While there are clearly growing capacity issues in the public networks, bandwidth, access and cost are all moving in favour of customers. Many customers think their own internal leased networks will make them immune from such considerations. They are wrong. The rise of social networks and growing willingness of consumers to use networks to interact with companies means that no company can afford to ignore the constraints imposed by congestion in the public networks.
Responsible companies should be adding their voices to the debate over Broadband Britain to ensure that their customers have fast, cheap reliable access to them, wherever they may be.
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Gartner creates Cloud Council. Good news for both Cloud Computing Vendors and Users
Jul 12th
A good move as Gartner moves forward to create a Cloud Computing council which will help both Vendors and Customers.
GARTNER GLOBAL IT COUNCILS
Gartner has established two Global IT Councils — one on cloud computing and one on IT maintenance. Each of the Global IT Councils has been tasked with developing a set of basic rights and/or responsibilities for their specific area of technology. Members have discussed the issues candidly and in depth, and offered their real-world observations about problems in these areas, as well as practical, actionable recommendations for resolving them.
Gartner Global IT Council: Cloud Services
The Gartner Global IT Council for Cloud Services has defined key rights and responsibilities of service consumers that will help both providers and consumers establish and maintain successful business relationships. This document describes some of the most pressing rights and responsibilities along with the reasons why they are necessary. Additional critical rights and responsibilities will emerge as cloud services mature. More >
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IBM unit plans to hire 600 workers to help fill their 100,000-square-foot cloud computing center
Jul 9th
New RTP center may draw up to $7.8M in state incentives
DURHAM, Jul 09, 2010 (The Herald-Sun – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) –
A subsidiary of IBM is planning to hire 600 workers and invest $3.7 million in a new process service center in Durham’s Research Triangle Park in the next two years.
As a result of the project, IBM Lender Business Process Services Inc., a specialty loan processing company, could receive up to $7.8 million in incentive payments from North Carolina state government during the next decade.
Gov. Beverly Perdue touted the jobs and facility announcement on Thursday, calling attention to IBM’s longstanding presence in the state.
“IBM has been a major employer in North Carolina providing thousands of skilled jobs for more than 30 years,” Perdue said. “We value this company’s ongoing commitment to North Carolina and Research Triangle Park.”
LBPS will begin hiring immediately for the 600 positions, with salaries averaging $50,000.
Employees in the new center will perform various business process outsourcing activities for financial industry clients.
The new center will be in one of IBM’s existing buildings at its sprawling campus in RTP. LBPS also will transfer its Charlotte office to the new facility, while continuing to maintain a presence in Charlotte, according to an IBM spokesman.
“IBM Lender Business Process Services is taking industry-leading steps to apply its broad and deep history of technology and business management capabilities to provide new and innovative solutions to our clients in the financial services industry,” said Bruce McConnel with IBM. “We are strengthening our commitment to business processing services, improving our clients’ flexibility, competitiveness and ability to manage their businesses more efficiently through ever changing dynamic market cycles.”
The new project was made possible by a state Job Development Investment Grant.
For each year the company meets the required performance targets, the state will provide a grant equal to 65 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs.
Should the company create the jobs called for under the agreement and sustain them for 10 years, the agreement could yield as much as $7.79 million in maximum benefits for IBM, according to the governor’s office.
This is the most recent project undertaken by IBM in RTP.
In February, the Armonk, N.Y.-based computing giant opened a $362 million, 100,000-square-foot cloud computing center in RTP. Durham County is giving IBM $750,000 in incentives during seven years for the center.
At the same time, IBM also has been restructuring its global workforce, including in RTP.
In March, the company also reportedly began laying off 1 percent of its workforce or about 1,000 workers worldwide. The total number of workers affected in RTP is unknown.
In March 2009, the company disclosed that it had laid off 334 workers at RTP, where it employed about 10,000 people.
“The new services operation furthers our commitment to the state of North Carolina and our ongoing presence in Research Triangle Park,” Bob Greenberg, senior state executive of IBM’s North Carolina operations, said in an official statement on Thursday. “These skilled positions, coupled with our investment earlier this year in an energy efficient cloud-computing data center, demonstrate that as the marketplace demands new skills and technology, growth opportunities in North Carolina continue to be a hub of activity.”
Source TradingMarkets
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Federal government seeks bids for cloud computing services
Jun 28th
Local companies are hoping to help the federal government move into cloud — or Internet-based — computing, as the General Services Administration prepares to select approved vendors.
