Digital Discourse / Software / Cloud Computing

This Week in the Federal Cloud: March 26-30

March 30, 2012 By

A lot happened this week around the federal government’s move to cloud computing and related technologies – everything from GSA’s Dave McClure announcing that current IaaS BPA holders will be the first to go through the FedRAMP certification process, to the federal government announcing a $200m “big data” investment to GSA Chief Martha Johnson pushing shared services and Amazon and NIH announcing plans to put human genome project data in the cloud. The links below give you more information.

Michael Hettinger is VP for the Public Sector Innovation Group at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Cloud/Gov, Government, Policy, Policy - Cloud Computing, PSIG, Software Tagged With: ,

Special Offer to Attend NaviCloud Expo Complimentary

March 29, 2012 By

Join SIIA member Navisite April 4-5 at NaviCloud Expo and hear a panel of executives from leading companies to talk about their experiences.

In this session, “Cloud: The Inside Story,” gain insight and hear first hand from customers who have already begun their migration to cloud computing and services. This forum will provide you the opportunity to learn from your colleagues as they share their experiences: what criteria they used to make decisions; how they developed an implementation strategy; and considerations they took into account before moving forwarding. The panel includes:

  • Michael Sheehy, Chief Technology Officer, ASOS, a top online UK retailer
  • Gareth Evans, Enterprise Solutions Architect, Isentry, a leading software and solutions provider for highly regulated industries
  • Brian Lincoln, Director of IT Cloud Services, Pomeroy, a recognized leader in the service desk and managed desktop services market

Who should attend?
The NaviCloud Expo is the perfect opportunity for CIO’s, CTO’s, directors of IT and IT managers to network with their peers and hear directly from experts about the newest trends in cloud computing and how it will effect business now and in the new future.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Software Tagged With: , , ,

Tip #5: 10 Tips to Maximizing Your Time at All About the Cloud

March 28, 2012 By

Tip 5: Let loose and Have Fun!

We know that your primary reason to attend a conference is to gather relevant information and making business connections. We also know how exhausting this can be so we have incorporated a number of fun activities where you can let loose, all the while, still networking and learning. The first “The Cloud is Right” game show is sure to be an interactive session where you see your peers face off in friendly competition. The game show is just a tee off for the annual Dell Boomi party. Some may say this party is legendary! Many fun memories and business connections have been made at the Dell Boomi party and you won’t want to miss the activities we have planned for this year. To make sure you leave the conference relaxed we are closing the conference with the 27th Annual CODiE Award presentations. While we are announcing the awards we will be filling you glasses and your bellies as you see who is selected as the best software products of the year. To maximize your time at All About the Cloud, leverage these activities to let loose and have fun. Some of the biggest business deals have been done over a drink at these types of events, yours might be next!

Rhianna Collier is VP for the Software Division at SIIA.

 

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Filed Under: All About the Cloud, Cloud Computing, Software, Software Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Mark your Calendar: Key Spring Federal Cloud Computing Dates

March 26, 2012 By

Now that Spring has arrived, it’s time for cloud providers and tech companies that do business with the federal government to mark their calendars with the season’s key cloud dates, opportunities and deadlines.

March: Progress on Shared First
This month’s targets include agency assessment of the current state of shared services, identification of two commodity IT areas to be shared, and incorporation of current and future shared service areas into the EA transition plan.

Mid-April: Cloud First/FedRAMP Deadline
First 3rd Party Assessment Organizations (3PAOs) to be approved

May: Shared First Target
Develop a roadmap to improve quality

June 5-7: NIST Cloud Computing Workshop V
The forum and workshop, held at the Department of Commerce, “calibrates the NIST Cloud Computing program and USG Cloud Computing Technology Roadmap initiative with external stakeholders” and “features panels focusing on Federal and private sector topics of interest and showcases work completed through NIST chaired public working groups.”

June 8: Cloud First 18 Month Deliverables Due

  • Create a government-wide marketplace for data center availability
  • ScaleIT program management career path
  • EnableIT program manager mobility across government and industry
  • Reduce barriers to entry for small innovative technology companies
  • Roll out the  “TechStat” model at the bureau level

Want to stay up to date on key Federal cloud dates? Get involved with the Public Sector Innovation Group (PSIG), a new division of SIIA comprised of innovative software and IT services firms seeking to take advantage of the evolving Federal investment in cloud-related technologies. The PSIG builds off the themes of SIIA’s annual Cloud/Gov Conference that has tracked the transformation of Government IT procurement over the past six years.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Government, Policy, Policy - Cloud Computing, PSIG, Software Tagged With: , , ,

SIIA Launches Public Sector Innovation Group to Address Changes to the IT Acquisition Environment

March 15, 2012 By

SIIA today announced the launch of a new membership group to help technology firms take advantage of the evolving Federal investment in cloud-related technologies. SIIA also announced that it has brought on Mike Hettinger, a Capitol Hill veteran and leading expert on public sector management, to direct the new division.

