It is all about Cloud: Key Concepts, Players, and Technologies Training Course

1. Introduction to Cloud Computing

• Historical Context
  • From application hosting to Software as a Service (SaaS) to public and private cloud solutions
• Definition of Cloud Computing
  • Options: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and SaaS
• A Reference Architecture for the Cloud
• Common Usage Scenarios in Government
  • SaaS compared to traditional enterprise computing
  • The programmable Web: leveraging APIs in the cloud
• Migrating to the Cloud
  • Enhanced resource utilization through virtualization
  • Cloud management for scalability: automated, on-demand provisioning of resources
  • Economies of scale through shared infrastructure and applications
• Benefits and Challenges of Cloud Computing for Government

2. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

• IaaS Architecture and Key Features
  • Critical factors in selecting an IaaS provider
  • Overview of leading IaaS providers for government use
• IaaS Examples
  • Microsoft Windows Azure
    • Web Roles and Worker Roles
    • Scalability, load balancing, and failover mechanisms
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
    • Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Amazon Machine Images (AMI)
    • Enhanced IaaS offerings: AWS Application Services and Marketplace
    • Regions and Availability Zones for redundancy
    • Networking and security features
    • Monitoring, Auto Scaling, and Load Balancing capabilities
    • Developing scalable and fault-tolerant applications in the cloud
    • Lessons from major AWS outages and strategies for mitigation
    • User-friendly management interfaces

3. Private & Hybrid Clouds

• Private Cloud: Drivers and Challenges for Government
• Defining Requirements for a Private Cloud
• A Methodology for Building a Private Cloud in Government
• Managing the Private Cloud Effectively
• Vendors Supporting Private Clouds
  • VMware
  • Abiquo
  • Amazon Virtual Private Cloud
• Hybrid Clouds: Use Cases and Product Examples
  • Use cases for hybrid clouds in government operations
  • Product example: Eucalyptus
• Selecting the Appropriate Private Cloud Model for Government Needs

4. PaaS: Key Concepts & Major Players

• Definition of Platform as a Service (PaaS)
• A Comprehensive PaaS Stack
  • Evaluating options: IaaS+, pure-PaaS, or custom-SaaS?
  • Necessary functionalities for building cloud applications
• Multi-Tenancy in the Cloud
  • Understanding multi-tenant systems
  • Economies of scale through shared resources
  • Customizing applications for individual tenants
  • Considerations for developing multi-tenant applications, including stability, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), legal and regulatory compliance, security, maintenance, third-party components
• Detailed Overview of Major PaaS Providers
  • Microsoft Windows Azure
  • Google App Engine
  • Force.com
• The Future of PaaS for Government Operations

5. Synergy of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Cloud Computing

• Defining Services and SOA
  • The Service Layer Model and the concept of loose coupling
  • The evolution of SOA with Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)
  • The importance of REST in cloud environments
• Industry Perspectives on the Synergy of SOA and Cloud Computing
• Synergy Between SOA and SaaS for Government Services
• Synergy Between SOA and PaaS
  • Strategies to meet demand in cloud environments
  • Applying SOA principles such as loose coupling, encapsulation, and asynchronous services
  • Building multi-tenant applications based on SOA
  • Migrating legacy systems into the cloud
• Synergy Between SOA and IaaS
  • The concept of Service-Oriented Infrastructure (SOI)
  • Comparing service virtualization with server virtualization
  • Automated, on-demand resource provisioning in government cloud environments

6. Cloud Integration for Government

• The Importance of Cloud Integration and Its Challenges for Government
• How SOA Can Facilitate Integration
  • Transitioning from application integration to Service-Oriented Integration (SOI)
• The Role of Mediation in Cloud Integration
  • Key functionalities for effective mediation
• Reference Architectures for Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs)
• Specific Requirements for Government Cloud Integration
  • From ESB to “Internet Service Bus” for government applications
• Product Examples for Government Use
  • Windows Azure AppFabric
  • IBM Cast Iron
  • Fiorano

7. Standards and Open Source Software in the Cloud

• Cloud Computing Standards
  • Portability and interoperability challenges
  • Distributed Management Task Force, Inc. (DMTF)
    • Open Virtualization Format (OVF)
    • Open Cloud Standards Incubator
  • Apache Libcloud
  • Open Source Software (OSS) for Government
    • OpenStack

8. Securing the Cloud for Government

• The Evolution of Cloud Security in Government
  • From traditional Web applications to SOA to cloud environments
  • Comparing public clouds with on-premise data centers in government
• Multidimensional Approach to Cloud Security for Government
  • Dimensions: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
  • Dimensions: Network, Virtual Machines (VMs), applications, data
  • Dimensions: Cloud Service Provider (CSP) and tenant responsibilities
• Identity, Entitlement, and Access Management (IdEA) for Government
  • Authentication and access control mechanisms
  • Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), Extensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML), and Policy Enforcement Point (PEP)
  • Ensuring security across on-premise systems and multiple clouds in government
• Cloud Security Alliance Standards for Government
  • Cloud Controls Matrix, Consensus Assessments Initiative, Cloud Audit, Cloud Trust Protocol
  • Security, Trust, and Assurance Registry

9. Governance for Cloud-Based Services in Government

• Aligning Business, IT, Enterprise Architecture (EA), SOA, and Cloud Governance
• Why SOA Governance Should Serve as the Foundation for Cloud Governance in Government
• SOA Governance Frameworks, Standards, and Technologies
  • The Open Group’s Service Integration Maturity Model (OSIMM)
  • The Open Group SOA Governance Reference Model (SGRM)
  • SOA Governance Vitality Method (SGVM)
• Cloud Governance for Government
  • Similarities and differences with SOA governance
  • Delineating responsibilities between cloud providers and government customers
  • Testing governance through the process of switching cloud providers
• A Methodology for Implementing Cloud Governance in Government
• Technologies to Support Governance Implementation in Government

10. Outlook and Conclusions for Government

• Future Trends and Usage of Cloud Computing in Government
• The Growing Popularity of Hadoop in Government Cloud Environments
• Evaluating Cloud Return on Investment (ROI) for Government Projects
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Considerations for Government Cloud Initiatives