BlogReel

Technology Shift

2011-11-14T15:38:00.001-08:00

We are experiencing a major shift in the way people (consumers and businesses) utilize technology. Mobile devices have become more popular, internet pipes have increased in bandwidth, and the next generation of workers entering the workforce have never known a life without internet connectivity. Yes, it's official, how we use the Internet in our personal and professional lives is changing. Reliable and fast internet access from anywhere will be the norm in the future and the race to utility focused "cloud" computing is already following.

However, the Internet itself must now endure the growth and change. Some of the most painful aspects of this growth will originate from the regulations and controls that accompany our internet community. The founding father of the Internet let his opinion of this matter be known today when he offered some advice on challenges associated with connecting, regulating, and securing the Internet cloud. We will have to learn some lessons as this shift in cloud technology occurs. Fortunately, us technical folk have pretty good foresight to see what's coming down our geek tunnels...

Just four short years ago I was driving with Dr. Vint Cerf to an event in Davis after a brief data-center tour and IPv6 discussion in Northern California. At the time, I was working on a project to explore first responder use of secure Internet-driven communications (Internet everywhere) in the event of a major Sacramento flood. During our drive, we discussed problems related to delays of connectivity and communication limitations that occurred during the Hurricane Katrina flood disaster (which had just happened a few years prior). I knew Vint was an excellent problem solver so I asked for his scientific recommendations on dealing with internet reliability so first responder communications would always be available during disaster rescue efforts. After our discussion, we both recognized that connectivity to the Internet was the critical path in our problem and required some sort of meshed wireless "store and forward" technology so the Internet would not go down during a disaster. "Internet connections must have more bandwidth, be more reliable, be everywhere, and have lots of redundancy for these communications to be available," we agreed.

Fast forward to present day and we now see an abundant use of mobile devices along with an increased demand for fiber-optic Internet connections, high speed mobile connections just about everywhere, and many fat WiFi pipes to download the apps and data that serve our needs. We also see more complicated software, computers, and operating systems that overwhelm our budgets. We also see a new industry building around cloud computing that is packed with industry events to help us understand how cloud technologies are evolving.

Fantastic! The future is here now and we must adapt to the shift. But why is this shift moving us towards the cloud instead of our safe, warm, comfortable, and secure offices?

Because building and securing technology driven things that are complicated can be riskier and more expensive than having someone else do it for us as a service or utility fee. You see, the cloud is the same technology we know and love but delivered as a utility with an operational expense rather than a once every-three-year capital expenditure that requires constant care. Computing as a subscribed utility is catching on because it lets us focus on the information and application that's important to our lives and businesses rather than the overhead of hardware, operating system, and updates required to make the application and data valuable.

Think about it! When was the last time you built your own power plant to run your factory or to power your home? Did you buy a truck and hire your own employee to run garbage from your office or home directly to the land fill? When was the last time you told your employees, "Hey, we need more office space so let's grab a hammer, some lumber, start making concrete, and let's build a bigger office!" Well, that's exactly what we have been doing with our office technology. Then every three to five years we have to rip it out and replace it to support the "newer" version. With the cloud, by handing over the control of selective technologies to cloud utilities, we can keep up with our rapidly changing and complex technology.

What are some of those options? Well, we can put our servers at Amazon and scale out one, two, or hundreds of servers on an EC2 build in fifteen minutes, pay as we use them, always have the latest version, and ramp servers and applications down when we don't need them anymore. We can subscribe to Microsoft Office 365 or Google Apps and dump some of our server expenses altogether. We can even get rid of our phone system and sign up for a virtual pbx service so all we have to do is buy the handsets!

The point is that the Internet is generally reliable and fast enough these days that the cloud must be taken seriously. We must face the reality that we just can't scale some of our infrastructure fast enough to keep up the pace of growth, seasons, or changes in the business climate. Going to the cloud makes sense because cloud solutions scale up or down thus saving us time and money because we only pay for what we use.

Admittedly, we have a ways to go before the cloud is reliable enough to house ALL of our technology. However, I must admit that in this technologist's opinion, we can start moving email, some servers, backups, and other infrastructure and applications to reliable cloud providers. Fortunately, this technologist also specializes in everything Internet and believes that cloud technology is only going to get better, easier, more secure, and less expensive.

