Architecting the Cloud
INCOSE SEDC Conference
April 3, 2014
Terri Wolfrom - Chief IT Architect & PM Emerging Tech
terri.wolfrom@jhuapl.edu
Ron Jacob - Cloud Service Manager
ron.jacob@jhuapl.edu
Architecting the Cloud – Agenda
 Provide an overview of the process for architecting
cloud computing at the Johns Hopkins Applied
Physics Laboratory
 Discuss our experiences in developing/implementing
cloud computing, driven by the architecture
 Discuss lessons learned and plans for the future
APL in Brief
 Division of Johns
Hopkins University
 University Affiliated
Research Center
 Technically skilled
and operationally
oriented
 Objective and
independent
 DoD
 NASA
 DHS
 IC
 Critical contributions
to critical challenges
Laboratory Statistics:
• Employees: ~5,000 staff
• Revenues: ~$1.2B
Critical Contributions to Critical Challenges
Our goal is to strengthen the nation
through transformative innovation
and trusted technical leadership
in national security and space
We are committed to public
service and strive for
excellence in all we do
We collaborate across
the University in
areas of national
Importance
Strategic Alignment
 APL Purpose:

Critical contributions to critical challenges
 IT Department Purpose:

Provide best-value enterprise IT services that enable APL
sectors to achieve their goals
 Cloud Computing Purpose:

Develop and employ cloud solutions to increase staff
resilience and agility.
Power & Promise of Cloud Computing
Eliminate
Excess
Capacity
Reduced
Capital
Expenditure
Lower Cost
Quick Response
to Changing
Demand
Cloud
Computing
Benefits
Lower Total
Cost of
Ownership
Scalability
Location
Independent
Demand-Based
Expansion
Reliability
Redundant
Capability
Easy & Agile
Deployment
Pathway into the Cloud
 Cloud technology maturing faster than skills can keep up
 Start with “small experiments” in the cloud and evolve

Allows easier adoption of emerging technologies

Supports development of cloud-unique skills and capabilities
 Bottom Line:

“Grow Your Own” rather than “Buy” experts

Learn “hard lessons” from other trail-blazers
Dr. Juan Vargas – Principal Research Manager
Microsoft Research’s Extreme Computing - 2009 to 2012
Source: Dr. Juan Vargas, Briefing to the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federation
November 2011
Stakeholders
 Champions: CIO / APL Director
 Mission Areas
 Data Center Manager & Staff
 All APL Staff
Drivers
 Delay Data Center Expenditure
 Strategic Advantage In Emerging Technologies
 Small Experiments / Measured Growth
 Security Constraints
Cloud Roadmap
Private Cloud
JHU/APL
Public Cloud
Community
Cloud
Amazon Google
FFRDC
Private:
Community:
FFRDCs
Cloud
operated
solely for an
organization
Risk
Sources: Burton, NIST, CSA
Cloud shared
by a
Community
of Interest
Risk
Public:
Cloud
available to
the general
public
Hybrid:
Cloud
combination
of two or
more options
(private,
public,
community)
Risk
Risk
Business Value
 Delivering Business Value

Partnering with Internal Mission Organizations

Collaborating with Peer Organizations

Service Management – Built In from Beginning
 Small Experiments - Real Capabilities
 Increased agility and ability for business areas to respond to
sponsor needs
 Cost Savings

Savings in Building Costs

No-Charge Model for Services
– Mission areas see reduced cost by transfer of responsibilities
– Limits full cost/benefit analysis across organizations
Goals of 2013/14 Cloud Exploration
Work out legal, compliance,
security issues
Act as a cloud broker where
appropriate
Gain practical technical
experience for staff
Develop template use
cases for common
situations
Create a permanent test
bed – “our space station in
the cloud”
Learn about real costs,
limitations and benefits
Adoption of Internal Cloud
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
If you build It, they will come…
IT
Non-IT
At least when it is FREE!
Total
Current/Future Initiatives
 Service:

Orchestrator (hybrid cloud management)

Backups

OpenSource
 Emerging Technology:

DMZ Cloud

Amazon/Commercial Cloud

Cloud Brokering

Network Upgrades (In support of commercial cloud interoperability)
 What does “done” look like?

Moving from Experiments to Operations Focus
Virtual Data Center
In Summary
 Working to realize the promised benefits of Cloud
Computing
 Developing skills and lessons-learned through “small
experiments” and collaboration with FFRDCs
 Succeed
or Fail, but do it FAST!
 Build in Service Management
 Staying aligned to APL’s Strategy Cloud Roadmap
APL’s Cloud Computing Project is leveraging
Emerging Technology to meet Operational Needs