White Paper Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings … · 2018-08-31 · 4 Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings for

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Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings for Government Agencies Davis Johnson, NetApp

August 2013 | WP-7189

Abstract

Cloud computing is undergoing rapid adoption by government agencies. By evolving existing

IT infrastructures to include cloud capabilities, agencies are positioned to achieve significant

operational and cost benefits in the delivery of agency services. To successfully make the

transition to this new computing model, NetApp is leading the way with proven technologies to

deliver the storage capabilities that will power cloud infrastructures both now and in the future.

2 Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings for Government Agencies

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Adoption of Cloud Computing Escalates........................................................................................... 3

1.1 Different Cloud Models Support Different Business Objectives ......................................................................3

2 NetApp Cloud Technologies ............................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Superior Storage for Cloud Computing ...........................................................................................................5

2.2 Secure Multi-tenancy ......................................................................................................................................6

2.3 Service Automation and Management ............................................................................................................7

2.4 Integrated Data Protection ..............................................................................................................................7

3 Dynamic Data Center for Private and Hybrid Clouds ....................................................................... 8

3.1 FlexPod ...........................................................................................................................................................8

4 Hybrid Cloud Solution .......................................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Combine on-Premise FlexPod with Public Cloud Capabilities ........................................................................8

4.2 NetApp Private Storage for Amazon Web Services ........................................................................................9

4.3 Storage as a Service .......................................................................................................................................9

4.4 Financing Flexibility .........................................................................................................................................9

5 Selecting the Right Cloud Model ........................................................................................................ 9

6 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 11

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1) NetApp cloud-computing technologies. ............................................................................................................5

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1) Cloud-computing models. ...............................................................................................................................3

Figure 2) Private cloud benefits. .....................................................................................................................................4

Figure 3) Secure multi-tenancy is a critical requirement for cloud computing.................................................................6

Figure 4) Achieve storage and service efficiencies across cloud infrastructure with NetApp OnCommand. ..................7

Figure 5) FlexPod dynamic data center. .........................................................................................................................8


1 Adoption of Cloud Computing Escalates

Government agencies—federal, state, and local—are evaluating the move to cloud technology

deployments due to the many economic and technical benefits. Scalable on-demand cloud-computing

services extend the advantages of virtualization and shared services, positioning agencies to quickly

respond to changing business requirements with an efficient, flexible IT infrastructure.

U.S. Federal Government

Federal agencies have been under a “cloud-first” mandate from the White House since the fall of 2009 to

achieve operational efficiencies by adopting "light" technology and shared services. However, obstacles

such as data protection and performance need to be addressed before moving confidential information

outside an agency-dedicated IT environment. Once preventive measures have been taken, it is easier for

agencies to adopt a full cloud approach for their organizations.

State and Local Government

Many state and local agencies are also following the move to private- and public-cloud models to

increase efficiencies and save tax dollars. A cloud infrastructure streamlines the way technology is used

to deliver services, resulting in the ability to quickly provision servers and storage at a lower cost.

1.1 Different Cloud Models Support Different Business Objectives

Deciding which cloud model offers the best fit depends on the critical nature of the workload and how

security and compliance requirements will be handled. Whether a cloud is public, private, or a hybrid, the

key to success is creating an appropriate infrastructure in which all resources can be efficiently utilized

and shared. And in a cloud environment, implementing the right data storage model becomes even more

crucial to effectively support the requirements of a shared infrastructure model.

Figure 1) Cloud-computing models.

Private Cloud

Private clouds are about IT flexibility, efficiency, and cost savings. With a services delivery model, IT can

offer services to its internal customers from a service catalog, automate processes, meter usage, create

showback or chargeback models, and deliver services for greater cost savings, utilization, and

efficiencies.

Storage Foundation

Shared Infrastructure

Public

Cloud

Private

Cloud

Hybrid Cloud


According to a recent CIO study1, the top benefits expected from moving to a private cloud business

model include increased IT efficiencies/lowered costs, less downtime/planned outages, improved SLAs,

and more reliable security.