GSA has issued a request for quotes, open to companies on its information technology schedule, to provide the cloud infrastructure. After reviewing the bids — due June 30 — GSA will select contractors that federal agencies can then draw on for cloud services.
Through cloud computing, agencies can access a pool of Internet-based resources, such as networks, servers and applications, rather than invest in computing infrastructure. The technology can then be used on an as-needed basis, making it cheaper and quicker to set up.
“Cloud computing is inevitable, said David L. McClure, associate administrator for GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. “It’s the speed and pace and direction that we’re always uncertain of, but it’s an inevitable move because the computing industry itself is moving in this direction.”
Chantilly-based Apptis — which is partnering with Amazon Web Services — is among those companies that plan to compete.
“This is a very important program for the government because it addresses a couple things that have been inhibitors to cloud, the first being ease of procurement,” said Phil Horvitz, the company’s chief technology officer.
Additionally, he said, government concerns about security are addressed in the cloud requirements.
Falls Church-based CSC also plans to bid. In a statement, the company said it already has extensive experience in cloud projects of similar scope.
McClure said he expects federal agencies to use the selected vendors, but the agencies are not limited to buying cloud computing through this program.
“We’ve devised an acquisition vehicle that allows agencies to get access to these services in a very competitively priced environment and one that’s simplified, so we think it will be a win-win both for industry as well as for agencies,” he said. “We’re not trying to create only a one-stop shop for all of cloud computing; we’re just again evolving it out to illustrate to the rest of government that this is doable.”
Many information technology companies are looking into the cloud business, according to Deniece Peterson, industry analysis manager at Input, a firm that studies the government contracting market.
“I think that cloud computing is an area of interest even for companies that ultimately decide they can’t play in the space,” she said. “Everyone looks at it.”
Tim May, Apptis’s senior vice president for business development, said he expects cloud computing to play an increasing role in the government — and that the GSA program will help federal agencies become more comfortable with it.
“We’ve made the comparison to 1995 with the Internet. If you rewind 15 years, there was skepticism,” May said. “Now it’s used in financial transactions, it’s second nature.
Article Credit to: TheWashingtonPost
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Cloud as the new buzz in Health IT
Jun 23rd
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 contained billions of dollars aimed at moving U.S. healthcare onto an electronic platform. Much of it, described in the HITECH section of ARRA, is earmarked for incentive payments to physicians for demonstrating “meaningful use of certified EHRs,” paid out through Medicare and Medicaid. SaaS-based (software-as-a-service) Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are stepping onto the main stage as the most likely way that smaller and solo practices will be able to adopt EHRs in a meaningful way, in time for the 2011 ARRA/HITECH incentive moneys. SaaS-based software has also been referred to as cloud-based computing, web-based software, ASP-delivered software, and other terms (not all exactly the same from a technical standpoint, but often used interchangeably). So what is this new “hot buzz” all about and why is it important in the world of Health IT?
Elimination of IT burden
SaaS-based software is internet hosted, and accessed through an ordinary web browser. That means that the vendor, not the clinician, bears the burden of all the back-end heavy lifting – servers, always-available access, security and safety of data, and backup of data are all issues that are removed from the clinician.
This is a significant difference compared to legacy client/server software, which require a local installation onto a server, the maintenance of a secure local network (with perhaps a Citrix layer to access it from outside the confines of the office and network), and local policies for safety and security, as well as data backup. This generally requires the need to hire an IT consultant, and adds “hidden” cost to the whole EHR installation.
Version control
Another limitation of a locally installed legacy client/server system is that, once it is installed, then it is “set.” Upgrades and bug fixes require the application of a patch, or installation of a new version. Often, a fee (per upgrade, or per year) is charged by the vendor for this support.
A SaaS-based EHR avoids this issue of “version control” – everyone, by definition, is on the same version. When changes or upgrades are deployed, everyone receives these changes on their next session log-on. From the standpoint of support, this is much easier, and feature fixes as well as bug fixes can be managed quickly, and deployed to everyone at once.
Customizable UI, per role, per specialty
One of the criticisms made about SaaS-based EHR products is that they are “one size fits all.” This may really limit the usability of a given product. Therefore, a customized, specialty-specific EHR may work better, given that the workflows faced by different specialties are, in fact, quite different.
Using modern technology, it is possible to capture many elements of a user upon login, and create a product that delivers a view (the User Interface, or UI) that can be very individualized. Within a given medical practice, different users have different needs, depending on their role – what a front-office check-in staff member and scheduler needs are different than a back-office nurse, which is different from what the clinician needs.
