DoD Perspective on Cloud Computing

„GovCloud‟

Cloud Computing for the Business of Government

“Update and Outlook”

Jerry Smith

National Press Club

March 29, 2011

Jerry Smith

• Standards Evangelist

• DOD / DISA 15 years

• Fan of Kevin Jackson

Three observations…

• Cloud Adoption in Government

• Standards and the Rush to Implementation

• Fast-Tracking the Standards Process

Cloud Adoption in Government

• METI-Sponsored Survey of U.S. Gov’t Cloud Computing adoption,

– Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Jan 2010

• METI conclusions

– Good Support for Cloud Computing Transition At

• Top Level Leadership

• Working Level „Techies‟

– Strong Resistance At

• Mid-Level Managers

• Take away…

– A new perspective, or mind set is needed in middle management

– Help should be sought to educate and involve middle mgmt

Standards and the Rush to Cloud Implementation

• Rush to Implementation Creates Problems

– “Stampedes” go hand-in-hand with Poor Choices

• Standards Are Key to Interoperability

– Open, Accredited Standards, not proprietary or ad hoc, are needed

• Cloud Computing Demands a New Approach

to Standards Building and Selection

“The current standards development infrastructure

was never designed to create the closely integrated standards

needed to solve the complex problems

embedded in the technology and innovation agenda …”

Andy Updegrove

Fast-Tracking the Standards Process

• The Smart Grid Model

– NIST-led consortium

– Industry and government cooperation

– A model for cooperative standards-based implementation

• Taking cloud cooperation to the next level

– Educating and encouraging middle management

– Demanding accredited standards as part of the process

– Best of government – best of industry

Congratulations Kevin.

Well done.

DoD Perspectives on Cloud Computing

for „GovCloud‟:Cloud Computing for the Business of

Government “Update and Outlook”

Jerry Smith

National Press Club

March 29, 2011

Federal Transformation

• President’s Goal to Transform Federal

Government Services – better serve the

American people

• Federal CIO’s 25 Point Plan for

Implementation & Emphasis On Cloud

Computing and Data Center Consolidation

• DoD Policy & Plans In Support Of These Goals

“We believe that initiatives such as the

Federal CIO’s plan to reform Federal IT

are accelerating DoD toward cloud

computing and shared enterprise

service”Dave Mihelsic, DISA CTO

DOD EXPLOITATION OF CLOUD TECHNOLOGIESSeveral Project Examples:

* Army AEC

* DISA RACE

* DISA Forge.mil

* USAF PSDT

* NGA GeoCloud

Problems

* DoD handles a significant amount of sensitive data which complicates data migration – and its control – to an off-site server.

* Security is an overriding issue.

* How to overcome cultural and technological barriers associated with information sharing and joint capabilities.

* DoD culture’s traditional aversion to sharing.

* Need ability to broadly share information while limiting access to appropriate set of users.

DISA RACERapid Access Computing Environment

• DISA began leveraging cloud computing in 2008 by

creating its own secure private cloud

• Uses virtual server technology to provide on-demand

server space for development teams

• Aims to be more secure and stable than a traditional

public cloud.

• Consists of many virtual servers inside a single

physical server using virtualization technologies

• Divides costs among the users of the various

virtual servers

DISA Private Cloud Services• To secure classified data and official-business

sensitive data

• Under positive DoD control

• Hosted in secure Defense Enterprise Computing

Centers

• Managed by cleared and certified personnel

• Directly connected to DoD’s enterprise networks

• Securely configured – meet DoD Security Technical

implementation Guides

Very Successful: Hundreds of military applications including

command and control systems, convoy control systems, and

satellite programs have been developed and tested on RACE.

DISA Forge.milSoftware Development Environment

• Provides tools and services necessary for rapid development, testing, and deployment of new software and systems.• Teamed with cloud provider CollabNet; provides a software development platform for users to reuse and collaborate on software code. • Currently, over 5,000 users, with over 300 open source projects, over 500 file release posts, and over 30,000 downloads. • Allows avoidance of large start-up costs and enables additional return on investment (ROI) through software reuse. •Estimates show new projects developed in this environment save DISA between $200,000 and $500,000 per project. • Open source philosophy of Forge.mil saves money on licensing and support, provides improved software by giving version control, traceability, and having multiple stakeholders from various projects work on the same software code. •Forge.mil hosts array of projects within a secure environment that appropriately protects DoD software assets for different areas including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the Joint Chiefs.

Allows DISA and its customers to reduce costs and shorten time to developnew software and systems by using a cloud environment that promotes

collaboration, reuse of developed software, rapid delivery, andshortened time-to-market for projects.

Cloud Computing Challenges and Opportunities

Personal Views – not

necessarily views of DoD nor

the Federal Government