Private clouds, which are dedicated to an agency for use by its internal organizations behind the firewall,

provide an excellent cloud-computing model in which maintaining applications and data internally is the

driving business factor. Through private clouds, agencies can:

Deliver resources on demand. Internal organizations and users can securely access pools of shared resources immediately without compromising data protection.

Automate the provisioning process. Self-service portals can be created to allow internal groups to request and receive access to IT resources with minimal IT support, saving time and money while speeding time to market with innovative new services. When projects are completed, shared resources can be reallocated, eliminating overprovisioning.

Make informed decisions. IT can easily monitor and analyze which departments use specific resources to define and meet internal SLAs, optimize IT service catalogs, and make more insightful business decisions.

Figure 2) Private cloud benefits.

Public Cloud

For many agencies, the potential cost benefits of procuring cloud services from service providers are the

driving force. In the CIO study mentioned earlier, respondents expected to realize the ability to buy and

use resources on a per-need basis, scale up and down to meet variable workloads, and reduce

provisioning time by moving to a public cloud business model. By acquiring cloud services from service

providers to manage specific workloads, such as messaging or disaster recovery, agencies can move

from a capex to an opex model, enhance efficiencies, provide IT on demand, and accelerate time to

market with new agency services. However, initial service provider selection and planning are critical to

obtaining ROI from an outsourced model.

Accelerate time to market with on-demand infrastructure.

Streamline administrative tasks by outsourcing noncore applications.

Reduce IT capital requirements with a pay-as-you-go expense model.

Improve data protection with disk-based backup and disaster recovery.

Leverage reliable and secure cloud services through NetApp partners.

To facilitate the evolution to the cloud, NetApp has developed a global network of world-class service

provider partners who deliver a comprehensive portfolio of cloud services built on NetApp® technology.

1 CIO LinkedIn Market Pulse Study: Cloud adoption, benefits and strategy – May 2011

Reduce time to provision systems

and activate new

applications

Host multiple tenants on a single,

secure shared

infrastructure

Gain operational and staff efficiencies

with standardized

management

Reduce manual effort with policy-

based automation

Cost and efficiency savings


Hybrid Cloud

An emerging cloud option that offers many of the benefits but does not require moving all of an agency’s

information to a cloud infrastructure is known as a “hybrid cloud.” The hybrid cloud combines the

availability, performance, agility, and control of the agency’s storage with the highly reliable, scalable, and

low-cost infrastructure of the cloud. This model can provide the best of both worlds—agencies are able to

compute in the cloud and store on the premises. By using self-service, on-demand, elastic, and

showback/chargeback models, agency IT managers can have their data under their complete control,

relieving the stress associated with security, storage, and regulatory requirements.

2 NetApp Cloud Technologies

When it comes to storage for cloud computing, NetApp is a preferred technology partner, whether your

agency is building a private cloud infrastructure, working with a system integrator, or outsourcing to cloud

service providers. NetApp offers superior technology to meet cloud requirements combined with

established solutions and partnerships such as those with Terremark (procuring telecom as a service)

and DLT Solutions (for storage as a service).

NetApp offers the infrastructure for any type of cloud that best fits an organization’s needs. From storage

as a service to a traditional infrastructure in a data center to utilizing private and public resources, NetApp

has the options to help any agency successfully make the transition to the cloud. There are multiple paths

to the cloud, all with the goal of maximizing capacity utilization, improving IT flexibility and

responsiveness, and minimizing cost. Whatever type of storage you need, NetApp can deliver.

Table 1) NetApp cloud-computing technologies.

