The document summarizes a presentation on cloud computing given by Norman Wiseman and Rachel Bruce of JISC. It defines cloud computing and discusses different cloud service models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS). It outlines benefits of cloud like flexibility, cost savings, and environmental benefits but also risks around costs, data protection, contractual issues. JISC activities are described to help institutions develop cloud strategies including research on cloud adoption, brokerage services to negotiate deals, and support for flexible service delivery pilots across UK universities.

1. 16 September 2011 Presenter or main title… The Potential of the Cloud AHUA Conference Norman Wiseman, Head of Services and Outreach, JISC Rachel Bruce, Innovation Director, Digital Infrastructure, JISC Session Title or subtitle…

2. Outline What is the cloud? Cloud Issues JISC Activities and further information Discussions and feedback

3. What is the cloud? NIST definition: Cloud computing is 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 (On-demand self-service, Broad network access, Resource pooling, Rapid elasticity, Measured Service) http://www.nist.gov/itl/cloud/index.cfm

4. What is the cloud? Cloud computing is about buying services, rather than buying hardware or software

5. 27/09/2011 | Slide 5 Which bit of the Cloud? Different kinds of cloud service are available Software as aService (SaaS) eg, Google Apps, Microsoft 365 Platform as aService (PaaS) eg, MS Azure, Google App Engine Infrastructure as aService (IaaS) ie, compute, storage, database eg, Amazon Web Services, VmwarevCloud, Eucalyptus Diagram credit: www.saasblogs.com

6. Why Cloud?Benefits from industrial scale economies Can provide financial benefits – BUT.....Copes with sudden peak demands for increased storage and compute requirementsProvides a suitable ‘neutral platform’ for HEI / business Collaboration Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

7. Why Cloud?Flexibility - pay for what is used Elasticity – customers canscale up or down to meet demands Capital vs recurrent Reduces carbon footprint and other environmental benefits Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

8. A well optimised large data centre will use less energy and help battle rising carbon emissions Inherent efficiencies of running infrastructure at maximum capacity that the cloud model proposes begs the question as to why institutions need data centres anymore! 27/09/2011| Slide 8 Energy Cost Diagram credit: www.microsoft.com/environment/cloud.aspx

9. Cloud CostsGreat hope or great hype?Costing models assume zero start Socio-economic effects Future Proofing Contractual Issues Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

10. Evaluating costs / benefitsDifferent for research, education and administration Not simpleHolistic view – all or nothing? Staff costs savings vs loss of key skills Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

11. Capital vs RecurrentCost peaks for software and hardware eliminated Physical space advantages Networks Service as good as your network links Resilience a critical factor Data protection Sensitive data …data protection, US Patriot Act can be a problem Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

12. Institutional Strategy All the above point to the need for an institutional strategy for Cloud, taking into account multiple factors There is no simple equation But there is help Picture: Kevin Dooley, CC, Attribution 2.0 generic.

13. JISC Activities around Cloud Computing Background research: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/researchinfrastructure/usingcloudcomp.aspx Broadening use of the cloud but not high usage ; Mostly SaaS to date: e-Mail, followed by storage, web services and virtual learning environments. Some use of other levels of stack Currently, cloud does not provide HPC capability Some institutions are using cloud to offer some virtualised capacity, but small-scale private clouds don’t really offer the benefits of large scale commercial clouds.

14. Flexible Service Delivery -Experience in the sector -Agility, flexibility, efficiency, effectiveness Bloomsbury media cloud – repository for all six colleges – OERS for all, links to VLE FLeSSR – flexible services for research – hybrid cloud , working with different vendors, business case, open source / vendor assessment…on demand data management / storage. ( Reading, Eduserv ) Pram – Postgrad research module – data for PG student management , common processes ,standards based. (Nottingham and Oxford)

16. www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/flexible-service-delivery

18. JISC, Hefce UMF Establish a brokerage in JANET(UK) that can negotiate service supply and connect suppliers to JANET and thus create “Trusted Cloud(s)” Pilot cloud being designed for implementation at Eduserv Data Centre Extend the role of Data Curation Centre to deploy data management tools, policies and support in the Trusted Cloud Find “killer data management apps” that can be deployed to attract researchers into the Trusted Cloud(s): Leicester University is providing support for joint NHS and university research teams working with tissue samples and anonymised patient data. The University of Oxford is providing a database to a wide range of researchers in the arts, humanities and other disciplines. Oxford is also providing an integrated set of tools to manage data within Life Sciences and other similar research projects. This will make it easier to submit data for longer-term storage in an appropriate standards compliant data repository. Southampton University is providing electronic lab data management and collaborations tools.

19. JANET Brokerage Working as the sector’s broker for Data Centre / Cloud services develop relationships with commercial partners aggregate sector requirements & represent the sector negotiate advantageous terms for new services Providing infrastructure base through brokered deals Clearing house for spare capacity in sector and beyond To add value through brokering and gaining beneficial commercial arrangements, frameworks and licences etc.

20. JANET Brokerage

21. Systems and Services Procurement Support (SSPS) What? A specialist team established within JISC Advance to improve the effectiveness of (non-commodity) application systems procurement in the sector and to help institutions reduce costs by moving core business systems to an off-site shared service model. How? A procurement service whose primary function is to support the buying/sales process delivering the best possible deals for sector and supplier Creating the building blocks for the interconnection of administration systemshttp://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/umf/ssps.aspx Delivered through JISC Advance http://www.jiscadvance.ac.uk

22. SSPS Advisory Service By: Making it easier for buyers to buy IT application systems and services configured as shared services Making it easier for the sellers of IT applications and services to sell them as shared services Making it easier to exchange information securely between local and remote applications

23. SSPS Advisory Service The procurement element of the service will: offer IT procurement advice and guidance to HEIs With an emphasis on the use of shared services identify and aggregate demand so that fewer, larger procurements can be run establish framework agreements where warranted which institutions can use lead IT procurements on behalf of HEIs up skill HEIs in the black art of IT procurement provide vendor and contract management

24. RMAS Architecture CRM Workflow Electronic Document Management Academic Expertise Funding Sourcing Tool Shared Service Enterprise Service Bus Proposal Management Costing & Pricing Management Post Award Management Outputs & Outcomes Local ESB Module 1…n

25. Advice and guidance JISC Legal – Cloud computing and the Law Toolkit - for IT, senior managers and policy makers, contracts, SLAs, terms and conditions http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/ManageContent/ManageContent/tabid/243/ID/2135/JISC-Legal-Cloud-Computing-and-the-Law-Toolkit-31082011.aspx More to come...as developments through the cloud innovation programmes – what is cloud, benefits, risks, service models, getting started, costing, case studies etc.

26. Discussion and Feedback What are the top five issues, concerns that you face in terms of adopting the cloud ? Five things you need, to be able to use the cloud effectively ?