[LINK] Qld govt moving to the cloud

[Jim Birch]

There's a potential for significant savings when a lot of small agencies
share a service rather than having a whole bunch of individual IT
departments selecting, installing and maintaining what is a pretty standard
service.  If it is done right, there is also a saving because the array of
variants of the various mail services gets reduced down to a standardised
set of service offerings.  Achieving this requires a slightly dictatorial
approach, rather than trying work out how to to support all current
functionality so no one feels upset.

I'm not sure that the "cloud" would, of itself, make things cheaper since
the Queensland government is already big enough to reap most of the
economies of scale.  However, you do get the advantage of being able to
offer up a big visible contract that might generate some real competition.

- Jim



On 31 May 2013 12:56, Nick Ross <nickrossabc at gmail.com> wrote:

> Isn't it the case that all current services are on the internet already.
> While the cloud makes them more easily accessible, it's likely to have
> better security than a zillion government servers which are poorly
> maintained, no?
>
> As for raw costs, the efficiencies of cloud must be vast compared to
> maintaining and supporting and updating local infrastructure.
>
> Am doing a lot of radio on this today, so any thoughts are welcome!
>
> N
>
>
> On 31 May 2013 11:21, Jan Whitaker <jwhit at janwhitaker.com> wrote:
>
> > Linkers,
> > I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on a proper risk assessment
> > (yeah, I know, track record ain't that great).
> >
> > Is this a case of out-sourcing now for short term savings (*up to*
> > $17mil), then having to reinstate in-house later at higher costs when
> > all the expertise is gone or pay higher prices to the cloud provider?
> > Anyone know? I'm thinking 'captive customer' strategy, much like
> > major vendors often do.
> >
> > It doesn't help to have an absolute value instead of a percentage of
> > the current budget or trends. I wish people would have a better
> > understanding of presenting numbers. ::sigh::
> > Jan
> >
> >
> > Another government looks to cloud to save on IT
> >
> > Cleo Fraser and Kym Agius
> > Published: May 30, 2013 - 5:08PM
> >
> > Keeping its data in the clouds could save the Queensland government
> > up to $17 million a year.
> >
> > Information Technology Minister Ian Walker says using internet cloud
> > technology could halve email costs across government.
> >
> > A successful trial has been completed in the chief information office
> > which previously headed by CIO Peter Grant, and Mr Walker says
> > shifting to cloud computing will transform electronic communications
> > across government.
> >
> > "The security of cloud is paramount ... and agencies will conduct
> > risk assessments for any system they want to move to cloud," he said
> > in a statement.
> >
> > "The savings we realise by adopting a cloud-based ICT service model
> > can be directed to the provision of frontline services to the community."
> >
> > Mr Walker expects his entire department to move to cloud email by the
> > end of the year.
> >
> > He said Labor left behind a legacy of debt and decline across ICT.
> >
> > "By moving to cloud, the Newman Government is freeing Queensland
> > taxpayers of the costly burden of maintaining and upgrading some ICT
> > infrastructure," he said.
> >
> > "...The savings we realise by adopting a cloud-based ICT service
> > model can be directed to the provision of front line services to the
> > community."
> >
> > The Federal Government announced
> > <
> >
> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/it-pro/cloud/national-cloud-plan-to-boost-innovation-20130530-2nd1h.html
> > >its
> > cloud strategy on Wednesday. It too wants to use cloud computing to
> > improve government services and productivity.
> >
> > AAP
> >
> > This story was found at:
> >
> >
> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/it-pro/government-it/another-government-looks-to-cloud-to-save-on-it-20130530-2ne7b.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
> > jwhit at janwhitaker.com
> > blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
> > business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
> >
> > Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or
> > sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
> > ~Madeline L'Engle, writer
> >
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