[LINK] IT warned: Cloud could make you look bad

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

<brd>
A prime example of why decision makers and advisors need to understand 
the fundamentals of information systems.

A quote from the article:
<the cloud "will come to be viewed as the fastest, cheapest and easiest 
way to source basic commodity ICT services".>

A question from the article
<why [do] in-house ICT services take so long and are so expensive to 
deploy compared to cloud-based services>

My answer:
<because most in-house ICT services are not "basic commodity ICT services">

It is essential that government CIOs understand this difference and, 
more importantly, can persuasively explain this to their superiors, 
otherwise technology driven cost cutting will result in reduced quailty 
of service delivery.

And to get back to my point about appropriate qualifications, another 
question. Is a degree in Economics, Law and the Arts a good foundation 
for a government CIO?
</brd>


IT warned: Cloud could make you look bad
21 May 2009 02:52PM
iTnews
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/103754,it-warned-cloud-could-make-you-look-bad.aspx

Aussie government CIOs will soon face increasing pressure to explain , 
Ovum has said.

In a research note, director Steve Hodgkinson warned the cloud "will 
come to be viewed as the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to source 
basic commodity ICT services".

"[It] will set expectations benchmarks," Hodgkinson said.

"If CIOs don't pay attention they will find that their Agencies have 
turned to the cloud without them even knowing that it has happened - 
creating fragmented procurement and potential privacy and security risks."

Hodgkinson advised CIOs "to be on the front foot to ensure that cloud 
services are used for appropriate applications and to guide Agencies in 
the use of the cloud".

Cloud services can form a useful complement to in-house ICT, he said, 
particularly for applications that are urgent, have tight budgets, do 
not involve sensitive data or are aimed at collaboration across multiple 
agencies.

Hodgkinson also outlined the need for Australia to develop on-shore 
cloud computing centres "to protect and grow [the] domestic ICT industry".

He said the government sector had the operational scale required to push 
forward with the creation of a ‘G-Cloud' [Government cloud] and said the 
recent Gershon review appeared to support this in its focus on promoting 
"shared, on-demand computing at massive scale".

If Australia doesn't develop its own cloud services, they could become a 
threat to the policy executives responsible for ICT industry development 
because they create the risk of invisible off-shoring of Australia's ICT 
industry, Hodgkinson said.

-- 
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au