Business-Driven Architect

Cloud Watch now underway: Lawyers, Data and Money

brendamichelson — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:16:39 -0500

This week, I've started up the Cloud Watch section of Elemental Cloud Computing. Cloud Watch items are snippets from cloud computing industry news, business and technical publications, and thought leaders. These snippets may be as short as a 140-character tweet, or as long as a few paragraphs. Cloud Watch items will be posted throughout the course of the day, and may be expanded as more voices and sources cover a hot topic. Cloud Watch items may include a short Elemental Cloud Computing perspective. The opening cloud watch items are a mix of business and economics, and data, contracts and legal...

Elemental Cloud-o-gram

brendamichelson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:18:58 -0500

Note: With the launch of Elemental Cloud Computing, I published my “Cloud-o-gram”. The complete post follows. Whenever I explore or explain a technology construct, my natural inclination is to pick up a pen and draw. The resultant diagram typically contains domain, interaction and mind mapping elements. Despite the non-standard output, these diagrams help me delve into broad and/or complicated topics, and communicate with practitioners. My exploration of cloud computing is no exception. As I was researching cloud computing, I created the following “cloud-o-gram” diagram. Rather than (yet another) definitional or architectural diagram, the cloud-o-gram is my interpretation of the cloud...

Technical Debt Management: Pay the Interest or Pay down the Principal?

brendamichelson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:46:12 -0500

Let’s face it, Enterprise Architects and CIOs don’t always see eye-to-eye. In my experience, the most common point of contention is “get it right” versus “get it done”. And of course, this is never an academic conversation, it’s typically a hasty phone call, email or conversation trigged by a “new finding” at a “crucial moment” for a “critical project”. At the risk of over generalizing, in these “emergencies”, the deciding factors are time, short-term cost, security risk and short-term technical risk (availability, reliability). So, if bypassing the architecture gains time, but creates a security or short-term technical risk, then no...

@ Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Green IT Summit: Report from Trenches: What's Working in Virtualization and Green IT

brendamichelson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:57:01 -0500

Reports from the Trenches: What's Working in Virtualization and Green IT, moderated by Larry Hale, Director, Office of Infrastructure Optimization, GSA Panelists: Jack Baxter, Manager, IT&S, Government Printing Office Richard Fichera, Director, Blade Systems Strategy, HP Bernard Golden, CEO, HyperStratus Dale Wickizer, US Public Sector CTO, NetApp Larry Hale has some starter questions for the panel: 1. Biggest challenges in adopting virtualization? Jack Baxter: Greatest challenges: application qualification, funding, hardware and how it's going to be used. Heterogeneous environment calls for a lot of up-front research. Dale: Moving to cloud computing requires a mental shift. Iron huggers need to switch...

@ Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Green IT Summit: Progress Report on Cloud Computing in Government

brendamichelson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:48:46 -0500

Cloud Computing in Government: A Progress Report, moderated by Robert Ames of IBM Panelists: Doug Bourgeois, Director, National Business Center, Dept. of the Interior Casey Coleman, CIO, GSA William (Bill) Turnbull, Associate CIO for Advanced Technology and Systems Integration, Department of Energy Robert Ames of IBM opens, sets context for panel and quips on the 4th Cloud Delivery model, "Hype as a Service", via David Vap. Casey Coleman, opens saying hard to give progress report at this early stage, but there is a lot of momentum for cloud computing in the government. A big part of that momentum is the...

@ Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Green IT Summit: Federal Sustainability Success Stories / Electronics Stewardship

brendamichelson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:50:51 -0500

Federal Sustainability Success Stories / Electronics Stewardship, moderated by Cate Berard, US EPA Panelists: Jeff Eagan, Program Manager, Federal Electronics Challenge, Department of Energy Holly Elwood, Electronics Stewardship Coordinator, Office of Environmental Policy and Assistance, EPA Johnny Lopez, Chief, IT Division, OUSD (P&R IM), Dept. of Defense Holly Elwood opens, talking about EPA's electronics product registry initiative. From the EPEAT website: "EPEAT is a system that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers desktop and laptop computers, thin clients, workstations and computer monitors. Desktops, laptops and monitors that meet 23...

@ Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Green IT Summit: Tod Nielsen, VMWare

brendamichelson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:55:34 -0500

Energize and Save, Tod Nielsen, Chief Operating Officer, VMWare, opening keynote Todd starts by talking about all of the government agencies VMWare works with. The list is extensive. One example, the CIA is virtualizing 4000 servers, saving millions in capital and energy costs. Gartner factoid, 89% of virtualized apps run on VMWare (dated December 2008). Early in virtualization journey, 0 - 20% virtualized, the big savings is Capex. These projects are typically for IT owned assets, file and print, mail etc. Next phase, is line of business applications, the concerns here shift from just capex to "speeds and feeds", business...

@Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Green IT Summit, Washington, DC

brendamichelson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:15:57 -0500

This week, I'm attending 1105 Government Information Group's Virtualization, Cloud Computing & Green IT Summit in Washington, DC. The program is a mix of invited speakers, panels and professional education sessions, featuring both government IT and technology industry leaders. I'm interested in all three topic areas, so I'll be splitting my time across the tracks, as well as taking in the exhibition area. This is the first Government cloud event I've covered. I'm interested to hear about the opportunities, successes, issues and concerns of this early adopting community. And of course, how those compare/contrast with enterprise IT adopters. It's my...

SOA Consortium Declares Mission Success, Announces Future Plans

brendamichelson — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:03:40 -0500

Today, the SOA Consortium declared success on its advocacy mission to help the Global 1000, major government agencies and mid-market business successfully adopt SOA by 2010. The SOA Consortium's declaration is supported by recent industry research, the high value case studies submitted to its case study contest, and industry momentum around business and technology strategies that are dependent upon a SOA foundation. From today's press release: "When the SOA Consortium began, SOA was more of a fringe methodology that only a few organizations were doing with any great success, rather than an accepted part of an overall business strategy....

What are real people doing with SOA?

brendamichelson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:41:48 -0500

I just posted this on SOA Consortium Insights. This is the final evolution of the SOA Drivers diagram I first posted on elemental links a year ago (more or less). A frequent question to the SOA Consortium is “What are real people doing with SOA?”. Sure, folks see and appreciate the winning case studies. But, what about the “every organization”. What problems, or opportunities, are being resolved using a SOA approach? What’s the best place to start? Top-down from business strategy? Bottoms-up from IT projects? Somewhere in the middle? This is best answered in three parts, starting by level-setting on...

Cloud Computing Picks for Business Analysts

brendamichelson — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:56:00 -0500

Recently, a business analyst asked me for some cloud computing reading ideas. His goal was to get familiar with cloud computing without drowning in technobabble or wading through near-religious rhetoric. After sending him an email with some picks, it occurred to me that many business analysts are similarly interested. With that, here is a selection of cloud computing reads and topics you should keep an eye on. Cloud Computing Basics In the basics, you are looking to learn about cloud computing components, offerings and economic value. Because without value, there is no need to explore further. Some starting points: The...

SOA Case Study Contest Special Recognition Winner: NY State Department of Taxation & Finance for e-MPIRE

brendamichelson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:06:25 -0500

Last week, the SOA Consortium announced that NY State Department of Taxation and Finance is the special recognition winner for Government/Public Sector in the SOA Consortium | CIO magazine case study contest. NY State Department of Taxation and Finance Case highlights - originally posted by me on SOA Consortium Insights -- follow. Organization Background The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance is responsible for the administration of the state's tax laws, including the administration of related local taxes, and the management of the State Treasury. Business Scenario tweetmeme_source = 'bmichelson'; Modernization & Re-engineering: Existing systems had several business...

SOA Case Study Contest Special Recognition Winner: FINRA for NYSE & NASD Member Regulation Merger

brendamichelson — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:57:56 -0500

Earlier this week, the SOA Consortium announced that Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA) is the special recognition winner for Regulatory in the SOA Consortium | CIO magazine case study contest. FINRA Case Highlights -- originally posted by me on SOA Consortium Insights -- follow. Organization Background The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Created in July 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and the member regulation, enforcement and arbitration functions of the New York Stock Exchange, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through...

SOA Case Study Contest Special Recognition Winner: BlueStar Energy for NextStar™

brendamichelson — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:58:07 -0500

Yesterday, the SOA Consortium announced that BlueStar Energy is the special recognition winner for Energy/Utility in the SOA Consortium | CIO magazine case study contest. Highlights from the BlueStar Energy Case follow. Company Background BlueStar Energy is an independent retail electric supplier, certified to sell electricity in Illinois, Maryland and the District of Columbia. In addition, BlueStar provides green power and energy efficiency solutions to home and business customers. Business Scenario tweetmeme_source = 'bmichelson'; Business Agility: BlueStar’s business is in a very fluid regulatory environment. Business conditions change all the time, and the IT infrastructure has to adapt to those...

SOA Case Study Contest Winner: Cisco Systems IT for Commerce Transformation

brendamichelson — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:48:12 -0500

Moments ago, we announced that Cisco Systems IT won top honors in the SOA Consortium | CIO magazine case study contest. Highlights from the Cisco IT Case follow. Company Background Cisco Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures and sells hardware, software and services to create Internet and networked based solutions. Business Scenario tweetmeme_source = 'bmichelson'; Inconsistent, Disconnected Business Processes: Cisco's legacy infrastructure had more than 400 diverse applications, many of which supported products and services that had been developed and acquired over the years. Consequently, several core business processes such as product ordering and pricing were becoming inconsistent, monolithic, complex, and inflexible...