Functionality Benefit

Unified data storage architecture • Supports multiple workloads

Nondisruptive operations • Enable nonstop data availability for shared cloud storage resources

Seamless multidimensional scaling • Meets the dynamic demands of cloud computing

Storage efficiency • Reduces capacity requirements and costs by 50% or more

Secure multi-tenancy • Segments, isolates, and delivers shared server, storage, and network resources

Service automation and analytics • Automates storage provisioning, comprehensive visibility, and monitoring

Integrated data protection • Supports backup, disaster recovery, archiving, compliance, and security service-level agreements

2.1 Superior Storage for Cloud Computing

NetApp’s unified storage approach can eliminate the need for agencies to buy different storage systems

to support different needs, such as one storage system for high-end SAN, another for NAS, and another

for archive and compliance. The entire NetApp FAS storage family runs a single operating environment:

the Data ONTAP® operating system. All agency storage needs are met with the same hardware,

software, staff, and processes to achieve the efficiencies and cost savings of cloud computing. The ease

of management inherent in NetApp storage can actually reduce operator errors, which are now a major

cause of system downtime.

• NetApp Unified Storage Architecture. NetApp’s cloud-enabling technologies are built on the

NetApp Unified Storage Architecture and the NetApp Data ONTAP operating environment, a flexible

architecture that supports many applications, multiple protocols, diverse workloads, and changing


requirements. This unified set of tools and processes can help reduce complexity and costs by

leveraging existing infrastructure for current and future workloads as cloud solutions are built and

deployed.

• Nondisruptive operations. With the introduction of clustered Data ONTAP, agencies now have the

ability to provide their users with nondisruptive operations. They also have the ability to continuously

serve data even during maintenance and lifecycle operations as well as during unplanned failure

events. Data motion is transparent and nondisruptive to NAS and SAN hosts and FAS and V-Series

models, and it enables the storage infrastructure to continue serving data throughout these changes.

• Scalable and efficient shared IT infrastructure. Take advantage of the full range of NetApp storage

technologies for cloud computing, including built-in storage efficiency features; integrated data

protection; and the ability to scale up, scale down, and scale out to address dynamic resource needs.

• Unified management. NetApp Data ONTAP combined with FAS and V-Series storage systems

provides massive scalability and performance. These systems not only provide fast provisioning for

additional capacity, but they also deliver proven reliability (99.999% availability) and embedded

security of agency data, meeting regulatory requirements for document retention.

2.2 Secure Multi-tenancy

Traditionally, providing the highest level of data isolation and security has meant independent storage

hardware. Security in both private and public clouds must be as tight as possible without sacrificing

efficiency. With NetApp software, agencies can share storage with maximum privacy and data security.

NetApp MultiStore® software allows multiple, separate, and private virtual storage controllers to be

created on a single storage system, allowing storage to be shared with minimum impact on privacy or data security. The result is secure multi-tenant cloud storage with increased storage utilization. With MultiStore, storage can be provisioned, moved, and protected based on user-defined boundaries; virtual storage controllers allow appropriate policies to be applied to each container, which can correspond to a particular application or client of a cloud service.

In addition, NetApp with Cisco and VMware helps provide secure end to-end multi-tenancy across applications and data, allowing agencies to reap all the benefits and business advantages of a shared IT infrastructure for private cloud computing.

Figure 3) Secure multi-tenancy is a critical requirement for cloud computing.

Agency Applications

Intelligence Data

Billing Systems

End-to-end isolation

Share more infrastructure across

agencies and applications

Maintain the same control physical

silos provided

Increase infrastructure efficiency

Reduce risks in deploying shared

infrastructures Storage

Servers

Network

Apps


2.3 Service Automation and Management

NetApp offers a suite of management products to efficiently manage storage capacity in a shared

infrastructure—from policy-based automation to end-to-end cloud management tools from NetApp and

our partners. And our open management strategy simplifies third-party or in-house tools integration with

NetApp management products.

NetApp OnCommand® data management software offers effective, cost-efficient management of shared

storage infrastructures to help optimize utilization, meet SLAs, minimize risk, and boost performance.