Similarly, what a Family Physician needs from an EHR may be quite different from what an Orthopedist needs, or what an Oncologist needs. Such workflow needs are beyond simply presenting a different set of charting templates (though that is certainly a start). Though not fully actualized presently, modern SaaS-based technology can move in this direction such that upon login to a SaaS-based product, the features presented by default (the UI) will vary depending on specialty, role, and individual preferences.
Learning curve
One of the biggest fears about moving from a paper medical record environment to an electronic one is the concern about a prolonged learning curve and a consequent dip in productivity. This dip in productivity can be significant and can last a long time (e.g. months). This is especially concerning for small primary care practices that run very close to the margin. In a fee-for-service system physicians have little time for much else other than processing high patient volumes through the office. Anything that introduces a slowdown in this frenetic pace is worrisome.
Yet these precise practices are the ones that the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) wants to get on board with EHRs. Even if the EHR is SaaS-based (minimal IT infrastructure costs), and free, the worry about work slow-down during the adoption phase is an obstacle to adoption and use of an EHR in a meaningful way.
Thus, regardless of the style of EHR deployment, the burden is on EHR developers and vendors to create products that minimize the learning curve. Usability is paramount. Incorporation of user suggestions into the product is very important.
A lightweight, intuitive, responsive EHR is the goal for all us of who are creating the tools needed in order to achieve the transformation of U.S. healthcare from a paper-based legacy to a modern electronically-connected one.
Guest Writer For CloudTweaks:
Ryan Howard
Chief Executive Officer, Practice Fusion, Inc.
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How public sector IT organizations can tap into the power of the cloud
Jun 21st
How can you turn cloud computing from a mere concept to one that is a reality in your IT organization, bringing real value to both internal stakeholders and external constituents? Quite simply: With the right approach and the right tools. Now’s the time to tap into the cloud to exploit the potential economies of scale and achieve cost savings.
Cloud computing enables your IT organization to focus on the best and most cost-effective way to deliver services. It allows your internal customers to focus on what matters most: their core business requirements, such as a new public information portal or an online forum to publicize requests for proposals. Rather than providing IT with details about how many servers with so much CPU and RAM are needed, your internal customers can leverage the cloud to request capacity to perform specific services. And IT can offer services from a dynamic resource pool. As resource needs fluctuate, you have the flexibility to choose the best solution with the available resources. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Why Leverage the Cloud?
For public sector organizations, there are benefits to pursuing a cloud initiative, through private, community, or public cloud services. Though the private cloud is the most obvious option for government organization, the community cloud model has become an especially powerful idea for the public sector. Multiple agencies with similar concerns and requirements can create an environment that serves overlapping agency needs. This is especially relevant in the current climate of lower budgets and information-sharing requirements at both the federal and state levels. The community cloud provides many benefits of public cloud services without the security concerns. This model stands or falls based on the power of dynamic resource allocation. As the size of the community grows, the economies of scale are more and more compelling. With the right networks in place, the community cloud provides a pool of location-independent resources that can be leveraged equally, as needed, by the participating organizations (e.g. the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Rapid Access Computing Environment).
Public cloud services can be used to provide overflow capacity or a fully hosted environment (e.g., the U.S. General Services Administration’s USA.gov Web site) for those government services with less-stringent security requirements. For example, a government agency might anticipate much higher usage of a service during a short period of time (e.g., tax season, natural disasters), and with the proper integrations in place, Internet traffic could easily be load-balanced between the public and private cloud to quickly increase capacity, all without incurring any long-term costs.
Getting Started
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Cloud computing saves L.A. millions in IT costs
Jun 9th
Why did the City of Angels move to the cloud? Given that the Los Angeles city budget was constrained by the Great Recession, the driver was simple: cost savings. When the reality of a legacy IT infrastructure that couldn’t meet the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce was added to that driver, LA’s chief technology officer Randi Levin put out a request for proposal for the cloud.
“We’ve been cutting services,” she said. “We are now completely in what I would call ‘survival mode.’ Two or three years ago, we had a $116 million expense budget. Next year, it’ll be $80 million. It might even be less.”
After due diligence, Levin said her team recommended that the City of Los Angeles implement Google. “We predicted — and are on track — to save about $5 million over the next three years,” said Levin. “Those are hard dollar savings.”
Levin is looking ahead to where she can best use her staff. What are the important tasks? “It’s not running servers,” said Levin. “The city will get much more bang for their buck if we’re developing applications and websites, or making processes more efficient. As a general rule, we’re going to start moving out of that business and letting somebody else do it who can do it more efficiently.”
