1. Creating a Cloud Based Geospatial Platform
National Geospatial Advisory Committee
December 6, 2010
Dr. David L. McClure, Ph.D. Associate Administrator
Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies
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NGAC Briefing

2. What is Cloud Computing?
Rather than building and operating dedicated infrastructure to provide IT services, Cloud Computing services are shared resources offered and maintained by a third party to multiple IT “tenants” or organizations . Benefits of this shared services model include:
Faster acquisition and deployment of computing resources
Economies of scale through easier sharing of IT services across organizations
Lower capital equipment expenditures
By focusing on emerging customer demand, GSA can successfully pilot the acquisition and use of select cloud services now to establish a leadership position for Federal agencies
Why is cloud important?
On-demand Self-Service
Ubiquitous Network Access
Location Independent Resource Pooling
Rapid Elasticity
Measured Service
NIST
Cloud
Definition
NIST defines cloud offerings as having five essential characteristics:
12/7/10
GSA Confidential and Proprietary
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3. Cloud Computing – A Key OMB IT Priority
A “Cloud First” Policy Announced by OMB
Resource: FY2011 OMB Report on Information Technology
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4. Federal Cloud PMO Gov Agencies Vendors CCESC/ CCAC Cloud Computing PMO
Cloud Computing Vision / Mission
Information Portal
Market Research / Use Cases
Policies and Guidelines
Enterprise Architecture
Apps.gov / Procurement Support
Information Dissemination
Virtual Online Summits
Data Call
Requirements
Interests & Feedback
Standards Requirements
Security Processes
Procurement Approaches
Best Practices
Gov-wide Communications
Direction and Guidance
Facilitation
Schedule and Coordination
Compliant Services and Offerings
Input to Standards
Collaboration on Developing Standards & Best Practices
Security
Standards
Ops
Excellence
Comm
Cloud Computing Working Groups
RFI/RFPs
Definitions
Security Requirements
SLAs
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NGAC Briefing

5. Cloud Computing PMO Overview
Promoting adoption and removing obstacles in the government-wide acquisition and utilization of cost effective, green and sustainable Federal cloud computing solutions.
Federal Cloud Computing Initiative (FCCI) began in March 2009 at the request of the Federal CIO, Vivek Kundra.
FCCI Program Management Office was established at GSA in April 2009.
FCCI PMO is governed under the Cloud Computing Executive Steering Committee (CCESC), which reports to the Federal CIO Council.
4 additional government-wide governance groups were established within the program:
Cloud Computing Advisory Council.
Cloud Computing Security Working Group.
Cloud Computing Standards Working Group.
SaaS Working Group.
Apps.gov
FedRAMP
Data Center Consolidation Initiative
Infrastructure-as-a-Service
Software-as-a-Service
Platform-as-a-Service (Geospatial) 5
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NGAC Briefing

6. Info.apps.gov – Showing the Way
Info.Apps.gov is a place where agencies can gather information about how Cloud Computing can help create sustainable, more cost-effective IT Services for the Federal Government.
Keeping you informed in upcoming events!
Reference Documents at your fingertips!
Provides tools to navigate the cloud landscape.
News and Information on Cloud and Data Center Topics
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7. Cloud Services available on apps.gov
First Federal storefront site to commoditize cloud services so that buyers may cross-compare products and purchase (launched September, 2009). Currently offering SaaS and social media products.
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8. 12 Cloud Service Providers Receive IaaS Awards
Vendor
Cloud Storage
Virtual Machines
Web Hosting 1
Apptis, Inc. X 2
AT&T 3
Autonomic Resources 4
CGI Federal Inc. 5
Computer Literacy World 6
Computer Technology Consultants 7
Eyak Tech LLC 8
General Dynamics Information Technology 9
Insight Public Sector 10
Savvis Federal Systems 11
Verizon Federal Inc. 12
Carahsoft
Total Awards by Lot
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9. Visit fedramp.gov for Documentation & Comments
Federal Risk & Authorization Management Program
Unified Government-wide Risk Management Program
Provides joint security authorization and continuous monitoring
Agencies participate by leveraging the results for covered products
Agencies retain their responsibility and authority to ensure their security needs are met in the use of systems
Vendor Benefits
Government-wide authorization and security compliance cost reduction
Agency Benefits
Cost savings through reduced duplication
Rapid acquisition
Increased security assurance
Problem: Independent agency risk management has inefficiencies
Federal Agencies
Risk Management
Cloud Providers
Solution: Unified risk management eliminates inefficiencies
Cloud Providers
Visit fedramp.gov for Documentation & Comments
12/7/10
NGAC Briefing

10. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): Email
Inter-agency SaaS Working Group established in June 2010.
Developing an RFQ for a government-wide BPA of SaaS solutions.
RFI completed.
13 respondents.
RFI responses will be leveraged to create RFQ requirements.
Pre-solicitation day held November 1 to solicit vendor and government feedback.
Procurement to be conducted early 2011.
GSA completed security authorization of Google Apps which may be leveraged by other agencies.
USAID leveraged Google Apps security authorization package to greatly reduce timeline for system implementation 10
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11. GeoCloud Community Technical Platform Introducing the Initiative
Business Drivers
Growing pool of identified agency applications seeking cloud benefits
12 Existing Geospatial applications as targets
Quantify savings, identify risks, ease migration
Platforms
Construct a discrete subset of secure supporting platforms
Develop processes for rapid application migration
Leverage certifications and platform commonalities
Develop chargeback mechanisms for self-sustaining funding
Best Practices
Capture lessons learned
Document techniques, issues and solutions
Document cost models and benchmarks
Build a cloud platform support community
Maintain platforms, scripts and updates for client agencies
Results
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12. Potential Offerings: Geospatial PaaS…
More …
FGDC App 1
FGDC App 2
Large pool of agency applications identified for cloud migration
Platform Revenue Stream
Apps
Need
Platforms
Platform Savings
Platform building time & effort
Reduced mainten-ance costs
Faster deploy-ment
Cost effective develop-ment / test
Federal Platform Reference Implementations
Enable Infrastructure Savings
Platforms
Amplify
IaaS
Savings
GeoCloud Community Platform
Infrastructure as A Service Savings
Hardware Savings
Operations Savings
Scalability Savings
12/7/10
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13. Cloud Community Platform Service Scope Initial Target Applications for Community Platforms
Agency
Platform
Based On
Base Platform
Category
DOI
Wetlands Mapper
Windows/IIS/ESRI
Windows ESRI Platform with additions for ORACLE as needed
Normal
USDA
USDA CDSI Web Services
Windows/IIS/ESRI /SQLServer
USDA Geospatial Public Catalog
Windows/JSP/ESRI/SQL2008
EPA
EPA Lakes & Ponds
Windows / PostGres/ESRI
NOAA
NOAA Particles
Linux/Java/Axis/MQ
Linux Open Source Platform with Java/Ruby on Rails/Tomcat,/EJB3, PostGres, MySQL (alt) Python, PHP, Perl and Apache
Good candidate for a single base platform
USGS
GEOSS GeoNetwork w. additions
Linux/TomCat/PostGres
Census
TIGER/LINE Shapefiles
Linux / Apache / Perl/Python
IOOS Registry +
NOAA ERDAP
Linux/TomCat/THREDDS
Data
DHS
Emergency Web Response Site
Linux LAMP
USGS VGI OpenStreetMap
Linux/Apache/PostGIS/Ruby On Rails/Timecop
FGDC
GeoCloud Community Platform Portal
Linux LAMP/Drupal
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14. Platform as a Service Architectural Framework Distinguishing Application, Platform and Infrastructure
Application Servers: Provide the deployment environment for actual business applications with access to enablers, frameworks and runtimes
Applications
12 identified GeoSpatial Applications + more agency apps…
Platform as
a Service
(PaaS)
Platform Enablers: Platform enablers provide core supporting capabilities for developing , testing and deploying code, including DBMS, Directory, Queue, Service Bus, etc. A relational database is the most common enabler example but is not present in all platforms
Platform
Application Servers
App Frameworks / Libraries
Runtime Systems
Platform Enablers (DB’s, etc)
Frameworks and Libraries save time and expense freeing developers from having to build common code and behaviors.
Focus on the large chunks of functionality in PaaS
App Servers: that provide key services to applications. Like JEE and .NET, PHP
Enablers: Like air. The crucial invisible service glue that give apps the Platform Environment that they need
Libs that you call, and frameworks that call your app and provide core services
Runtimes that enable code to operate in the operating system
Runtimes: provide the execution support for developing and running the code. Examples include Java, Python, Microsoft Common Language Runtime, etc.
Infrastructure
Operating System
Virtual Machines / CPU
Storage
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DRAFT - GSA OCIO INTERNAL USE ONLY