Reduce complexity using a single, unified storage management approach.

Automate workflows to optimize storage efficiency and minimize IT spend.

Extend data management and service delivery with an open integration model.

Simplify storage operations by automating all tasks associated with storage so you can manage more capacity with fewer resources while increasing operational efficiency.

Policy-based automation maps end-user requirements to specific levels of service.

Once policies are established, new storage consumers (for a new application, within a business unit, and

so on) can request and receive storage and automatically get the appropriate level of data protection and

other services without manual intervention. Through API and web services, NetApp data management

solutions can be integrated into orchestration systems to create end-to-end cloud management solutions.

Figure 4) Achieve storage and service efficiencies across cloud infrastructure with NetApp OnCommand.

2.4 Integrated Data Protection

The traditional approach to data protection is expensive and inflexible. Many data centers keep two full

data copies plus incremental backups stored in backup formats that are only useful for recovery. NetApp

takes a different approach to data protection, one that is more efficient and leaves data in a format in

which it can be leveraged for other purposes.

NetApp provides fully integrated and comprehensive data protection and disaster recovery based on

mature technologies that include NetApp Snapshot™

, SnapVault®, the SnapManager

® Suite, SnapMirror

®,

MetroCluster™

, and Protection Manager technologies. These technologies off-load the burden of data

protection from servers to storage, providing a consistent approach to data protection across a cloud

infrastructure while allowing utilization of backup and disaster recovery data for development or other

activities. The result is an efficient data protection infrastructure that protects availability and reduces risk.

Sto

rag

e

Effic

ien

cy

Se

rvic

e

Effic

ien

cy

Service Catalog

Service Analysis

Service Measurement

Policy Infrastructure

Data Center Orchestration Framework

SnapMirror® SnapVault®


3 Dynamic Data Center for Private and Hybrid Clouds

3.1 FlexPod

The FlexPod® data center platform makes it easy for government agencies to implement a private cloud-

computing infrastructure with a unified, validated data-center architecture. FlexPod integrates best-in-

class Cisco® and NetApp components in a prevalidated solution combining storage, networking, and

server components into a single, flexible architecture that enables maximum efficiency, minimal risk, and

increased flexibility.

FlexPod components include NetApp unified storage systems, Cisco Unified Computing System™

servers, and Cisco Nexus

® fabric. The FlexPod architecture can scale up or out, and can be optimized for

a variety of mixed workloads in both private and hybrid cloud environments.

Figure 5) FlexPod dynamic data center.

4 Hybrid Cloud Solution

The concept of computing in the cloud and storing on the premises offers the agility of cloud computing

with the advantages of data residing on enterprise storage. Storing on the premises allows NetApp Snap

features, such as backup/restore and disaster recovery, which are essential to meeting SLAs that are in

place. For computing requirements that need a blended model, NetApp works with a variety of partners to

address computing initiatives across agencies that require both on-premise and public cloud components.

Examples of mixed-mode models are described in the following sections.

4.1 Combine on-Premise FlexPod with Public Cloud Capabilities

NetApp service providers such as Verizon/Terremark, AT&T, and Virtustream have proven enterprise

cloud-computing solutions that leverage NetApp storage to deliver superior agility and control for

government agencies. Agencies benefit from the ability to seamlessly extend new and legacy

infrastructure to create a compelling hybrid model for their IT systems.

By combining FlexPod with enterprise-class cloud-computing services from NetApp authorized service

providers, agencies can deploy a single infrastructure with a logical split between private and public

infrastructure that effectively scales on-premise infrastructure components while benefiting from compute-

in-the-cloud efficiencies. Agencies can consolidate resources and data where it makes sense, and retain

control over data and components to support security requirements, encryption, or policies that dictate

physical infrastructure.

