Federal Cloud Computing Web 2.0 Wiki

Announcements

See Twitter and Informal Presentation on Cloud Computing  and Draft Pattern for NCOIC. See slides for upcoming briefings. Status update slides. Semantic Web Meetup: Party Cloudy with a Chance of Semantics. Blackbook 3 (password required) now in beta on the NSA's CloudBase. See BlackBook 2. Cloud Computing Advisory Council Meeting: Put Your Desktop in the Cloud to Support the Open Government Directive and Data.gov/semantic Status update slides. Status Update (January 8, 2010). Briefing for DISA (January 11, 2010). Eric Marks Cloud Computing Reference Model (CC-RM) Presentation and White Paper. Federal IT Summit Cloud Computing Panel Presentations, October 28, 2009 (Katie Lewin and Eric Won).

Ahead in the Clouds

March 3, 2010

Joint Services / Cloud Computing Session: Semantic Cloud Computing and Linked Open Data Discussion of Three Use Cases.

February 15, 2010

Cloud Computing WG Meeting and a SCOPE Review Session. Register. Status Update.

Three objectives:

1. Get the Cloud Computing Reference Model (CC-RM) to be part of the FEA Reference Models (e.g., Federal CIOC Architecture & Infrastructure Committee).

2. Get the CC-RM to be included in Enterprise Architecture Tools and Models so agencies and organizations can do alternative costs analyses (e.g., Troux, OMG, etc.).

3. Integrate the CC-RM and the SCOPE Models (this workshop and other NCOIC activities) and Complete the Semantic Cloud Computing Pattern/Framework/Roadmap.

December 15, 2009

The partial Proceedings of the Dec 10 "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps" Session are available. Chris Kemp (NASA Ames CIO) is organizing a set of government hosted Cloud standards meetings for 2010.

I'm not sure what Cloud Working Group activities are being planned for the NCOIC March Plenary. One possibility is to begin developing a set of Use Cases for net-centric applications of Cloud Computing. This would be a first step towards developing NCOIC Patterns and also contribute to future Cloud standardization initiatives beyond enterprise IT.  Input could be solicited from NCOIC members, government groups, and other companies developing net-centric Cloud capabilities. Bob Marcus, 720-352-0784

November 25, 2009

Briefing to the Japanese METI's Cloud Computing Study/Survey Team at EPA Crystal City using the following URL's:

November 20, 2009

I've organized a Session on "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps for IaaS"  for an OMG meeting on December 10 in Long Beach, Ca. The speakers include many of the leaders in the Cloud Computing community. See the attached updated agenda. Anyone can attend by registering for a day at http://www.omg.org/registration/ca/index-c.htm

I have proposed a follow-on activity to create a "Framework and Roadmap for Cloud Interoperability, Portability, and Capabilities" Document which will add great value in planning future government (and enterprise) Cloud Computing deployments. This Document could be  modeled after the recently published  "NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards" combining open inputs from government, industry, and standards groups.

The NCOIC could play a leading role in the development of a "Framework and Roadmap" Document specifically in the area of net-centric capabilities. One possibility is to host a Session at the March NCOIC Plenary bringing together government, industry, and standards groups to assign roles and schedule for creating a draft Document.  Let me know your feedback. Thanks.

Bob Marcus
720-352-0784

P.S. Within the Cloud community, there are several existing activities and outputs that could also feed into a "Framework and Roadmap" document. These include:

* NIST's Cloud Document and Presentation
* The DMTF's Open Cloud Standards Incubator's new White Paper on "Interoperable Clouds".
* The Cloud Use Cases Group White Paper
* The Cloud Security Alliance's Security Guidance
* The Open Cloud Computing Interface (OCCI) Specification

November 9, 2009

CIO Council Strategic Plan Briefing Mentions Cloud Computing (slides)

Objective 2: Advancements in information technology will be leveraged to streamline and transform governmental services.

