SIIA: Software & Information Industry Association

“Navigating the Cloud” is a series of webinars to help software publishers combat the challenges associated with delivering software applications as a service in the cloud. Co-presented by Forrester, IDC, SafeNet and Saugatuck Technology, the webcast series educates software publishers on best practices for software monetization in the cloud, including service catalog definition and management, usage authorization and metering, business process optimization, and more.

Finding Success in SaaS
August 17, 2010, 1pm EDT

Adapting at Cloud Speed
September 9, 2010, 1pm EDT

Cloudy with a Chance of Insight
October 7, 2010, 1pm EDT

Lucrative Pricing and Packaging Strategies for the Cloud
November 4, 2010, 1pm EDT

Making the Transition: Your Journey into the Cloud Defined
December 13, 2010, 1pm EDT

For more details and to register, visit: http://www.safenet-inc.com/NavigateTheCloud

For most Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), discussion on the Cloud has moved from “whether” to “when and how.” On paper, at least, there’s little question of the value of the Cloud, which promises to facilitate the development process, streamline delivery, and closely align investment with revenue. The allure is also felt by enterprise customers, who are attracted to the cloud as a flexible, low-maintenance delivery model.

But as is usually the case, there’s a large gulf between concept and implementation. For start- ups and companies looking to add software to their product portfolios, launching a successful cloud delivery model requires a solid business plan that includes development, production, and go-to-market approaches. For well-established ISVs, the challenge is no less daunting. They may find that adopting the new delivery model requires far more time, money, and research than anticipated – and that it can disrupt business processes far beyond the development. Yet, the risk of taking no action is as great as the risk of taking the wrong action. How, then, can ISVs successfully integrate the Cloud into their businesses?

In this paper, Stratecast examines the fragmented and still evolving cloud-based Software as a Service market. We look at the pitfalls and benefits to ISVs, along with considerations to guide the decision to enter the cloud. Finally, we look at the IBM SaaS Specialty Program as a high-value option for helping ISVs build and execute a SaaS strategy.

Clickability Case Study Presenter:
Tom Cignarella, VP of TechOps

NaviSite Case Study: Jeff Johnson and William Toll will discuss a contract for an enterprise SaaS provider that required the development of agreements that spanned multiple internal business groups. The demands on NaviSite’s SLA’s were not only difficult to manage, but also difficult to measure. You’ll hear how they negotitated and delivered on the SLA’s required to close the opportunity and manage their ongoing service needs.

Clickability Case Study: Clickability, the global leader in on demand Web Content Management delivers mission critical web sites for a wide range of customers. VP of Technical Operations and Support, Tom Cignarella will discuss the SLA’s in place to satisfy these customers. Tom will review the background for creating the SLA’s for system availability and support, challenges faced and how it has been successfully implemented.

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United States Government is the world’s largest consumer of information technology, spending over $76 billion annually on more than 10,000 different systems. In September 2009, the Federal Government launched the Cloud Computing Initiative and Apps.gov to streamline application adoption of cloud computing at Federal agencies.  Since that time, Apps.gov has served as the Federal agency storefront for approved cloud computing applications, including business applications, cloud services, productivity apps and social media software.

While these steps have helped to speed-up Federal deployment of cloud computing, many small and medium-sized companies are still struggling to understand and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the Government’s embrace of cloud computing.  In this webinar Matthew Goodrich, Project Manager for FedRAMP and Apps.gov, will outline the Cloud Computing strategy, how companies can get on the GSA schedule and participate via Apps.gov, as well as additional initiatives underway to further streamline the difficult procurement process that should make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to participate.

In this webinar you will hear from the GSA as they outline their Cloud Computing strategy, including Apps.gov, getting on the GSA schedule and more.

Speaker:
Matthew Goodrich
Project Manager, FedRAMP and Apps.gov
General Services Administration

Moderator:
Morris Panner
Chief Executive Officer
TownFlier, Inc.

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Written by Michal Wachstock, Director of Online Marketing, Clarizen

In Elizabeth Harrin’s (PM4Girls) latest Podcast about Social Media in Project Management (download the full podcast here), she describes Social Media in the work environment as “Collaboration and Communication with Purpose”. While the term “Social Media” is the generic name for web based tools created in the belief that the internet will help people with interaction and conversation, “Social Media for Project Management” becomes a functional tool that allows project members to better communicate and collaborate in a functional and meaningful way.

The Internet was once a static ‘brochure’ like platform, sort of an encyclopedia of static information that was suddenly available at the click of a mouse. But as technology has developed, the Internet has allowed people to express their desire to communicate in a community forum. Because we are naturally social beings, by allowing people to get more personal and to interact with one another in meaningful conversations, the Internet initially replaced informal chatting but is also now replacing many forms of formal, business communication as well.

Project Managers are microcosms of the ‘real’ world around us. They need to know how people interact and communicate and then harness these tools to get people to start communicating about their projects. Now that it is clear that these principals of communication, openness and collaboration are not just a fad, project managers have two choices. They can continue doing what they have done successfully for years, in the same way they have been doing it for years. Or, they can understand that people are working differently than they were 10, 5 and even just 3 years ago and embrace these changes that are going on around us.

