Ongoing trends in the virtual company, mobile workforce and company’s increasing focus on core/context will increasingly determine how projects are managed, locally as well as globally.

1. Managing Projects in the Cloud
Gary Conley, Independent
gary.conley@comcast.net
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing 1

2. Managing Projects in the Cloud
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared
resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the
electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).
Gary Conley, Independent
gary.conley@comcast.net
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing 2

3. Agenda
 Introduction
 Why Manage Projects in the Cloud
 Foundational Factors
 Use Considerations
 Conclusion
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4. Introduction
 Part of Cisco Services Organization
 Advance Services focused on Service Provider Market
 Started on our PPM journey 4 years ago as a means to
improve our deliver services – 10 people – one
program team focused on execution.
 Troubled program and was looking for a better way to
execute
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5. Introduction –Today
 Multi organizational Adoption
 5900+ Globally distributed users – full collaborative
environment, project, program and portfolio
management, mostly about execution
 Hosted system is support by a core team in US,
Canada, and India and a network of extended team
members in user organizations who are through out the
world
Customers
Partners 5

6. Introduction – How did that Happen?
Well, we had a screaming success!
Realized this was not unique situation.
Many other problems we could now be
addressed.
Through sharing, word of mouth, and management support,
The practice began to spread.
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7. Introduction - capabilities
 Status reporting
 Web based report integrated with Project Server data
using SRSS Reporting Services
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8. Introduction - capabilities
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9. Why - did we choose to manage our
Program/Project in the cloud?
For us some very compelling reasons –
Our projects were not inside the corporate
firewall. All participants needed access
Other factors:
Fast - 5 day set up
Expertise
Variable cost/fixed
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10. Why – would it matter to anyone else?
Virtual Companies
Mobile worker
Scale Up/ Scale Down programs
Specialized expertise that may not be in
your company
Overall company strategy – core/context
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11. And Why it matters to you ?
Cloud based solutions are server based
Significant difference in the how you manage vs. client application
collaborative
schedule development
task updating
In general Web 2.0 techniques
New skills in use of tools/methods
Increases the ability to manage larger teams,
anywhere
Management Reporting significantly enhanced
Standardized methods through templates/
workflow
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12. Foundational Factors
Information Security Policy
Infrastructure Architectural
Application security
Data Center Practices
Cost
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13. Foundational Factors
Security Information Policy
 Secret – company business plans
 Highly Confidential – personal information, product code
 Confidential – need to know, most information in a company
 Public – ready available information in the public domain
 Review Data confidentially/Indemnification agreements
with provider
The type of information in part drives your solution
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14. Foundational Factors
Infrastructure Architecture
Physically secured facility
Data Center Management
Multi tenant – several users on the same server
vs. separate servers firewall between database and web server
Redundancy in architecture, mirrored disk, redundant firewalls
and hot swappable spares servers
Connected to a Internet Backbone
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15. Foundational Factors
Application Architecture
Secure connection – https, vpn, remote desktop, strong password
Account Management
Granular security model – ability to segment down to low level
items.
Individual security and group security.
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16. Foundational Factors
Data Center Practices
Ask if they have a third party evaluation on practices and
security policies!
24/7 support
Data back up, daily, weekly, monthly
Maintenance practice
Offsite storage for disaster recovery
Retention Policy - Most cloud provider have retention policy
That matches back up policy, ie a few months.
If you desire or more/less, you will need to address.
Ask for documented procedures
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17. Use considerations
Maturity
Over 90% of organization are at Level 1 or 2 in PPM maturity
and none are at Level 4 or 5. (1)
Where you operate on the curve as well as where you expect to
operate will influence your solution and your cost.
(1) Center for Business Practices
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18. Conclusion
Business trends point to continued expansion of
project/program/portfolio management in the Cloud.
 There are foundation elements around:
 Information Security Policy
 Infrastructure architecture
 Data Center practices
 Cost
 Use Consideration
That must be reviewed before venturing into this new
frontier.
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19. Managing Projects in the Cloud
Thank you!
Gary Conley
gary.conley@comcast.net
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