Services
Cloud Computing
When Microsoft went looking for expertise to help build their next-generation cloud computing platform, called Windows Azure, they turned to CCIS. Working side-by-side with Microsoft's developer platform evangelists in early 2009, our team helped design and develop the Open Government Data Initiative, completing our work on-time and within budget.
Cloud Computing shows a lot of promise for a rapidly growing number of business and government clients. They appreciate not having to invest in infrastructure or having to allocate valuable staff maintaining systems. For many, The "Cloud" is especially appealing because they don't have to worry about the scalability and reliability of their mission-critical applications. And the Cloud offers dynamic bandwidth and CPU allocations so that spikes and seasonal usages are efficiently accounted for.
Although Cloud Computing shows great potential for increased functionality and reduced costs, seizing the promise requires skill and understanding. Our real-world experience has shown us that the development organization should understand and apply the nuances of cloud computing with a different focus toward design, development and testing of enterprise applications.
Specifically,
- Business Analysts need expertise in interfaces and integration with outside systems,
- System architects and developers need experience in the application fabric, SQL Services and other aspects of the Windows Azure platform, and
- Testers need expertise in creating and developing tests that exercise service-based platform.