Evolving on strategic and economic needs, early last year 2012 and after months planning a route for Cloud Computing, Government of Extremadura (GobEx) developed its Cloud Computing project. Having completed the first phase, now GobEx plans to improve availability and security of its ITC services by implementing a second active node.
The most important result of the first initiative was the start-up of the first Public Administration shared IT Centre. A Public Infrastructure / Private Managed Services Datacenter whose main objective is the provisioning of technology services available for everyone.
Public Administration Web portals, corporate email accounts, database and every new of information system services are now being provided from the primary cloud node on a pay-per-use basis. This decision may avoid the spread of small local and unsustainable clouds. Saving costs and taking the opportunity for companies operating in Europe to share knowledge and getting a chance to drive the cloud-computing model in Extremadura.
By the end of that year 2012, within the framework created by the Digital Agenda, the Commission adopted the European Cloud Computing Strategy 'Unleashing the potential of the Cloud Computing in Europe'. The aim of the Strategy is to facilitate faster adoption of cloud computing in Europe.
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-713_en.htm
Since then, many others Public Administrations like municipalities and other regions have considered widespread implementation of this model. Following the market core tenets, technological strategic trends and footsteps to improve IT efficiency. Even the Spanish government has recently named for the first time a CIO. Chief who pointed a plan to promote and develop a better sharing of its IT infrastructure and applications. This should be done in a combined effort with the private sector. And why not, the same way as it has been accomplished in Extremadura.
However, serious concerns about the effect of PRISM revelations on the adoption of cloud computing have been recently expressed. Trust could be restored with more transparency and the use of high standards, specially concerning security and safe. In this direction, the Commission calls to action Europe to be the world's leading 'trusted cloud region'.
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-898_en.htm
The European Commission also warns us against fragmentation or segmentation of the cloud computing market along national or regional lines that could unfortunately hold back the development of cloud computing in Europe. I entirely disagree at this point. What about the European Interoperability Framework? What is the Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations (ISA) program for? Following EU data protection directives and deeply applying EU interoperability guidelines should be enough to achieve the cloud model purpose across the EU borders.
One of the benefits and particular characteristics of cloud computing model is the location independence. A secure cloud federation between datacenters would improve assurance of availability. Interoperability should solve data transfer across border inside the EU if necessary.
Recently, Gijs Hillenius submitted a well-rounded article pointing the Public administrations to join cloud research project. Moreover, discussing about cloud worries and demands.
https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/news/public-administrations-shoul
The model implemented in Extremadura aims to improve regional qualified employment. Remember, Cloud can help create jobs and boost economic growth. Each and every of our economic growth. Also, What better centralized & homogeneous environment than cloud for a Public Administration to easily deploy OSS at one fell swoop?
Extremadura is again a pioneer and so far is becoming at the forefront of Cloud strategies in Europe for Public Administration. Applying safety, security and interoperability measures on its first cloud node, now plans to deploy the second one in a Technology Center at Badajoz. As said by the President of Extremadura on his 2nd & 3rd government white papers.
Both in sync to get a more reliable network for its citizens’ electronic services and in addition, a better replication and data protection policy.
Things here are going well enough. Extremadura has already come a long way. This is the right path, against the flow.