[clug] Follow-up questions from OSDC talk

[steve jenkin]

Brian,

Thank you very much for talking about AGIMO and Open Source at OSDC.

I had two follow-on questions whose answers I was hoping might be shared
with the local Linux Users Group (CLUG).
[If you're not on the list, could I have your permission to copy your
replies there?]


1. Could you talk more about the intersection of your responsibilities
for "Cloud Computing" and Open Source?

  Specifically, it seems all the significant providers of public Cloud
services use Open Source platforms (XEN, KVM) and providers like Amazon
work much better with Linux-based platforms, not proprietary.

  A set of FedGov datacentres connected to each of the peering centres
  around the country would seem desirable/necessary to facilitate a
  common Cloud-based hosting facility for public FedGov web services.
  Such a service could be licensed from, or run by, an existing provider
  like Amazon, with the FedGov providing or contracting the hardware
  and datacentre space.

  In this model, existing Linix-based VM images would be preferred.


2. Whilst the AGIMO Open Source Policy does mandate the consideration
   of Open Source, how does that stack up against Departments/Agencies
   who make Policy decisions like "Only Microsoft O/S and Tools"?

   I have a friend at a mid-sized FedGov Agency who's told me that
   all POSIX (linux & unix) servers, and the services they run, are
   to be replaced under an internal Policy decision to only run
   Microsoft Operating Systems. Most of the internet services
   run on POSIX systems are Open Source: email MTA's, web servers, ...

   Whatever the merits of the decision, doesn't that decision run
   counter to the "consideration and documentation" requirement?

   As you said, no FMA agencies have sought or been granted exemption.

regards
steve jenkin

-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin