Evaluating the Cloud An Executive Perspective

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Evaluating the Cloud –

An Executive Perspective

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In This Session

•

Why is the cloud gaining traction?

•

Types of Cloud Deployments

–

IAAS

–

Hosted Cloud

–

Azure

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In This Session

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Rapid Deployment

Once took several weeks to deploy customer environments

• Order hardware (physical servers) • Go to data center (install servers)

• Order software and receive in mail (DVD)

Today can deploy in hours

• Virtual machines (redundancy/failover) • Virtually deploy (save time and money)

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Advantages: Per User Per Month

You can easily predict on-going software/hardware

expenses

•

Easy to budget

•

Includes access to new versions of the software

Can easily add and remove users

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Resources and Maintenance

Less dedicated IT resources needed for specific applications

• Training costs will come down

• Certifications required for the Cloud team

• No need for wide range of knowledge (Citrix, SQL,

network, OS, RDC) Automatic escalation

• Your Cloud provider is on it

• Cloud proactively monitors the servers

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Compliance

Audits

•

Can rely on Cloud provider to provide details for

expensive audits

•

Less time for your own people to be involved

Licensing

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In This Session

•

Why is the cloud gaining traction

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IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

• Per month charge for NAMED full user access

– Includes the following

• Virtual Terminal Server

• Virtual SQL Server Instance (Dynamics) • Operating System Licenses via SPLA • SQL Server License via SPLA (Dynamics )

• Remote Desktop Connection License via SPLA (RDC) • Anti-Virus

• Backup License

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Socius Cloud Services

Cloud Setup

• Acquire and manage licensing required by Socius

• Setup and configuration of the Virtual servers that will host Dynamics software • Setup and configuration of the SQL instance

• Installation of Dynamics Software

• Setup and configuration of Remote Desktop Connection • Setup and configuration of printer drivers as needed • Installation of Microsoft Office per named user • Installation of Adobe Reader

• Creation/deletion of new system user logins • Configure monitoring and backup services

Cloud Routine and preventative maintenance (from Agreement)

• Manage and install Windows updates for the Operating System on virtual servers • Manage and install Microsoft service packs and hot fixes

• Manage and install SQL server updates

• Manage and install service packs for the Dynamics software • Manage and monitor daily backups

• Manage weekly pickup of backup tapes for offsite storage • Troubleshooting of network connection issues

• Monitor server logs for alerts and errors • Maintain firewall for proper security

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Hosted Software Deployment Model

• Per user per month charge

– Includes the following

• Dynamics software License via SPLA (GP, NAV, AX, SL) • Virtual Terminal Server

• Virtual SQL Server Instance (Dynamics) • Operating System Licenses via SPLA • SQL Server License via SPLA (Dynamics )

• Remote Desktop Connection License via SPLA (RDC) • Anti-Virus

• Backup License

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Technology trends impacting the way we work

Mobile

By

2016

,

smartphones and tablets

will put power in the pockets of a billion global consumers.

65%

of companies are deploying at least one social software tool.

Social

The world’s mobile

worker population

will reach

1.3 billion

— over 37% of the total workforce—by 2015.

Cloud

Millennials will make up

75%

of the American workforce by 2025

Digital content will grow to

2.7ZB in 2012, up 48% from 2011, rocketing toward 8ZB by 2015. Over

80%

of

new apps will

be distributed or deployed on clouds in 2012.

Big data

70%

of businesses are either using or investigating cloud computing solutions

80%

growth of unstructured data is predicted over the next five

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Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or

service provider interaction.

A Definition of Cloud Computing

On-demand self-service Broad network access Resource

pooling elasticity Rapid Measured service

Essential Characteristics of a Cloud (NIST)

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Where is the cloud?

• Private Cloud = Datacenter in control of the customer

• Partner Hosted Cloud = Datacenter owned by a partner typically in-country

• Partner Cloud = Datacenter owned by cloud provider

Infrastructure

Owned by customer

Private Cloud

Infrastructure

Owned by service provider

Partner hosted Cloud

Infrastructure

Owned by cloud provider

Public cloud

Location - typically in country - typically in country - typically not in country

Update - customer controlled - partner controlled - cloud provider controlled

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Cloud is Changing The Conversation

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Identity

Virtualization

Data Platform

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In This Session

•

Why is the cloud gaining traction

•

Types of Cloud Deployments

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Factors to Consider

•

Capital Expenditures vs. Operating

Expenditures

•

Location of the Data

•

Infrastructure

•

Security & Audit

•

Staffing

•

Licensing & Billing

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CapEx vs. OpEx

Capital Expenditure

•

Deductible over time

(36 months)

•

Large upfront costs

•

Multiple vendors

(many)

•

Managing assets

Operating Expenditure

•

Immediate deductible

•

One vendor (or few)

•

Monthly billing

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Location of the data

• Currently under a desk or in a closet? – Disaster Recovery Plan?

– Where in U.S.? Floods, Hurricane, Katrina – Remote access? Boston Bombing

• Do you rent space at a Data Center?

– Cloud providers can get reduced rates based on the

amount of space used

– Can you consolidate? – Long term leasing?

– Power and cooling, and any networking costs • Have you considered moving to a Data Center?

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• Do you need to purchase additional hardware? – 3 year life cycle

– Lease or Buy?

• What is your long term strategy? – Growth? Merge?

• Do you have redundancy built in?

– Could you or would you do this the same plan

in-house?

– What is acceptable down time?

• Cloud provides the ability to scale up or down as needed

quickly

• High cost upfront can be barrier for new businesses

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Security & Audit

• Do you provide services that requires an audit by a 3rd party? • Compliance needs?

– HIPPA, ecommerce

• Is your Cloud provider SSAE16?

– With Cloud provider you can hand over SSAE to reduce time and

risk for your company

– Yearly cost

• Is your team educated and proactively monitoring security threats? • Do you have physical security of your data?

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Staffing

• How many people on staff today? What do you envision in 3

years?

• Cloud provides “one-neck” philosophy

– Can contact provider 24/7 if services are not available – All applications become mission critical

• With Cloud, you can consolidate resources and/or allow staff

take on new tasks

• Don’t need to “know it all”

– You have extension to your team

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Licensing & Billing

• Tracking Licenses

– Administrative tasks – Microsoft audit

– Do we have enough licenses?

– Can reduce and increase as needed – Can lease vs. purchase

• Flexible billing

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