15. Data.gov

16. What are Data.gov Catalogs?
“Raw” Data Catalog
Includes datasets in an download of machine readable, platform-independent datasets
Tool Catalog
Provides hyperlinks which may lead to agency tools or agency web pages that allow you to mine datasets.
Geodata Catalog
Linked to Geodata.gov

17. Data.gov Today 2895 Raw Datasets 638 Tools 303,181 Geodata
306,714 Total in Catalog

18. Geo-Spatial Data is A Key Enabler for “Killer Apps”
What’s Next? Geo-data Integration
Geo-Spatial Data is A Key Enabler for “Killer Apps”
Combine capabilities of Geodata.gov and Data.gov
Enhanced visualization and data-mashing capabilities
Geo-aware applications are key.
How to realize the promise of geospatial information systems (GIS) for the nation?
Geo-data “architected and built-in”
Lightweight geo-applications and mash-ups for Web 2.0/Gov 2.0
Incremental, agile, actionable and affordable delivery

19. Data.gov : Migration, Key Improvements and Policy Issues
Geospatial enhancements to Data.gov:
Catalog Services
Adopting automated harvesting methods
Provide access to all data types from geodata.gov
Provide access to FGDC metadata as defined and populated by suppliers
Implement a geospatial search and visualization
Implement a harvestable Catalog (API)
Enable data.gov to search suppliers and other open data catalogs
Implement GeoRSS and RSS notifications
Publish data.gov catalog as a map (KML,WMS) and data service (RDF) for multiple client access
Public domain Geodata.gov datasets that don’t meet policy guidelines will be migrated and maintained in a distributed catalog
Decommission Geodata.gov?
Bullet One. Data.gov is going to have all the bells and whistles that geodata.gov had but not be limited by datasets only created as geo.
Bullet Two. We are going to salvage all the public domain data that fails policy. Commerical will not be brought forward
Bullet 3 – We are going to retire the system and infrastructure hosted by ESRI through formal DOI decommission
Background – Geodata.gov is currently being harvested and brought into Data.gov to get count of datasets up but at a loss of functionality and at risk of loosing suppliers who would be active partners from the geo community.
12/7/10
NGAC Briefing

20. Data.gov Catalog – Relationship to Geo-Platform and Cloud
Data.gov should provide the catalog and metadata searching services for the Geo Community
Treat data as data
Data.gov site and application; over time can be a SaaS offering – running in a cloud
Data.gov has observed a need for its suppliers to have geospatial services (Paas) to support use cases to do:
Geo enablement services for datasets
Map Service Hosting
Dynamic map service creation for datasets
Delivery /Download services for large datasets
Formatting services for datasets
Data.gov has observed need for its suppliers to have IaaS services
Data storage
Computational Processing
Bullet 1 - Data.gov can act as the core catalog for the geo community – access to data and map services and applications as well as other catalogs
Bullet 2 - As GSA matures, Data.gov can be instantiated as a set of key software services for reuse with other programs an perhaps many of our suppliers – take advantage of cloud once use case proves cost effective for this type of application.
Bullet 3 – Data.gov Catalog build out has uncovered numerous use cases where it is more than just the software stack that is needed.
Bullet 4 -IaaS is needed for orgs who are “have nots” or who want to concentrate on core mission and not mess with the unpredictability of internet demand
Background. Existing FGDC Geo Platform documents allude to using Data.gov as their catalog which is a sound proposition. But for it to be useable it would have to have the geo enhancements on the previous slide . It creates a very good division of services with the geo platform.
12/7/10
NGAC Briefing

21. Data.gov in Geo Community
Data.gov is intended to replace key functionality of geodata.gov and can act as the core catalog for the geo community and others as well. Take best practices from geo and bring to the broader community
Diagram is take from the FGDC Geo Platform – we superimposed Data.gov on top to basically substitute for the old geodata.gov.
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NGAC Briefing

22. Questions
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