Overview: Across all industry verticals, cloud computing has become a strategic imperative for IT organizations by redefining the standards for cost effectiveness, scalability and speed to market. As cloud computing becomes mainstream, these organizations are now struggling with the task of managing multiple cloud services providers. This task, referred to as Cloud Service Brokerage (CSB), manages the consumption and maintenance of cloud services and deployments that span multiple Cloud Services Providers (CSPs). To keep up with the explosive growth of cloud services, IT departments now need to either build cloud service brokerage expertise in-house (Internal CSB) or partner with an external brokerage service provider (External CSB).
According to the National Institute of Standards a cloud service broker "provides a cloud-user a unified and enhanced management interface to multiple cloud-providers." The institute also identifies the essential features of a CSB as a unified interface, federated cloud-subscriber credentials for multiple cloud-providers, and federated access to multiple cloud-provider programming interfaces. A CSB can make cloud services more valuable because they work closely with cloud providers to get price breaks or access to more information about how a service works. In addition, they have more experience working with multiple providers and across many consumer scenarios. Instead of spending time and money to address these problems internally, consumers can leverage solutions offered by CSBs that allow organizations to focus on other pressing business needs instead. A viable CSB provider can make it less expensive, easier, safer and more productive for companies to navigate, integrate, consume and extend cloud services, particularly when they span multiple, diverse cloud services providers.
The State of Texas Department of Information Resources has used a CSB for over four years. Among the lessons learned, this multi-year project showed that the use of a cloud broker can:
Why should you attend: In a cloud computing world, IT is locked into a real-time operational linkage to the delivery of products and services. Operational requirements now include:
Be it internally or externally based, the lack of a cloud service brokerage strategy will exacerbate all of these functions leading to revenue loss or mission failure.
A defined CSB can make cloud services more valuable because it helps the organization work well with cloud providers in order to get price breaks or access to more information about how a service works. In addition, they gain experience working with multiple providers and across many consumer scenarios. Instead of spending time and money to repeating mistakes, organizations can leverage the skills and expertise of their CSB. Internally or externally based, a viable CSB can make it less expensive, easier, safer and more productive for companies to navigate, integrate, consume and extend cloud services, particularly when they span multiple, diverse cloud services providers.
Areas Covered in the Session:
Who Will Benefit:
According to the National Institute of Standards a cloud service broker "provides a cloud-user a unified and enhanced management interface to multiple cloud-providers." The institute also identifies the essential features of a CSB as a unified interface, federated cloud-subscriber credentials for multiple cloud-providers, and federated access to multiple cloud-provider programming interfaces. A CSB can make cloud services more valuable because they work closely with cloud providers to get price breaks or access to more information about how a service works. In addition, they have more experience working with multiple providers and across many consumer scenarios. Instead of spending time and money to address these problems internally, consumers can leverage solutions offered by CSBs that allow organizations to focus on other pressing business needs instead. A viable CSB provider can make it less expensive, easier, safer and more productive for companies to navigate, integrate, consume and extend cloud services, particularly when they span multiple, diverse cloud services providers.
The State of Texas Department of Information Resources has used a CSB for over four years. Among the lessons learned, this multi-year project showed that the use of a cloud broker can:
- Help organizations screen their applications for cloud feasibility and prioritizing cloud migrations accordingly;
- Address the challenges of cloud model comparisons due to the variables in product offerings, including the business models, service levels, and package inclusions;
- Translate capacity requirements into provider line items, thus allowing for accurate estimation of cloud cost;
- Provide a cloud service order review or approval workflow facility, a function not normally provided by cloud service providers; and
- Provide a means to regulate payment across the different organizational entities.
Why should you attend: In a cloud computing world, IT is locked into a real-time operational linkage to the delivery of products and services. Operational requirements now include:
- Tracking and management of shadow IT activities
- Reducing cloud and cloud service sprawl
- Coordination of multiple cloud management tools
- Extension of IT governance to multiple external cloud service providers
- Rapid acceleration and distribution of application development and deployment activities
- Integration of cloud services with existing management processes
Be it internally or externally based, the lack of a cloud service brokerage strategy will exacerbate all of these functions leading to revenue loss or mission failure.
