Pioneer of e-Governance initiatives in Kerala, Principal Secretary (IT) of the state Ajay Kumar — has been taking up Cloud Computing for furthering the cause. The 1985 batch IAS officer has rolled technology, applied economics and business management into a single mission— to make Kerala high on Cloud computing. In a conversation with Pravin Prashant, he elaborates his plans for the state.
Are you aware about cloud computing?
Yes. We are in the process of developing a cloud bed with the help of Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala (IIITMK).
Are you planning to deploy cloud computing in your state? If yes, which departments will be able to utilise the potential of cloud?
We are intending to use cloud computing on a private cloud. We would prefer to wait for the technology to evolve and mature before considering the use of public cloud for sensitive government applications.
We intend to deploy cloud computing in our state data centre (SDC). We have over 150 servers and applications working in the SDC and several of these servers are only partially utilised. We hope to leverage the spare capacities of existing infrastructure in the SDC through virtualisation and cloud computing.
However, before deploying cloud on live applications and servers, we are developing a test-bed of cloud computing to understand the challenges and complexities. The test-bed will help us develop capacities to develop and deploy various type of cloud solutions and cloud delivery models like Infrastructure –As-A-Service, Platform-As-A-Service, Software-As-A-Service etc. This phase is for creating capacities for technology development and testing the feasibility of applying cloud to any application software as a test-bed.
Proper system design and architecture of existing systems, virtualization support, hardware and software compatibility, support of vendors and service providers, domain and application service providers, standardization etc have to be ready before implementation of cloud technology in the country. We do expect to address technical issues such as: interoperability of hardware; support of existing hardware and software; support of virtualization technology to existing machines; and compatibility of application software.
The test-bed creation has already started in IIITMK in collaboration with CDAC. In about six months time, we hope to start the deployment of cloud to some servers in SDC. We would initially virtualise servers which are managed by the Kerala State IT Mission and thereafter move to assist other departments.
Is your state planning for a pilot on cloud and later move to a full scale deployment once the results are favorable?
Yes, as already explained, we are in the process of creating a test-bed at IIITMK.
What implementation challenges do you foresee in terms of cloud computing implementation in the country?
Cloud computing is an evolving technology and capacities for the technology within the country are only at a nascent stage. Only a few technology companies have successfully deployed clouds. Due to the sudden eruption of interest in the potential of this technology, a large number of companies have jumped into the fray. Till all these companies actually gain experience and expertise, we can expect some failures and disappointments. From governments’ perspective, there is need to tie-up various technical issues before going for cloud computing. These relate to interoperability of hardware and consequent economical viability; support of virtualisation technology to existing machines; compatibility of application software etc. Even vendor-lock in should be carefully guarded.
Do you feel cloud computing can fulfill scalability requirement?
Though cloud technology promises an economic, green and scalable development and delivery mechanism, it is early to make a definitive statement in this regard.
What is the cost benefit that one foresees for cloud computing deployment?
Virtualisation, resource sharing, network and storage resources sharing, licenses to software, are the some of the factors for cost saving. Several of the peaking requirements can be met much more efficiently and without creating infrastructure for such peaking requirements.
What are the new developments happening on cloud and are you satisfied with the security developments with respect to cloud computing?
Cloud computing is still evolving as a technology and we may see it mature over the next five years or so. During this evolution period, we may expect to see developments around issues like standardization, new business delivery model, SLAs, pricing, life cycle management and global outsourcing. Since cloud platforms run on web application, security and data privacy are big concerns around cloud computing.
Do you feel cloud computing can lead to regulatory changes in the Indian scenario. If yes, what changes one can expect on the regulatory framework?
Cloud computing brings about a paradigm shift in the way computing has been done traditionally. As a result the legal framework in its present form does meet the issues raised by this new form of doing computing business. These issues arise both for private computing as well as for public computing, though the issues arising in case of public computing may be more acute.
Let me cite a few situations where the present legal framework is found deficient. For example, in a cloud, the data is processed on a system which has no responsibility to the client or with whom the client has no direct agreement.
In such a situation, how does the client enforce any obligation on the server processing its data in case of data breach? Will the responsibility lie with the service provider offering the cloud services or the servers which are integrated to form the cloud over which the cloud services are offered? How do we ensure reliability and security of different systems integrated to form a cloud to a common level? What shall be the responsibilities of the integrators and what shall be the responsibility of servers comprising the cloud? What standards need to be adhered to? What are the responsibilities of the servers partaking in the cloud with respect to data retention and destruction and how can it be ensured that the servers destroy all data and do not keep residual data?
There are several intricate issues which will need to be resolved, and suitable legal models evolved which would protect the interests of the parties involved. We may expect these changes to happen over the next couple of years.
Service level Agreement (SLA) is a big issue in the case of cloud computing. How will it get resolved?
It is difficult to visualise exactly how the SLA issue would get resolved. The difficulty in traditional SLA has been described above. One possible solution could be as follows. We may have to evolve standards for systems which partake in cloud, standards for aggregators/integrators and standards for clients of cloud systems. We should thereafter create a legal obligation on each of the players to ensure that they observe the standards failing which they would be liable. Thereafter, SLAs should explicitly mention whenever cloud computing is proposed to be offered as a service and consequential legal obligations on each player should ensure.
Are you satisfied with technology standardisation with respect to cloud computing. If no, what is your suggestion?
There is need for greater open standards in this technology for it to proliferate widely, especially within the government sector. Similarly, interoperability standards also need to be defined on similar lines. All vendors should necessarily comply with these. Presently, the technology vendors are heavily weighed towards vendor lock-in and this could lead to heavy costs for the users in future. Formal Technology standardisations are yet to take shape for cloud computing.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Pravin Prashant
Quelle/Source: iGovernment, 06.04.2010
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