Read the Rest at: O’Reilly Radar
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Cloud Computing: It’s the Economics Stupid
Apr 23rd
Cloud’s ability to make IT more agile is undeniable, says CIO.com’s Bernard Golden. But once that benchmark is met, the cost effectiveness of the internal cloud versus public providers will be a key measure of success.
CIO — The question of costs associated with cloud computing continue to be controversial. You may recognize in this blog’s title, an homage to the motto of Bill Clinton’s 1992 Presidential campaign: “It’s the Economy, Stupid.” The motto referred to the decision by the Clinton campaign to focus relentlessly on how the U.S. economy was doing in 1992, sidestepping other issues and always, always circling back to the economic outlook for the US. I was reminded of this by some recent discussions on Twitter that discussed the importance of economics in terms of cloud adoption.
This question of cloud economics arises especially in the context of the endless discussions about private vs. public clouds (private usually being thought of as referring to a cloud environment inside a company’s own data center). Some people assert that private clouds obviously must be less expensive, because one owns the equipment and is not paying what is, in effect, a rental fee. The obvious analogy is buying a car vs. renting a car. If one uses a car every day, it’s clearly less expensive to own rather than pay a daily rental fee to, say, Hertz. Sometimes this argument is made stronger by noting that public cloud providers also are profit-seeking enterprises, so an extra tranche of end-user cost is present, representing the profit margin of the public offering.
The proponents of public cloud computing cost advantages point to the economies of scale large providers realize. At a recent “AWS in the Enterprise” event, Werner Vogels, CTO of Amazon, noted that Amazon buys “10s of racks of servers at a time” and gets big discounts because of this. Also, AWS buys custom-designed equipment that leave out unneeded, power-using features like USB ports. Moreover, the public cloud providers implement operations automation to an extreme degree and thereby drop the labor cost factor in their clouds.
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Survey: 45 Percent of Local Governments Using Cloud Computing
Apr 22nd
Local government officials’ trepidation about cloud computing could be easing, as evidenced by a survey of IT decision-makers released Tuesday, April 20, that found 45 percent of local governments are using some form of cloud computing for applications or services.
The survey, conducted during the first two weeks of April by the nonprofit Public Technology Institute (PTI), aggregated the opinions of 93 local government IT executives. The findings revealed that an additional 19 percent of local governments plan to implement some form of cloud computing within the next 12 months, while 35 percent don’t intend to do so at all.
Alan Shark, the institute’s executive director, said that the numbers confirm what he’s known anecdotally for months: More local governments are turning to cloud computing because of the sour economy.
“If there’s any surprise,” Shark told Government Technology, “it’s how quickly this group of people, who two years ago would say no way [to cloud computing] have basically embraced it, more so than I ever would’ve expected. I think contributing to this mindset is that the budget pressures are so severe that people who said ‘No way’ are now saying, ‘Show me the way.’”
But that doesn’t necessarily mean local governments are turning without reservation to cloud computing for websites, e-mail, archiving, application hosting and basic storage. “The word I would use is ‘thoughtful qualification,’” Shark said of the respondents’ attitudes. Most public-sector CIOs are still reluctant to put critical data in public clouds because of security concerns, he said, and some jurisdictions are limited by statutes that restrict where and how data is stored.
Shark said because cloud computing has become a catch-all term for hosted services and applications delivered from the Internet — and has in some ways superseded what in the past was called software as a service — some local governments are utilizing cloud computing and they don’t realize it. “There are far more people doing it, but never thought it was cloud computing,” he said.
And increasingly, local governments are discovering that there are several options for cloud computing, whether it’s a public cloud, private cloud, regional cloud, government-operated cloud or a cloud operated by a vendor on behalf of a government.
“What we’re seeing because of all the budget pressures is people are being very creative, and things we never would have thought of happening before are happening as a result,” Shark said.
According to the PTI’s survey, among local governments currently using or planning to use the cloud, the top three reasons cited are:
Resource savings (staff time, maintenance and support): 87%
Features: 48%
Availability and uptime: 45%
For local governments that are currently using or plan to use the cloud, the top three applications that IT executives feel most comfortable moving to the cloud are:
Web hosting/content delivery: 75%
Collaboration applications: 72%
E-mail: 58%
For local governments that aren’t currently using the cloud or have no plans to use the cloud, the top three reasons that IT executives cited are:
Cost/lack of business case: 64%
Security: 55%
Waiting for other governments to take the lead, identify any issues and share their experience: 48%
Full Source: GovTech