Objective 2 Strategies: Enable rapid availability of shared services by using advanced technologies such as cloud computing and virtualization.

Objective 3: Government and social platforms will be used to make information findable, understandable, relevant and useful, ensuring a positive customer experience.

Objective 3 Strategies: Leverage GSA’s Cloud strategy and procurement tools to allow agencies to quickly and easily develop, test and share applications across government.

October 30, 2009

On December 10, there will be a Session on "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps for IaaS"at an OMG Technical Meeting in Long Beach, Ca.  The presenters will include leaders of  government, industry, and standards groups working on Cloud Computing. The goal is to initiate a collaborative Roadmap Process leading towards improved interoperability/portability across Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Cloud APIs. Recently several efforts have been launched by standards groups and industry to develop "Open APIs" for IaaS. There is a general consensus that the functionality of these APIs often overlap while the specific details of the interfaces are divergent.  Harmonizing IaaS APIs seem like an achievable goal for a Cloud Interoperability Roadmap Process. The resulting Roadmap should help enterprises and governments plan future Cloud deployments and procurements.

The expected participants in the "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps for IaaS" Session on Dec 10 include VMware, IBM, Microsoft, Citrix/Xen from industry; DMTF, OGF OCCI, SNIA from standards groups; and Chris Kemp (NASA  Ames CIO) from government. The tentative format is presentations in the morning followed by interactive discussions in the afternoon.  The goal is to establish an initial plan for collaboration on harmonizing core IaaS APIs during the next year. 

The Session is a follow-on to a series of meetings in 2009 among government, industry, and standards groups.  These include a Cloud Interoperability Workshop (March), a Cloud Standards Coordination Session  (July), and a Government Cloud Initiatives and Standards Roadmaps Workshop(September). The results of these meeting include Cloud Standards Coordination group and a presentation on  a Cloud Standards Roadmap Process.

Please forward this message to any member of your organization that would be interested in attending the "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps for IaaS" Session.  Thanks.

Bob Marcus
720-352-0784

FYI: There will be a short Session on "Platform Independent Models for PaaS" in the evening of December 10 after the main IaaS Session.

October 27, 2009

I have organized a Cloud Interoperability Roadmap Session for December 10 in Long Beach, Ca. (See the description below).  Chris Kemp (CIO of NASA Ames) is one of the confirmed presenters. Chris will be a senior leader in setting Cloud standards for the Federal Government in 2010.  He wants to initiate collaboration among the government, industry, and standards groups in fostering Cloud standards. NASA Ames' Nebula Project is creating a Cloud based on open source

On December 10, there will be a Session on "Cloud Interoperability Roadmaps for IaaS"at an OMG Technical Meeting in Long Beach, Ca.  The presenters will include leaders of  government, industry, and standards groups working on Cloud Computing. The goal is to initiate a collaborative Roadmap Process leading towards improved interoperability/portability across IaaS Cloud APIs. Recently several efforts have been launched by standards groups and industry to develop "Open APIs" for IaaS. There is a general consensus that the functionality of these APIs often overlap while the specific details of the interfaces are divergent.  Harmonizing IaaS APIs seem like an achievable goal for a Cloud Interoperability Roadmap Process. The resulting Roadmap should help enterprises and governments plan future Cloud deployments and procurements.

The Session is a follow-on to a series of meetings in 2009 among government, industry, and standards groups.  These include a Cloud Interoperability Workshop (March), a Cloud Standards Coordination Session  (July), and a Government Cloud Initiatives and Standards Roadmaps WorkshopSeptember_21,_2009(September). The results of these meeting include Cloud Standards Coordination group and a presentation on a Cloud Standards Roadmap Process.

Also slides for Keynote talk on "Seeding the Clouds (Roadmaps for the Future)" for a  Workshop at the OOPSLA Conference in Orlando this weekend.