Called the Public Sector Innovation Group (PSIG), this new membership division will help cloud service providers and Third Party Assessment Organizations (3PAO) take advantage of the evolving Federal investment in cloud-related technologies. PSIG is the only organization of its kind to serve this innovative segment of the public sector technology market. While SIIA been a leader for years in guiding tech companies in the government procurement process, the formation of PSIG reflects the dramatically changed government marketplace.

The move to the cloud is an enormous opportunity for many government contractors. The creation of PSIG will help SIIA members understand the changing landscape, seize upon new government initiatives, and generally be better positioned for success with Federal IT procurement.

SIIA has been guiding our members through this process for six years, with our annual Cloud/Gov conference at the centerpiece. When the Federal government issued its ‘Cloud First’ policy last year and adopted the FedRAMP Concept of Operations, we knew it was time to do more to help our members understand the impact of changes to the IT acquisition environment.

Hettinger most recently served as Executive Director overseeing Strategic Planning and Market Development in Grant Thornton’s Global Public Sector Practice, where he was responsible for firm-wide strategic business planning, federal marketing, and external relations. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Hettinger was the staff director of the House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance and Accountability. Hettinger also has an extensive background in public affairs, having served as a Public Policy Counselor at Patton Boggs LLP, where he oversaw large-scale lobbying and public affairs campaigns. Prior to joining Patton Boggs, Hettinger was Chief of Staff to Representative Tom Davis of Virginia.

Read more about PSIG in today’s Government Computer News feature.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Government, Policy, Policy - Cloud Computing, PSIG, SIIA News, Software Tagged With: , , ,

Tip #3: 10 Tips to Maximizing Your Time at All About the Cloud

March 14, 2012 By

Tip 3: Leverage Your Time in San Francisco

For those of you who have attended All About the Cloud in the past, you know how much we pack into the program. Between conference sessions, networking activities, and business meetings, schedules fill up quickly. If this is your first time attending All About the Cloud we promise to keep you busy. Plan now to leverage both the audience we have gathered in San Francisco and also your visit to the Bay Area. While the conference will keep you busy on Wednesday and Thursday, utilize Monday, Tuesday and Friday to schedule other business meetings, maximizing your time in San Francisco. In fact, we have organized a number of pre-conference activities on Tuesday that you can leverage for meetings and networking. Speed Networking is a MUST! http://www.siia.net/aatc/2012/schedule.asp

Rhianna Collier is VP for the Software Division at SIIA.

 

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Filed Under: All About the Cloud, Cloud Computing, Software, Software Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Tip #1: 10 Tips to Maximizing Your Time at All About the Cloud

February 29, 2012 By

We are just 10 weeks out until the 7th All About the Cloud conference in San Francisco. Since I have actively participated, and some may say survived, the last 6 years of this event I thought it would be helpful to share some tips on how to get the most from your conference attendance. Each week I, along with some featured guests, will provide tips to help you organize your time at the conference and leverage all that the event has to offer. To kick us off…

Tip 1: Come prepared with your questions! Over the past 7 years, we have had a number of widely recognized and distinguished speakers cross our stage. 2012 is no different! This year you will hear keynote presentations that will help ISVs scale their cloud offerings and enhance their products with mobile technologies. We will also be joined by a Pulitzer Prize Finalist who will give us a look ahead into the next stage of cloud disruption. An additional 50 experts will take the stage over the course of two days to address your most compelling business issues, ultimately providing you with the advice you need to grow and monetize your business.

All of our speakers, keynotes included, are happy to take questions from the audience. Come prepared with your questions. If you don’t get the answer you were looking for from the presentations or discussions don’t be afraid to ask. Our speakers benefit from your questions just as much as you benefit from their answers.

Rhianna Collier is VP for the Software Division at SIIA.

 

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Filed Under: All About the Cloud, Cloud Computing, Software, Software Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,
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