Apps.gov overview clears up the confusion over cloud computing

All week long Federal News Radio has been following the developments of Apps.gov.

To fully understand the changes that Apps.gov brings to cloud computing, it is first important to have the most up to date version of what the cloud is and what it is supposed to do.

NIST defines cloud computing as "a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. This cloud model promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models."

For a link to the NIST website where more data on the cloud can be found, click here.

NIST will be the first to tell you that this definition is only the most recent description of the cloud and not a final definition. As the program is continuing to develop and grow, the definition is sure to change.

Apps.gov is just the most recent development to the cloud. The website is the federal government's cloud computing storefront.

Daily Debrief hosts Amy Morris and Chris Dorobek sat down with the General Services Administration's Dave McClure and Casey Coleman to discuss how Apps.gov will impact the cloud. Dave McClure is the associate administrator of GSA's Office of Citizen Services - one of a handful of agencies that is actually using cloud computing. The Office of Citizen Services operates the federal portal USA.gov and it operates in the cloud. Coleman serves as the Chief Information Officer at GSA. She is also the co-chairperson for the CIO Council's Best Practices committee, which is leading the federal cloud computing initiative.

"This is just the beginning of a long, multi-year process for the federal government to realize the promise of cloud computing," said Coleman. "The Cloud will help to operate at a lower cost, to operate in a more sustainable, more green fashion and be able to implement solutions more quickly and get to mission values more rapidly which will help to serve the tax payers better."

But what makes cloud computing different from the current model of IT the government is using?

"The traditional model is that you have to run your own systems in your own data center or computer room, patch them, secure them, and upgrade them, make sure that there are not conflicts between different systems and be responsible for all that yourself. Cloud computing moves all of that into the cloud so you can focus configuring the applications and solutions in a way that delivers value quickly," said Coleman.

What makes the system even more attractive to government agencies is the fact that agencies can scale the cloud to them.

"You are buying a service. It comes at a metered price based on usage, demand and capacity that you are shooting for. If you need more, you can buy more but you don't have to buy more than you need," said McClure.

USA.gov is one of the first programs to use the cloud. According to McClure, so far the website has saved $1.7 million in infrastructure.

But the greatest benefit to agencies who use the cloud may be time efficiency. What used to take USA.gov weeks or months to update now takes just minutes or at most a day, according to McClure.

"Agility is the number one benefit of cloud computing. Cost savings is number two," said Coleman.

The idea of cloud computing may be kind of out there for a lot of people but Coleman says that when you break it down for them the, "value proposition resonates with people."

In June 2009, F5 Networks, a company that specializes in application delivery networking released a study showing the possible pitfalls facing the cloud.

"The study found that although significant confusion regarding the definition of the cloud exists, IT managers are aggressively deploying cloud computing initiatives to accomplish business objectives. Additionally, the study found that widespread enterprise adoption is contingent upon solving access, security and performance concerns."

For a link to their entire report click here.

Apps.gov is just the first step of many to making cloud computing a reality for all federal agencies.

"We haven't stepped over into privacy and heavy duty security issues. Everything that is on the cloud now you can pretty much find posted already on the internet," said McClure.

Coleman thinks the cloud may one day be even more secure than the current programs.

"There are not that many federal security experts out there so if we can put them all together, sharing information on the cloud, then they could protect the system even more than they do now."

Additional Resources:

Google, SalesForce help government transition to the cloud

Google, SalesForce help government transition to the cloud

Federal News Radio's Government IT Solutions Spotlight: Cloud Computing with NIST's Peter Mell

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