1. How to execute a successful
cloud strategy in FE
Graham Eland, Head of IT Systems and Strategy,
Leeds City College
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Cloud Computing has many benefits, although not limited, examples include the following:
• Rapid deployment and speed of change - Cloud computing is much faster to deploy; Colleges have
minimal project start-up costs and can predict operational costs. A new IT service can be deployed with
hours.
■ Cost benefits and reduced capital expenditure - Cloud computing services are typically pay as you
go. Colleges will only pay for the services they use. There is no need for computer server hardware
to be available on the College estate and no capital expenditure requirement.
■ Environmentally friendly - Colleges using Cloud computing will only use the server space they
need which decreases their on premise carbon footprint. Using the Cloud service would result in at
least 30% less energy consumption and carbon emissions in comparison to using on premise server
hardware.
■ Increased access to systems - College systems can be accessed from anywhere, anytime using any
device. A mobile ‘app’ will allow staff and students to connect to the Cloud services using any
mobile device. Access from desktop computers and laptops is generally from a web browser. Cloud
systems are device and operating system agnostic, which means the Cloud service, is not tied to a
particular device or operating system. Cloud services can be accessed from any hardware device
(desktop, laptop, mobile device) using any operating system (Windows, Apple , Android) and any
web browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox).
■ Automatic software updates - Cloud computing suppliers manage all software and security updates
on behalf of the College, as a result College IT staff time and resources can be used for other tasks.
Cloud computing is the use of computer resources (hardware and software) which are available in
a remote location and accessible over an IT network (typically the internet). Users are able to buy
computing resources (including storage and computing power) as a utility and on demand. The name
‘Cloud Computing’ comes from the common use of a cloud-shaped symbol as an abstraction for the
complex infrastructure it contains in system diagrams. End users access cloud-based applications
through a web browser or mobile application or ‘app’ while the business software and user's data are
stored on servers at a remote location.
Introduction - What is cloud computing?
Planning Systems and Workload
Why should a College consider cloud computing?
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There are also some associated risks with using Cloud Computing which should be considered by
Colleges when implementing a Cloud strategy, these include:
■ Colleges do not physically store their data on premises, which leaves the responsibility including
data protection and data security with the provider.
■ With data being held externally, business continuity and disaster recovery are the responsibility of
the provider also. Service Level Agreement (SLA) and contract agreements should be considered to
minimise the risk.
Defining the cloud business needs and requirements for Colleges – The service models
Cloud Computing has brought together a range of technologies that can deliver scalable tailored and
virtualised IT resources and applications over the Internet. There are 3 main types of Cloud Computing,
these are:
■ Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
■ Platform as a Service (PaaS)
■ Software as a Service (Saas)
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is the most basic cloud service model, providers of IaaS offer physical
computers or (more often) virtual machines and other resources to the College.
Platform as a service (PaaS) is a service model which provides a computing platform as a service. In this
model the College creates the software using tools and/or libraries from the provider. The College also
controls software deployment and configuration settings. The provider provides the networks, servers
and storage.
Software as a service (SaaS) is a software delivery model in which software and associated data is
centrally hosted in the cloud. SaaS is typically accessed by users using a web browser. SaaS has become
a common delivery model for many business applications, including Office Messaging software and
database software.
There must be a clear understanding of both application and software requirements to enable the correct
service model to be chosen, some Colleges have used feedback from students and staff to determine the
correct business model to be deployed.
Risks of cloud computing
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The Cloud Service Models
Cost and return on investment
In Cloud Computing the College can move from a Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) model to an
Operational Expenditure (OPEX) model through purchasing the use of a cloud service rather than
having to own and manage the assets of that service. As a result the cost benefits are achieved far more
quickly. The use of Cloud Computing within a College also potentially means a movement to a pay-
as-you-go style costing model which can have different tariffs and contractual obligations compared to
traditional IT ownership
Network infrastructure considerations
Cloud services held external to College will have implications for a College IT support team, whether in-
house or outsourced. It is recommended the number and location of Internet Service Providers or (ISP)
is reviewed. Consideration must be given to having multiple Internet Service Providers with Internet
connections entering the College estate on different campuses. Resilience is crucial when all access to
Cloud Services is through the Colleges Internet connection. It is recommended backup or dual systems
are in place. Similarly with “Wi-Fi” it is recommended multiple ‘Wi-Fi’ controllers are implemented
ensuring resilience and allowing mobile devices, either students own devices or College owned devices
access to the Internet at all times.
A College network topology diagram should be reviewed and amended to eliminate or reduce the
number of ‘single points of failure’. A network infrastructure topology should be designed that works
for the Cloud.
Linking a cloud strategy to the overall College strategy
The IT governance of a Cloud strategy is extremely important for successful migration and deployment
of services. As part of the College strategic planning process thought should be given when developing
the strategic plan on how this links to the lower level IT strategy and IT operational plans. A ‘golden
thread’ approach is recommended where clearly defined actions, timescales and accountability can be
followed through from the College strategic plan covering a number of years, down to annual operating
statements and through to department team plans. This framework will form the basis of a successful
cloud strategy and best practice IT governance.
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Future of cloud in Further Education
In summary there are many reasons why a College should consider a future Cloud strategy. Reduced
capital expenditure costs and potentially reduced IT support costs. “Pay As You Use” services are
attractive options, increased access to services from any location using any device for both staff and
students are significant benefits also.
‘Bring Your Own Device’ or ‘BYOD’ is making some inroads into FE Colleges. In some Colleges students
and staff are encouraged to being their personal devices into College and connect to the College ‘Wi-Fi’
to access IT systems. BYOD has resulted in data breaches. For example, if a member of staff or student
uses a smartphone to access the College IT systems and then loses that phone, untrusted parties could
retrieve any unsecured data on the phone, this is known as data leakage. The Cloud offers a solution to
this problem, no data is stored on the device, and data is stored remotely in the Cloud.
BYOD is fraught with risk in the absence of a proper IT security strategy. Support of heterogeneous
devices without the forethought makes it very difficult for IT support teams to establish and enforce
controls which opens the door to potential data breaches and leakage through mechanisms such as
malware.
As time progresses, more and more services will be deployed to the Cloud as the risks are reduced and
the security increased. Students will simply be required to ‘Bring Your Own Browser’ or ‘BYOB’ to
access IT systems.