CLOSING FACT: Having a "control" issue? Did you know that ever since you first connected to the Internet, you have been relying on servers in the cloud that you have NO control over? Those servers are DNS root servers and they make it possible to type in a web address in your browser instead of a complicated, and difficult to remember, IP address. Without DNS, websites can't exist unless you know their IP address.

The New Generation of Corporate Computing Users

2010-08-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Late last year I attended an event to help IT Managers understand hiring expectations amongst the next generation of technology students graduating from our universities. The event was informal and featured a panel of the best and brightest computer science students from the University who have since graduated this summer and are now looking for jobs.

Along with my fellow technology colleagues, we were encouraged to ask the student panelists questions about their expectations in the work place. By the end of the event, I had come to the conclusion that these new workers are much different than the users we are used to supporting today. If you think about it, many of these students were born in the early 90s with many using dial-up Internet at the age five on personal computers in their homes. Yes, they are a home- computing generation through and through. Therefore, they are truly the first broadband connected generation on the hiring block and have very interesting perspectives on how their productivity can be maximized in the workplace.

Here are my "top three" next-generation user-productivity factors that will impact the way we deliver technology to our workforce in the years to come (by the way, many of these students have already begun submitting their resumes to a business near you):

1. They know way more about the Internet, internet security, and social networking then any other generation before us.

2. Their portable internet device (ie: iPhone, iPod, nintendo DS) use will play a big part in their workplace experience.

3. Real-time collaboration (ie: instant messaging, document sharing, texting, Skyping, etc) will drive their productivity.

So, what are the inevitabilities of these new-user factors? Well, there are many and I will do my best to address and offer remedies to the ones that concern me the most.

First off, since these new users know more about internet connected technology, they will embrace it and flourish if it works the way they expect. Since they have grown up using web-based email solutions such as gmail, yahoo, and, other "in the cloud" web solutions where they can send and receive files without size limits, you can probably bet that your in-house email system will not be an attractive tool for them. Try Google Apps, Microsoft BPOS, or some other form of hosted email system. Google Apps seems to be winning the feature battle for our new young users because their Google Mail (gmail), Google Docs, Google Talk, and Google Voice technology is leaps and bounds ahead of Microsoft on collaboration features that these users expect. Moreover, many of them already have active gmail accounts with extremely helpful email threading features that us "old" users have yet to embrace (upgrade to the latest iphone 4.x OS release and use the mail client; you will quickly understand the benefit).

Also, since these young users will know more about information security than even the most seasoned help desk technician, they are likely to understand the best ways to "get around" trivial firewall and network controls that impedes their productivity. Interestingly enough, their ability to maneuver around your security controls will be most often employed to get around productivity barriers rather than for malicious intentions. Start looking at more flexible security solutions that extend granularity and control. A good example is the Juniper Secure Access VPN device or the SonicWall EX Series SSL VPN. Rip out those traditional IPSEC client VPNs and replace them with one of these great devices. Your next generation user will work from home and you will have control over what files and applications on the network they are able to see remotely.

Social networking sites such as Myspace and facebook will segue into Linked In and Plaxo accounts. So how do you make sure these users are spending more time on Linked In then Facebook? Budgeting, prioritizing, or scheduling times for use of social-networking web traffic is the answer. You will require some type next-generation firewall to manage this traffic. Check out Fortinet's Fortigate which has the ability to prioritize LinkedIn traffic over Facebook traffic or even schedule certain times of the day (ie: lunch periods) when users can browse to sites you would rather not have them looking at during peak work periods. Proper policy around the budgeting of social network sites will definitely be experimental, so be prepared to modify your policy as you get a feel for what keeps these users productive.

Those ipods, ipads, and iphones are simply mini computers in disguise ready to copy corporate data and walk out the door to be stolen or lost. But policies that completely block personal mobile devices from the work place could cost you some quality talent. So, let them in with restrictions. Just make sure you have proper end-point and access control solutions in place to prevent data loss. Devicelock is a good USB protection tool to prevent data loss through USB connections. As for WIFI or network connected devices, Juniper's Universal Access Control (UAC) solution can provide granular access controls to specific devices and can even simplify identify management when coupled with the Juniper Odyssey Access Client.

