Cloud Computing Series
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Systems Engineering at MITRE CLOUD COMPUTING SERIES A Decision Process for Applying Cloud Computing in Federal Environments Geoffrey Raines Lawrence Pizette March 2010; Revised August 2010 Executive Summary an initial cloud service concept through to imple- mentation, that clarifies and defines the key deci- Commercial industry’s use of cloud computing, sion information required and contemporary cloud leveraging economies of scale, commoditizing pro- options. This paper defines an engineering decision cessing power and storage, and incrementally leas- process for applying cloud computing services in a ing only the information technology (IT) infrastruc- Federal Government context and explores impor- ture that is needed at a given moment, is presenting tant activities such as: a compelling business model to Federal leadership, worthy of further investigation. In considering the • Scoping a cloud capability effort application of cloud computing approaches to sup- • Determining which cloud services will benefit an port Federal IT enterprise portfolios, it is useful to organization have a structured engineering process, flowing from • Establishing a business case for cloud services Commercially-Managed Public Cloud Services (4.1) (4.2) Acquisition Activation • Create purchase orders, • Activate leased assets lease agreements • Load content • Perform competition or • Establish operations sole source • Establish performance • Negotiate Service Level monitoring Agreements Solution Scoping and Denition • Begin billing/payment • Negotiate performance process measurement methods (2.1) (2.2) (2.3) Cloud Service Service Denition Business Case Requirements • Scope the types of • Define the business • Identify cloud service services to be obtained rationale for creating or detailed requirements Government-Managed Cloud Services from the cloud moving to cloud services for the types defined in (3.0) (E.g. Government Line of Business (LOB)) Start • E.g. Storage, Bare • Define cost expectations 2.2 Decision Operations Operating System for cloud services • E.g. Security, Records Point (5.1) (5.2) Platforms, Development • Define expected pros Retention, Continuity Dene Agreements Activation Environments, and cons of cloud of Operations, Computational implementation Expected Performance, • Define Service Level • Activate leased assets Resources, Web Support Levels, Scale Agreements (SLA) or • Load content Platforms, Office • Prototyping and pilots Memorandum of • Establish operations Applications, Back Office Understanding (MOU) • Establish performance Applications • Define cost recovery monitoring model • Begin payment process Supporting Information Enterprise Program Security New Internally-Built Private Cloud Services Architecture CONOPs Policies (6.1) (6.2) Service Service Engineering Implementation • Full engineering lifecycle • SW license and HW • Design Data Center(s) acquisition as required • E.g., Assess locations, • Implement and test power consumption, cloud services workforce, • CRM: Support cloud transportation consumer programs and • Design cloud PMs in cloud service use infrastructure, security No Cloud Use Executive Summary—A Decision Process for Applying Cloud Computing in Federal Environments i • Defining detailed requirements for cloud services such as facilities, hardware, and software licenses, • Determining when to use internal private clouds and expected support staff requirements; along with or external public clouds key service cost drivers such as site redundancy, • Assessing when to use community cloud offer- expected service performance and throughput, and ings provided by other Government entities security requirements. • Understanding when it is appropriate to design Service Requirements: At this point service require- and build an internal private cloud. ments are created which will ultimately define the A Cloud Decision Process—The paper is organized viability of possible commercial and Government- around the inset figure, which depicts an engineer- run service provider solutions. The detailed service ing process for the application of cloud computing requirements will include topics such as required capabilities in a Federal environment. security features, required performance, and other service characteristics that will act as differentia- Service Definition: The process begins with activi- tors in selecting a solution later in the process. For ties to scope and define the cloud computing effort. example, requirements will drive the structure of Among the many types of possible cloud services in acquisition documents such as the Statement of the current marketplace, some subset of services is Work (SOW) or Statement of Objectives (SOO) if identified and targeted for use in a Federal organiza- the solution is being leased, or design documents tion’s portfolio because of an expected benefit. Since if the solution is built internally. There are several “cloud computing” is such a broad term, involving categories of requirements that can be specified for a so many possible service types and deployment cloud service, such as cloud service function, service types, defining exactly which cloud services an orga- interfaces and standards to be employed, service nization intends to provide or consume is a funda- response times, service failure mechanisms, and mental initiating activity. The term cloud computing support strategies. can be used to refer to a wide range of services that includes data storage, platforms, and applications. Solution Decision: Next, given a defined project As an example, platforms can range from bare scope and service requirements, a solution deci- operating systems to complete collaboration, devel- sion is made for a given cloud capability based opment and testing environments, to Web servers, on the prior definitional and requirements work. application servers, and databases. It is important Government organizations, looking to realize the to elaborate the organization’s service definitions in same cloud computing advantages that they see unambiguous terms. For example, an organization today in the commercial marketplace, have several might decide that, “We will establish a means to options for obtaining the benefits of cloud comput- lease computer storage by the Gigabyte (GB) using ing, as depicted on the figure’s right side. First, the a monthly payment such as a purchase card.” This commercial marketplace continues to grow with a bounds the project and service in practical terms, wide range of network-based cloud services avail- and this definition can then be used to derive design able for procurement and lease through traditional requirements later in the process. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) processes, when the commercial service can meet the underly- Business Case: Next, a business case is developed ing requirements of the Government. Second, there that elaborates and clarifies the expected motiva- are several Government run solutions that are being tion for using cloud capabilities. For example, for put in place, tailored specifically for Government many organizations the business case may focus on customers. Third, there is always the option to apply cost savings, though there could also be compel- commercial tools to build internal private cloud ling motivations in resource agility, new service capabilities completely within Government data capabilities, labor savings, and/or leveraging exter- center facilities. Within each solution option, com- nal capital investment. Depending on whether the mon items such as Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Federal organization expects to be a cloud service contracts, billing, and performance monitoring provider, or a service consumer, a number of spe- must be resolved. Finally, the capability moves into cific elements are recommended for the business its operational phase. Of course, the option to not case analysis. For example, a Federal community use any cloud technologies due to an adverse busi- or private cloud service provider should consider ness case remains. revenue or cost recovery opportunities, capital costs ii Cloud Computing In summary, this document outlines a structured for an organization. The engineering process that process for scoping a cloud effort, refining potential follows, and the decisions made there, all rest on a cloud requirements, developing a business case for a robust understanding of the needs of the organiza- cloud effort, and making a selection among a range tion. Cloud computing, when combined with this of contemporary commercial and Government structured engineering processes, can provide more cloud providers. Fundamentally, this process is efficient and agile IT resources for an organization, focused on understanding and documenting a allowing the commoditization of aspects of IT such clear set of service requirements and objectives as as storage and computation, to focus on higher order an essential early step in selecting a cloud service mission challenges. provider and in deciding to create cloud services Executive Summary—A Decision Process for Applying Cloud Computing in Federal Environments iii Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction to A Decision Process for Applying Cloud Computing in Federal Environments 1 2.0 Cloud Computing—Solution Scoping and Definition 3 2.1 Clarifying Cloud Services 3 2.2 Developing a Business Case for Cloud Computing 4 2.3 Cloud Service Requirements 7 3.0 Choosing Cloud Providers 8 4.0 Commercially Managed Public Cloud Services 10 4.1 Acquisition of Cloud Services 10 4.2