hot topic | TECHNOLOGY 101—2013
Technology 101 Technology is changing state government. Here’s a look at some of the issues states will be dealing with in 2013.
Up in the Clouds
capitol ideas
»
JULY / AUG 2013
34
growing broadband PLAINFIELD, VT.—Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin helped Vermont's Cloud alliance announce that it had added four new towers that will expand service to homes and businesses in Woodbury, Hardwick, Wolcott and parts of Elmore, Greensboro, Walden and Cabot. Broadband computer services are now available to 4,000 rural customers in northcentral Vermont. © AP Photo/Toby Talbot
State policymakers may not want to have their heads in the clouds, but that just may be where they want state data to go. Basically, cloud computing is delivery of on-demand resources over the Internet on a pay-for-use basis. The National Institute of Science and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce defines cloud computing as a resource that is convenient and provides on-demand access to things such as networks, servers, storage, applications and services. The institute lists five essential characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service. Services can be deployed through a private cloud, which is infrastructure exclusive to one organization; a community cloud, used by a specific group of organizations that have similar interests or concerns; a public cloud, which is open for public use and operated by a business, academic or government organization; and a hybrid cloud, which is composed of at least two of the previous infrastructure examples. Delaware was the first state to move to the cloud, according to the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. The state developed a cloud system comparable to the federal government’s cloudfirst policy in 2011. Read more about Delaware’s efforts on the Capitol Ideas website. The service seems to be growing in popularity and can save states money. In March, the state of Ohio granted a 10-year, $267 million cloudcomputing contract with IBM that’s expected to save the state $150 million, Columbus Business First reported.