To read the rest, visit Clarizen’s Blog

By Barry Long, xAssets

In March of this year the United States CIO, Vivek Kundra, mandated that government agencies and departments begin to develop plans to consolidate their data centers. With 1,200 data centers currently in operation, the task will not be an easy one. However, it should bear real fruit. With software and file servers accounting for more than a quarter of the federal IT budget, and with server utilization estimated to be under 15% of total capacity, consolidation could result in some real savings in the billions of dollars.

The project has an aggressive schedule, with a target date of April 30, 2010 for the creation of an initial inventory. Developing a comprehensive inventory of the IT assets that comprise any data center is the most fundamental step in making any substantive change, and it is the right first step. The real question is not the merits of performing the inventory, but how to complete it in such a short time and develop accurate results.

For data centers with a developed IT asset management (ITAM) solution in place, the job is probably already done. Automated inventory and discovery operations keep track of devices, configurations and installed software, providing detailed reports on an on-demand basis. For those without an ITAM solution in place, the task will be daunting to say the least. Consider some of the obstacles:

*Physically counting and recording the configuration of all the devices in each data center, including end points, network equipment and software, could take months, not weeks.

*Purchase records are likely decentralized and only reflect purchases, not moves, changes or disposals.

*A manual reconciliation of installed software and purchase records is typically out-of-date before it is finished.

*A fully functional installed ITAM solution can extend over several months before any usable data is retrieved.

Faced with these challenges, what options are available to the agency CIO or data center manager? The answer can actually be found in another of Mr. Kundra’s initiatives – the use of cloud computing applications in government operations. The use of cloud computing, or hosted applications, is almost a novel concept in government computing and is not the first place IT managers look for a solution. As Kundra observed in a recent speech, “What I would submit to you is … we’re focused on building datacenter after datacenter, procuring server after server, and we need to fundamentally shift our strategy on how we focus on technology across the federal government.” In a report entitled “Saving Money Through Cloud Computing,” (www.brookings.edu/papers/2010/0407_cloud_computing_west.aspx) released by the Brookings Institute on April 7 of this year, the adoption of cloud-computing is supported and estimated that by doing so federal data centers could actually save 25% to 50% of their operating budgets. The report cites various cloud-computing implementations across the country as practical case studies of how the cloud can be successfully implemented in government environments.

Returning to the need to create accurate data center inventories as mandated by Mr. Kundra, federal IT managers should look to the cloud for help. Cost effective, efficient and accurate cloud-based ITAM solutions are available that can create a comprehensive inventory of the data centers in the required  timeframe and without disrupting any data center operations.

In fact, a cloud-based ITAM application may be exactly the right tool for that first step. Cloud-based ITAM solutions include a broad spectrum of benefits:

*They are provided as a service, obviating the need for lengthy installations on data center equipment or the acquisition of dedicated servers.

*The service can be up and running in days, with usable data almost immediately available.

*Services can be made available for a one time inventory, or for ongoing use, on a pay-as-you-go basis.

*A software license is not required. Some solutions are listed on the GSA schedule, eliminating the need for a lengthy RFP process.
*Agentless applications are available, eliminating the need to add any software to the end point devices.

*The software is always up-to-date. No patches, upgrades, bug fixes or annual maintenance contracts are required. Neither is a full-time system administrator.

*Overhead costs typically associated with operating an installed application, such as cooling, power, floor space, maintenance and back-up operations, are eliminated.

*In most instances, the need for professional services is nominal, further reducing the cost of the service.

*Being web-based, the IT asset information is available from any location with internet access

In today’s economic environment, cost is always an issue. Cloud-based ITAM solutions can be a fraction of the cost of a traditional installed software solution. There is no up-front license fee and the service can be contracted for a single inventory scan lasting for several weeks. Alternatively it can be subscribed to on an annual basis. The number of users can be incremented or decremented as needs dictate and maintenance fees do not apply. As there is no local installation, the service is up and running days after the acquisition is completed, with usable data available within days of initiating the service. In addition, the service never becomes an obsolete or out-dated legacy system requiring ongoing and expensive support.

To be sure, cloud-based ITAM solutions are not a panacea for every government discovery and inventory project.  In closed and highly-secure networks, it is unlikely that any outside access would be permitted or possible. In any government application, security is always a concern. Issues such as not having control of the information, not allowing outside access to the data center and relying on third party security provisions are commonly voiced. However, as cloud-computing has matured so has the security of the applications and the data centers hosting the applications. Vendors have taken great pains to address the common security related concerns.

Regarding maintaining control over the data, cloud-based ITAM vendors offer dedicated databases and even dedicated servers, that are only accessible by the customer. The level of control is equal to that of a locally maintained database, with the added assurance that backups are rigorously scheduled and that a failover site is also maintained to insure constant availability of the information.

In addition, dataflow is typically outbound only. In most cases a collection server, which can be an existing virtual machine and need not be a dedicated device, aggregates the discovered information behind the firewall and then communicates with the hosted  application server. Access to the application and database is login and password protected and is further restricted by a customer defined departmental and role/responsibility matrix. Users view and manipulate data on the hosted server and can print to authorized devices. The firewall will not be breached by incoming data.

