1. Cloud Computing: Useful tool, or
water vapor?
August 4, 2010
National Association of Bar Executives
Michelle Murrain
Director of Engineering, OpenIssue, LLC
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2. Talk Overview
•Definitions
•How did we get here?
•Examples
•Advantages and Disadvantages
•Implementing Cloud Computing
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3. Definitions
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5. Definitions
•“Cloud” computing is the situation
where resources (storage,
processing, display) are contained
offsite and accessed through the
internet
•“Cloud” computing is a buzzword
•“Cloud” computing could be called
just as easily “Internet” computing
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6. How did we get here?
•Cloud computing depends on the
following components:
• Cheap hardware
• Open Source operating systems and services
(web servers, etc.)
• Open Standards allowing easy data flow
• In earlier days, we had the mainframe - but
it was a silo
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7. Examples
•There are many different cloud
companies - and many large companies
have cloud computing efforts
•Cloud computing is the hallmark of
Web 2.0
•Both public and enterprise examples
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8. Examples, cont.
•There are 3 basic “cloud” flavors:
• Cloud Services
• Cloud Servers
• Cloud Software
•Some Cloud providers (especially
Google) provide a mix
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9. Examples, cont.
•Services:
• Email, Files, Calendaring
•Servers and Storage:
• Iron (but virtual)
• Backups
•Software:
• Productivity
• Financial
• Fundraising
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10. Google
•Google pretty much only exists in the
cloud
•Google Apps (Services and Software):
•Cloud Mail, Calendaring,
Collaboration Tools, Productivity
tools
•Versions for public as well as
enterprise
•Very popular among organizations
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15. Amazon
•Different kind of cloud provider
•Provides server resources
•Provides Unix and Windows servers
•You install and configure for your
own needs
•Provides easy scalability
•Inexpensive storage
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18. Salesforce.com
•Salesforce.com is Software as a
Service
•Originally a Salesforce Automation
and Customer Service tool - has now
become much more broad
•Different versions with different
capabilities
•Increasingly popular in nonprofits
•Development platform for web-
enabled databases
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21. Advantages of “The Cloud”
•Servers and Services:
• No hardware to service
• No hardware to buy
• No hardware to break
• Lower electricity bills
• No need for WAN
• Ease of integration with other cloud tools
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22. Advantages of “The Cloud”
•Software
• No custom software to maintain
• For Commercial Software: Costs are
comparable (or lower), but without hardware
and hardware maintenance costs
• Integration with other cloud tools is easier
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23. Disadvantages of “The Cloud”
•Internet access required (cut off
from mission-critical
data/functionality if there is no
internet access)
•Doesn’t integrate with on-premise
tools well
•Security compliance must be
investigated
•Data is not in-house
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24. Other issues
•Security of data kept in the cloud can
be both less secure, and more secure
than data kept on-premises.
•Weigh software license fees with
monthly Software-as-a-Service fees
•Weigh hardware maintenance costs
against monthly server CPU/Storage
costs
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25. What’s next?
•Implementing Cloud servers, services,
or software is very much like
implementing any technology change
in your organization:
• What are the points of pain?
• What are the needs of users?
• What is the budget?
• Will the proposed solution get the job done?
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26. Overall Comments
•“The Cloud” is just water vapor -
don’t buy the hype - don’t just move
to the cloud because it’s the next big
thing.
•That said, Cloud servers, services,
and/or software might be a good
solution to particular points of pain.
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27. Overall Comments
•If you are looking for a specific
technology change (like a new
CRM/Donor database, or a new email
service, new data storage needs)
don’t forget to look carefully at the
Cloud options
•At this point, there are cloud options
for every mission-critical technology
function that an organization needs.
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