Cisco® UCS B-Series Blade Servers and

UCS Manager

Cisco Nexus® Family Switches

NetApp® FAS OnCommand

Software Suite

10GE and FCoE

Reduced Risk: pre-validated

hardware accelerates and simplifies

deployment

Lower Cost: compute, network,

storage and private cloud in a turnkey

platform

More Efficient: Virtualize

infrastructure and automate

workflows with integrated

management and orchestration

Flexibility to Scale: Add or change

servers and storage as needed,

without breaking support

FlexPodTM

http://www.terremark.com/services/infrastructure-cloud-services/enterprise-cloud.aspx

http://www.terremark.com/services/infrastructure-cloud-services/enterprise-cloud.aspx


4.2 NetApp Private Storage for Amazon Web Services

NetApp Private Storage for Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows government agencies to build a flexible

cloud infrastructure that balances both private and public cloud resources to optimize business outcomes.

The solution combines dedicated NetApp private storage with Amazon’s elastic cloud compute resources

for on-demand performance computing. This allows agencies to leverage cloud-computing services while

retaining full control and mobility of agency data. With this approach, agencies can:

Increase agility using a mix of on-premise and cloud resources.

Maintain control, compliance, and mobility of agency data.

Gain enhanced data protection and business continuity at a lower cost.

Improve efficiencies for a variety of performance workloads.

Access big data analytics at a significant savings compared to running big data analytics on the premises.

Support high-performance enterprise applications in the cloud.

This concept of computing in the cloud and storing on the premises offers the agility of cloud computing

with the advantages of data residing on private storage. Storing on the premises allows Snap features,

such as restoring and disaster recovery, and those features are essential to meet SLAs that are in place.

4.3 Storage as a Service

Government agencies are under tremendous pressure to keep pace with exponential data growth.

Inflexible storage infrastructures and tightening budgets make it difficult to quickly respond to changing

business requirements.

Storage as a service is an enterprise-class hardware, software, and services solution that combines

secure, available, and dedicated on-premise infrastructure with a variable pay-as-you-go model without

capital investment. Companies like DLT and VION have NetApp certified storage experts who understand

the agency’s storage infrastructure needs, assess the current environment, and then design a specific

solution that fulfills the agency’s needs. After the systems have been implemented, agencies are only

charged for the storage capacity they actually consume.

4.4 Financing Flexibility

NetApp Capital Solutions is another resource government agencies can leverage if they need financial

flexibility. NetApp Capital Solutions helps reconcile two commonly opposing objectives: lowering capital

expenditures and continuing to invest in innovation. NetApp data storage solutions reduce the total cost of

ownership (TCO) of your IT infrastructure, and NetApp Capital Solutions increases your financial

flexibility. By moving capital expenditure dollars normally used for storage purchases to operational

expenses, agencies can free up capital for mission programs or other expenditures. It enables scale-up

storage capacity fast, while aligning costs to storage utilization.

5 Selecting the Right Cloud Model

As cloud models continue to mature, government agencies are faced with many considerations when selecting the correct model to meet key business drivers. Regardless of the model you choose, having clear answers to the following questions will frame the potential for the success of your cloud decision.

Do you have a plan to save money? (If you have a problem out of the cloud, you will still have that problem in the cloud.)

What would you do with the resources that are now working on infrastructure? (It’s not just about the technology decision, but about people, too.)


Do you have people who are capable of managing your cloud program? Do those people have the right skills to manage SLAs?

Are you ready from a policy perspective?

How will it help your budget to shift from capex to opex?

What’s the worst-case scenario if you move to a cloud infrastructure and something goes wrong? Can you bear that?

Would a self-service capability improve user productivity with on-demand access?

Are you looking to reduce downtime and unplanned outages?

Does your agency need to define and/or improve SLAs for delivered services?

Does your environment depend on reliable security?

Do you have regulatory concerns that are impeding your decision to move to the cloud (for example, FERPA, laws requiring that you buy services from vendors in the state, city, and so on)?

Private Cloud

If you answer yes to the majority of the following questions, a private cloud will likely provide the best

model for your business initiatives.

