National Press Club presentation on cloud computing by Jerry Smith

1. DoD Perspective on Cloud Computing
„GovCloud‟
Cloud Computing for the Business of Government
“Update and Outlook”
Jerry Smith
National Press Club
March 29, 2011

2. Jerry Smith
• Standards Evangelist
• DOD / DISA 15 years
• Fan of Kevin Jackson

3. Three observations…
• Cloud Adoption in Government
• Standards and the Rush to Implementation
• Fast-Tracking the Standards Process

4. 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

5. 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
“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
• Cloud Computing Demands a New Approach
to Standards Building and Selection

6. 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

7. Congratulations Kevin.
Well done.

8. 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

9. 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

10. DOD EXPLOITATION OF CLOUD TECHNOLOGIES
Several Project Examples:
* Army AEC
* DISA RACE
* DISA Forge.mil
* USAF PSDT
* NGA GeoCloud
“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

11. 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.

12. DISA RACE
Rapid 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

13. 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.

14. DISA Forge.mil
Software 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 develop
new software and systems by using a cloud environment that promotes
collaboration, reuse of developed software, rapid delivery, and
shortened time-to-market for projects.

15. Cloud Computing
Challenges and
Opportunities
Personal Views – not
necessarily views of DoD nor
the Federal Government