Working in the cloud is also highly recommended for these new users. We must realize the fact that most of them are already used to cloud computing thanks to the abundant list of free online applications and tools delivered in a web browser that have been at their disposal throughout their school careers. Also, with their entrance to the workforce, they will come to expect portability, mobility, internet based tools that can be used wherever they travel. As such, cloud computing solutions will help them thrive. Most importantly, the cream of the crop energetic talent will take advantage of their cloud solutions on the weekends and into the evenings if they can listen to their iPod at home and work in the cloud at the same time.

History has proven that happy users are more productive. This new generation of corporate computing users have potential unmatched by those of previous generations simply because a large majority of them have been practicing and using internet connected computers since they were able to read. The good news is that if you embrace this generation of new workers/users, you can end up with a rockstar staff of young and eager innovators who can help you rise above your competition. Getting there is simple! All you need to do is maximize their productivity by catering to their computing expectations.

2010-06-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

Last week I received a call from Comstock’s Sacramento Magazine requesting information about cloud computing for an article to be published this summer. I also fielded no less than five phone calls with local business owners/executives who are “cloud curious”.

Let’s just face the facts now and admit that the next major buzzword technology is here, is in full swing as an industry, and will be “Cloud Computing.” So, we must now understand how our businesses will benefit from its use and what pain and suffering we must endure to embrace it. Moreover, we must recognize that most of the technology solutions of yesterday were built to be installed for a single-author/user whereas cloud computing solutions are designed to work in real time as a living and breathing resource that can be called upon instantly to achieve immediate business value.

The reality is that many executives in charge of technology for major enterprises are talking about "cloud computing" and not necessarily ready to say they are going to completely embrace the idea… I have found that as of this posting, if you ask them how they are currently using the cloud, most will firmly say, “we’re looking into it but it’s too premature to say that we are there.” Some are brave enough to serve up an honorable mention of a recently licensed version of Salesforce.com or Google Apps. However, most have nightmares about giving up the control of critical parts of their technology to a vendor who can make or break their business.

So, how about we open the reality jar and figure out the real risks, see if we are just reacting with fear, and see if businesses really are using cloud computing. More importantly, I want to know if they truly understand what, and how important, it is to be in the cloud.

If you ask a technology professional what the cloud is, they will give you one of a few answers with buzzwords such as “subscription software,” or “servers by the slice,” and the famous, “virtual servers in a data center.” In reality, being in the cloud can be all of those things, but none of them really define what “the cloud” really is. Hopefully, my perspective on the matter will clear this up.

I have concluded that the true definition of the cloud can be found in the original vision behind the Internet Protocol when it was built.

Vint Cerf, one of the universally declared fathers of the internet, once said to me, “We designed TCP/IP (the Internet) to insure that we would have a network upon which all applications could run.” Accompanying his design were the standards and ports of different protocols (ie: HTTP, SMTP, etc), that would define how applications could communicate. However, a lack of Internet bandwidth limited our ability to share computing resources and forced users to work independently. Hence, software companies built their software for the single author where the software could be licensed, installed, and run by an individual user. Only when a user completed and needed to communicate their “work” did the Internet network become useful.

Enter stage left, the web browser, web-based interactivity, and more bandwidth. Suddenly, these applications became collaborative (see instant messaging, video chat, etc) and feature rich. Suddenly, delivering an application from a central location as a utility became an achievable reality.

This concept is not new, and if history proves future lessons, than everyone better start running to “the cloud”. A great read by Nicholas Carr that addresses this evolution, “The Big Switch” talks of the beginning of industry and how factories used to have to generate their own power. They would build next to a river, setup a water wheel, and create power for their industrial machinery. As the technology to move power eveolved, power companies were able to build bigger power plants and connect them to factories to deliver power. Eventually, almost all power could be purchased and delivered to the customer across the wires with the power company managing all aspects of power deliver for much less than the business owner could. Today, very few companies generate their own power unless it makes financial sense. Is this example starting to sound familiar?