Do you need to host applications for internal employees with strict security requirements?

Are you looking to increase IT efficiencies and lower costs?

Do you need to improve efficiencies with automated provisioning of physical and virtual infrastructure components?

Do you have any physical constraints that require everything to be in one location?

Do you need to be able to perform resource metering for showback, chargeback, or cost reporting?

Would a self-service capability improve user productivity with on-demand access?

Are you looking to reduce downtime and unplanned outages?

Does your agency need to define and/or improve SLAs for delivered services?

Is your information highly sensitive; are you looking to restrict access to data?

Do you have regulatory concerns that are impeding your decision to move to the cloud (for example, FERPA, laws requiring that you buy services from vendors in the state, city, and so on)?

Public Cloud

If you answer yes to the majority of the following questions, a public cloud will provide the cost and

efficiencies needed for shared application access.

Do you need to provide diverse access to Internet and on-demand resources in a public space?

Are you looking to achieve cost efficiencies with the ability to buy and use resources on a per-need basis?

Do you need the flexibility to scale up or down to accommodate business needs?

Do your business initiatives demand a reduction in provisioning times?

Do you have the resources to deploy and manage a cloud infrastructure?

Do you have the resources to manage a cloud provider contract and SLAs?

Hybrid Cloud

If you need to maintain control of data on site but need to leverage the cost benefits of a public cloud as well, a hybrid cloud provides the flexibility to support capabilities for both business models.

Do you need the ability to scale storage resources but leverage the cost benefits of computing in the

cloud?


Do you need to cover gaps between old and new systems?

Are you looking to “test the water” with the cloud to better understand what makes sense for your

enterprise?

Does your enterprise require you to manage some data with some pockets highly sensitive and

others less so?

Do you require resource pooling that enables location-independent, multi-tenant access?

Do you want to seamlessly link your existing storage infrastructure to a more flexible cloud-computing

model?

Would a single infrastructure make it easier to manage both internal and public cloud resources,

contracts, and SLAs?

Do you need rapid elasticity to scale up or scale down to meet variable workloads?

6 Summary

NetApp has the products, partners, best practices, and experience to help government agencies

successfully design and deploy the correct cloud-computing model to support business objectives and

long-term success. By building a cloud solution on a NetApp foundation, agencies can deploy a cloud

infrastructure that makes it possible to accelerate time to market with new services, leverage a shared

infrastructure that increases operational efficiency and flexibility, enhance SLAs, and cut costs.

Partnering for Success

Although technology is a critical component of cloud success, having the right technology partners with

the right expertise is just as critical as you contemplate the transition to cloud computing. NetApp has

cultivated robust partnerships with key virtualization, networking, and cloud technology providers to offer

a broad selection of secure cloud solutions built on NetApp. Our partners, including Rackspace, Siemens,

Terremark, and T-Systems, offer cloud solutions from data protection and infrastructure services to

application services such as Exchange and SAP®.


NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability, or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication, or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS, and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer’s responsibility and depends on the customer’s ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer’s operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.

© 2013 NetApp, Inc. All rights reserved. No portions of this document may be reproduced without prior written consent of NetApp, Inc. Specifications are subject to change without notice. NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, Data ONTAP, FlexPod, MetroCluster, MultiStore, OnCommand, SnapManager, SnapMirror, Snapshot, and SnapVault are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Cisco and Cisco Nexus are registered trademarks and Unified Computing System and UCS are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. SAP is a registered trademark of SAP AG. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such. WP-7189-0813

Refer to the Interoperability Matrix Tool (IMT) on the NetApp Support site to validate that the exact product and feature versions described in this document are supported for your specific environment. The NetApp IMT defines the product components and versions that can be used to construct configurations that are supported by NetApp. Specific results depend on each customer's installation in accordance with published specifications.

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White Paper Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings … · 2018-08-31 · 4 Cloud Computing—the Path to Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings for

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