Bob Marcus, 720-352-0784

September 21-22, 2009

NCOIC All-day Cloud Workshop (Presentation) and SOA Patterns Workshop (Presentation)

August 25, 2009

There is an active Cloud Computing Use Cases group. They recently produced a White Paper that could be valuable to future Cloud Standards coordination and roadmap activities.  The White Paper contains a set of Cloud use cases, a list of standards requirements, and a mapping between use cases and standards requirements.  Mapping the activities of  Cloud standards groups to the Use Case requirements will be a useful exercise. A representative of  the Cloud Use Case Group will present at the September 21 Cloud Standards Session hosted at the NCOIC Plenary in Fairfax, Va.  The GSA has produced a schedule of Use Case deployment that also maps to the White Paper.  See the attached slides for an excerpt of the Cloud Use Cases White Paper and the GSA timeline.

Combining Use Cases mapped to Standards, Standards mapped to Standards Groups, and  Cloud users timelines will make it possible to develop a Cloud Standards Roadmap, This Roadmap will add value to end-users procurements, standards activities, system integrators, Cloud service providers, and future Storefront RFQs. There will be an initial discussion of a Cloud Standards Roadmap at the September 21. If there is sufficient interest, it might be possible to hold a follow-on Session at an OMG meeting on the week of December 7-11 in Long Beach, Ca.

Bob Marcus, 720-352-0784

Background

Cloud computing is Internet ('Cloud') based development and use of computer technology ('Computing'). The cloud is a metaphor for the Internet (based on how it is depicted in computer network diagrams) and is an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it conceals (1). It is a style of computing where IT-related capabilities are provided “as a service”(2), allowing users to access technology-enabled services from the Internet ("in the cloud") (3) without knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports them (4). According to the IEEE Computer Society it "is a paradigm in which information is permanently stored in servers on the Internet and cached temporarily on clients that include desktops, entertainment centers, table computers, notebooks, wall computers, handhelds, etc." (5).

Cloud computing is a general concept that incorporates software as a service, Web 2.0 and other recent, well-known technology trends, where the common theme is reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. For example, Google Apps provides common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.

Source: Wikipedia Cloud Computing

References

1. The Internet Cloud
2. Gartner Says Cloud Computing Will Be As Influential As E-business
3. What's the difference Between Cloud Computing and SaaS?
4. Distinguishing Cloud Computing from Utility Computing
5. ORGs for Scalable, Robust, Privacy-Friendly Client Cloud Computing

Purpose

The "cloud computing" subject will be addressed at the upcoming Plenary as sanctioned by the Technical Council Chair. The rationale for my decision is to demistify the concept and to better understand what, if anything is substantially new or different in the concept. Its a jugdment call to be sure, but given the substantial discussion of this topic, a "no hype zone" discussion seems highly useful to the consortium. I look forward to Bob Marcus' stakeholder outreach arrangement of substantive discussion bearing on the capabilities, limitations and current state of practice of cloud computing. Given the significant international concern with Cybersecurity expressed by both the NCOIC Advisory and Exceutive Councils, I ask that we not overlook this aspect of the planned discussion." See Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium.

This Web 2.0 Wiki is to accomplish the following:

• Move content from Adaptable Computing Infrastructure Web 2.0 Wiki.
• Follow cloud computing developments at "Cloud Musings" and see Cloud Computing Guides .
• Learn more on Cloud Computing for National Security Applications and register for the Cloud Computing Education Series.
• Use the SOA-R wiki collaborative workspace to develop a reference architecture for cloud computing in the Federal space.

Events

Organizations

Open Cloud Consortium

Cloud Interoperability Forum

Government Cloud Computing Community (Hosted by Booz Allen Hamilton) (password required)

Tutorial

Tutorial: Slides

Mindtouch Deki Wiki User Manual: Wiki and PDF Formats.

New Help and Administration Documentation: Portal

Also see Architecture and Features (complete with Demo Video Gallery) for more information.

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