Cloud Computing and the Intelligence Community — Do they fit?

Apparently yes! In fact, Bob Gourley, the Chief Technology Officer at Crucial Point, says the Intelligence Community is leading the cloud computing charge. He’s just wrapped up a whitepaper for the Intelligence Community.

He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program why.

Bob Gourley talks Cloud Computing with Chris Dorobek by cdorobek

The 8 Big Takeaways from Gourley’s White Paper:

• Decision makers in the Ic are appropriately focusing on the business model implications of cloud computing. cloud computing is not just a new technology, but a significant shift in the consumption of It resources and allocation of It funding.
• Within the Ic, the decision to adopt a cloud model is focused on mission enablement and must be determined on a case-by-case basis. the evaluation of cost savings must bear in mind costs over the complete lifecycle, rather than a periodic budget cycle.
• Information security can be enhanced through a cloud computing approach, but only when it is built into the model’s design. If security is not part of the design, cloud computing architectures dramatically increase risk.
• The type of cloud deployment model adopted will be determined by the sensitivity of data hosted.
• Those looking to migrate to the cloud must consider impacts on organizational culture.
• Improvements to how agencies acquire services, software, and hardware are strongly desired by most personnel involved in the implementation of cloud computing, and many believe that the adoption of a cloud solution may catalyze these changes.
• As standards for cloud computing emerge, thoughtful federal input can contribute to greater security and cost efficiencies. any organization contemplating adopting a cloud architecture, including those within the Ic, should include the ability to support multiple standards.
• Lessons learned from the It industry, the private sector, and academia must inform Ic decision making. Sharing lessons learned is essential to reducing risk

To listen to Bob’s full interview you can catch the full radio show at GovLoop Insights or your can subscribe to our itunes channel.