Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment90% Culture / 10% Technology

Presenter: Vanessa BindingNovember 2016

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

• Explore the issues around implementing OpenStack and Agile technology into a predominately waterfall enterprise.

What I will be talking about…..

• Provide recommendations around how to deploy cloud technologies into a Government enterprise

• How culture of the cloud team is as important as the interactions with the rest of the organisation.

To the Clouds!

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

• Understand your Organisation’s current infrastructure problems

• Know how your Cloud will solve current problems

• Get the public buy-in from your Senior Executives

• Engage early and often with your security team, ensure you know their requirements/concerns

Know your Purpose…..

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

• Be open to the change, be flexible – Fail Fast, Fix Once and Automate Often– Plan, Build, Business Change and Support in Parallel

• Feedback - Multiple Communication channels, keep them open.

Know your Team’s Issues…..

• Agile! – Ensure Retrospectives occur after iterations

• Don’t add more process to fix problems, it just doesn’t work.

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

• Along with your main stakeholders focus on:– Early Adaptors – Negative / Blockers are just as important as the

consumers– System & Process Gatekeepers

• Tailor your communications to the stakeholder– Direct Meetings– Consultancy services– Premium Support– Information Sessions

Know your Stakeholders

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

• Cross-skilled & Integrated Team

• Support Services for your Cloud are important as the Cloud infrastructure

• Focus on Automation – Take the hit.

• DevOps and Agile methodologies

• Build a Culture where:– Failure is ok, you learn from it, not hide from it.– Up-Skilling is never an issue– Knowledge transfer is continuous

If you create a culture staff enjoy they are more likely to stay around.

Get your Team Culture Right

Right Way

Right Way

Implementing OpenStack in a Government Environment

Recap• Know your Organisation and your Team

• Culture change will be needed

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!– Quick / Early Feedback is critical to success.

• DevOps and Agile are winners.