A defined CSB can make cloud services more valuable because it helps the organization work well with cloud providers in order to get price breaks or access to more information about how a service works. In addition, they gain experience working with multiple providers and across many consumer scenarios. Instead of spending time and money to repeating mistakes, organizations can leverage the skills and expertise of their CSB. Internally or externally based, a viable CSB can make it less expensive, easier, safer and more productive for companies to navigate, integrate, consume and extend cloud services, particularly when they span multiple, diverse cloud services providers.
Areas Covered in the Session:
- Improving cloud service efficiency
- Tracking and management of shadow IT activities
- Reducing cloud and cloud service sprawl
- Coordination of multiple cloud management tools
- Extension of IT governance to multiple external cloud service providers
- Rapid acceleration and distribution of application development and deployment activities
- Integration of cloud services with existing management processes
- Avoiding consistent budget overruns
- Establishing a secure self-service IT model
- Create a unified cost model across all computing sources
- Incorporate cloud services into capacity planning models
Who Will Benefit:
- CEO
- CIO
- CFO
- CTO
- Chief Innovation Officer
- Head of Research & Development
Kevin L. Jackson is a senior information technologist specializing in solutions that meet critical commercial and government operational requirements. Currently working as an independent consultant, prior positions include VP & General Manager Cloud Services NJVC, VP Federal Systems at Sirius Computer Solutions, Worldwide Sales Executive at IBM, Vice President Global IT Project Office at JP Morgan Chase, and CTO at SENTEL Corporation. Through his “Cloud Musings” blog, Mr. Jackson has been recognized as one of Cloud Computing Journal “World’s 30 Most Influential Cloud Bloggers” (2009, 2010), a Huffington Post Top 100 Cloud Computing Experts on Twitter (2013) and the author of a FedTech Magazine “Must Read Federal IT Blog” (2012, 2013). In 2012, he was also named a “Cyber Security Visionary” by U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine.
Kevin is also the founder and editor of Government Cloud Computing on Ulitzer electronic magazine. His first book, GovCloud: Cloud Computing for the Business of Government was published by Government Training Inc. and released in March 2011. His second book, released in 2012 by the same publisher, is titled “GovCloud II: Implementation and Cloud Brokerage Services”. He is also a co-author of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance whitepaper “Cloud Computing: Risks, Benefits, and Mission Enhancement for the Intelligence Community”. Kevin L. Jackson has been deeply involved in the broad collaborative effort between industry and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology on the federal government’s adoption of cloud computing technologies. He is the Rapid Deployment Executive for the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium and also serves and the consortium’s Cloud Computing Working Group Chairman. His formal education includes a Master of Science, Electrical Engineering (Computer Engineering); a Master of Arts degree in National Security & Strategic Studies; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. Mr. Jackson is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Information Technology at the George Mason University Volgenau School of Engineering.
Kevin is also the founder and editor of Government Cloud Computing on Ulitzer electronic magazine. His first book, GovCloud: Cloud Computing for the Business of Government was published by Government Training Inc. and released in March 2011. His second book, released in 2012 by the same publisher, is titled “GovCloud II: Implementation and Cloud Brokerage Services”. He is also a co-author of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance whitepaper “Cloud Computing: Risks, Benefits, and Mission Enhancement for the Intelligence Community”. Kevin L. Jackson has been deeply involved in the broad collaborative effort between industry and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology on the federal government’s adoption of cloud computing technologies. He is the Rapid Deployment Executive for the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium and also serves and the consortium’s Cloud Computing Working Group Chairman. His formal education includes a Master of Science, Electrical Engineering (Computer Engineering); a Master of Arts degree in National Security & Strategic Studies; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. Mr. Jackson is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Information Technology at the George Mason University Volgenau School of Engineering.