Most commercial hosting vendors maintain SAS-70 certificates. An SAS-70 certification and the accompanying  Service Auditor’s Report, with an unqualified opinion issued by an Independent Accounting Firm, differentiates the hosting provider from other firms by demonstrating that it has established effectively designed control objectives and control activities. Beyond partnering with hosting providers who maintain SAS-70 certificates, vendors of cloud-based ITAM solutions have the option of employing Secure Socket layer encryption. Each SSL secured transaction consists of a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt information and the private key is used to decipher it. When a Web browser points to a secured domain, a SSL handshake authenticates the server (Web site) and the client (Web browser). An encryption method is established with a unique session key and secure transmission can begin. The combination of SAS-70 standards and SSL security insures both data integrity and a secure hosting environment.

Clearly, a case can be made for the use of cloud-based ITAM applications as a tool for developing the IT asset inventories needed to begin the federal data center consolidation process. The software will add even more value as the program gets underway, as decisions are made as to exactly what areas can be consolidated. The ongoing benefits of using the data captured by the ITAM application will yield even more benefits as the data centers become more efficient and server utilization increases. Cloud-based ITAM solutions will become one of the lasting tools that agency CIOs and data center managers can rely on to insure that the data center consolidation process yields the intended benefits and efficiencies.

Barry Long is the US Business Development Director for xAssets. He has extensive experience dealing with agencies in the federal government, particularly with regard to IT asset management programs. He is a member of the SIIA Saas/Government committee. Readers can contact Barry at barry.long@xassets.com

By Ben Rushlo, Director of Consulting Services, Keynote Systems Inc.

It would be great if the performance of your company’s Web site, where your customers are browsing, shopping and spending their money, could rely solely on the expertise of your IT staff.

If that were the case, you could ensure customer shopping satisfaction without assistance by building a feature-rich Web site, maintaining a robust IT infrastructure and implementing an efficient Web load testing strategy to keep your online business humming.

The problem, though, is that many of those cool, customer-friendly features that you offer on your site – like helpful “zoom-in” features, glitzy Adobe Flash components, “help-seal-the-deal” video streams, product reviews and “roll-over” details – are likely being added to your pages through Web-based connections to third-party providers. In other words, the performance and reliability of your online business is out of your direct control. No longer are complex Web sites built just by our own staffs. Today’s class-leading modern sites bring in components from far-off servers maintained by a variety of vendors to essentially create “composite Web” sites for online businesses.

But to your customers, your site brings all these helpful, decision-making features to their Web browsers as though it all comes only from you. So if a page doesn’t load or if performance is slow, you can bet they won’t be blaming any behind-the-scenes third-party providers. Instead, they’ll be blaming you, then rushing off to find a competitors’ site where they can make purchases without such aggravation.

Of course, you don’t want that to happen and you can prevent it. To do that, you need to understand and manage this “composite Web” so that you can gain more overall quality control for your customers. So how do you do that? The best plan is to start with detailed, high-quality Web performance analysis and measurement of your site, along with related performance data for all of the add-in components being served up by other vendors.

The traditional data center analysis tools you already have can’t see what’s happening in your customer’s browser and do not track how your “composite” pages are performing. You need specialized Web tools that analyze your site’s performance out on the Internet, in a real browser, in the same ways that your customers are going to your site and interacting with your rich Web features.

Bringing in a Web browser-based external measurement service will help you better manage your site’s performance, along with that of your third-party vendors. Be sure to choose a performance monitoring solution that tracks the various composite pieces of the pages separately, so you can manage them individually. You can then use that information to tighten your Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with your vendors to ensure that their contributions to your site’s sales success are living up to your customers expectations. If problems are found in the analyses of the site and its composite parts, then you have the critical information at your fingertips to get improvements from your vendors, and are on your way to improving online performance.

Ultimately, this “composite Web” performance data is a hugely helpful new business metric that can keep your customers coming back again and again. And that’s an expense worth investing in.

Today’s software vendors face a new kind of challenge: how to prepare their businesses to meet new software delivery models that are adding layers of complexity onto the already-complicated processes of financing, producing and billing for software licenses and related maintenance and services fees. Whether your business is SaaS, on-premise, or navigating the two, this webinar will cover the strategies you can use across finance, sales, service, and IT to maximize your company’s business performance.

Speakers:
Laura Sachar, General Partner, StarVest Partners
Paul Turner, Director, NetSuite
Jim Holtzman, CFO, FieldGlass

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You can still view tons of video footage, content and slide decks from last year. Just visit the OnDemand Europe 2009 Presentations page.

You’ll find footage of the keynote presentations by Zach Nelson of NetSuite, John Wookey of SAP, Adrian Joseph of Google, and dozens of other presenters and panelists!

We’re thrilled to launch this year’s “Call for Speakers” for OnDemand Europe! To apply for a speaking slot, enter your email address and follow the instructions here.

The deadline is June 22nd!