In short, we are seeing the same evolution in the information age that we saw in the industrial age. The cloud is what represents that idea and we need to understand how to embrace it.

that what we are calling "cloud computing" is just the next natural evolution of additional education is needed to understand what security risks are really being taken

Before we can define the cloud, we must first discuss the basics of computing and networking. First, we need to understand that every computer is made of three basic parts: the hardware, the operating system, and the applications. Second, we must understand that individual computers must connect to each other across the Internet network to achieve business value. Third, we must understand that having some open standards on how the computers and networks talk to each other will allow us to achieve business value. Lastly, entrepreneurs who develop of technology like to protect their technology investments by closing parts of what they develop so they are unique and defendable in the market place. The balance is making sure the standards are open enough for complimentary technology companies to insure their technology works with other technology so the business user can obtain value from multi-vendor environments.

Cloud computing is becoming the catalyst behind the evolving standard of collaborative and open technology. Simply defined, to deliver a cloud solution, you are simply delivering as a service one of, or a combination of, the computer and/or the network via the Internet where the hardware, operating system, application, or network reside outside of the ownership and responsibilities of the business. Notably, many will argue that the resources must be delivered across a web browser although I would disagree (to be discussed in future blogs). More importantly, the resources must work regardless of end-user operating hardware and operating system.

Now for what us technology folks lamely refer to as “the catch.” You see, the trick is that businesses must figure out how to migrate from the old legacy non-cloud licensed or acquired hardware solution all while activating their “in the cloud” solution. Plus, they must figure out how to make sure the new cloud solution will talk to their existing legacy environment that they have decided to keep in house. Fortunately, this is where companies like Sacramento Technology Group come in. Figuring all those things out also takes time and money. More importantly, you still have to train and administer users and going it alone can give any veteran technologist a major headache if they have not traveled the path previously. Fortunately, the most prominent cloud computing solutions appear to be the application itself delivered through a web browser as SaaS (Software as a Service). These transitions are actually are much less painless than you may fear.

Finally, let’s get down to the most visible concern with cloud computing. Security!

What drives my curiosity (no pun intended on the curious George reference please) about the typical CIO’s hesitation and paranoia around the “secure” use of cloud computing is that they have been technically using a cloud service, whether they know it or not, since they first connected their business to the Internet in the early 1990s. DNS, the service that make your domain names work with the IP addressing systems that drive the Internet, is in the cloud. The public DNS root servers are partially managed by ICANN and we depend on them, and other trustworthy organizations to make sure the DNS names we use to resolve our websites, email, and other applications are securely linked to our IP addressed given to us by our service providers. We have to trust them to make sure the DNS servers let our customers get to our websites, so I am hoping we can trust cloud computing vendors, who’s reputation are at stake, can do the same.

Also, take a look at the antivirus community of security specialists tracking hackers and viruses. These are people protecting us from viruses and security breaches weekly on patch Tuesday. We trust them because it would be virtually impossible to hire a team of our own virus and hacker hunters to sit in a cube at our businesses and catch viruses. These security vendors have a reputation to uphold and you should expect that if you are going to work with cloud computing company that they should just as good, or better, team of security engineers feverishly updating and fixing security problems in their cloud. Speaking frankly, a security device is only as good as the people configuring it and I have much more confidence in a team of 300-plus security engineers at Google Apps more than a single network or systems engineer who has taken on the security role of configuring security policies on my company firewall.

Finally, what about cost? Well, try building your own power plant and see how you fare. Or, take my advice and look into the benefits I have experienced directly with my organization’s own cloud computing solutions: There is no need to worry about struggling with hardware upgrades, sleep well knowing you don’t have to deal with major software upgrades, and forget having to install another piece of server security software or assigning expensive staff to deal with annoying little compatibility issues around server operating systems security patches or service packs. With the cloud, the upgrades, software patches, and security are all done by the service provider and the subscription and support can cost much less.

So, stop reading my blog and ask yourself why we all are aren’t flocking to the cloud.

Blog Launch

2010-06-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hello my fellow technologists... I am happy to announce the introduction of Sacramento Technology Group's first blog site. I do hope you come back to visit every now and then to see the latest and greatest technology developments in cloud computing, network infrastructure, and software.

2010-06-04T18:07:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Sacramento Technology Group Blog.