City of
Lewisville
Use of the Cloud
The 'Cloud'
• SAAS - Software as a Service
• PAAS - Platform as a Service
• Our simple definition: Any app we use that runs in someone else's data center accessed through the internet.
History
Challenges to address:
• Server administration workloads
• Cost (budget restrictions)
• Lack of portability and mobility
• Lack of collaboration
• Licensing challenges
Benefits
Benefits we've experienced
• Budget savings
• Information accessibility
• Reduction in support calls
• Frequent feature updates/additions
BenefitsBudget Savings Examples
• Google Apps (Email/Calendar) - $14,000o Annual savings from discontinuing legacy systemo Also, $1,275 annual savings by eliminating our
Blackberry server maintenance contract
• Google Maps (GIS) - $4,800o Annual savings by making our own online GIS app
• City Council Videos - $20,000 o Annual savings by moving our City Council video
recordings to Youtube
BenefitsInformation Accessibility
• Cloud-apps are, by default, accessible and securable outside the network.
• Apps installed in our data center are more difficult to make accessible and secure outside the City network.
• Google's apps, in particular, are easily accessible on mobile devices
• Employees can access cloud-apps from any computer with a browser.
BenefitsReduction in Support Calls
• Less to break with cloud apps.
• Major cloud apps are run by companies who have more resources available to ensure availability.
• No client software to keep updated
BenefitsFrequent feature updates/additions
• Cloud apps are easier for the vendor to update frequently (they're just websites)
• Google Apps receives frequent updates, bug fixes and new features
• Limited IT support for desktop users.
Our Cloud Apps
Our Cloud Apps
Email / Calendar: Google Apps
Email Archive: Google Apps (Postini)
Council Meeting Video: Youtube (free)
Council Meeting Packets: Dropbox (free)
Mapping App (for end-users): Google Maps API +
Fusion Tables (free)
Our Cloud Apps
Intranet: Google Sites
Office Productivity Suite: Google Docs
City Website: Vision Internet
CRM: GovQA
Employment Application: NeoGov
EmailGoogle Apps - Gmail
Previously used in-house Lotus Notes system
Gmail:
• No clients to manage
• Accessible (and 'live') outside the network
• Everyone on the same version
• Employees can set it up themselves on their personal mobile devices (very broad compatibility)
• Virus detection on attachments
Email RetentionGoogle Apps - Postini
• Emails archived for 1 year
• Built-in spam detection
• No onsite storage and storage-backup needed
CalendarGoogle Apps - Calendar
• Much more user friendly than our legacy application
• Easy to share calendars and to create special-event calendars
• Easily accessible on most mobile devices
• Email / text message notification of events
City Council Meeting VideosYoutube
• Council meeting videos hosted on Youtube
• Free
• Saved $20,000
• Youtube serves the videos in the appropriate format depending on the device (Flash, HTML5, etc)
City Council Agenda PacketsDropbox
• Cloud-based file storage/syncing
• Free (up to 2GB)
• Council agenda files put into Dropbox
• Council accesses files on iPad via Dropbox app
• Changes made by City Sec are instantly available to Council
City WebsiteDesigned/Hosted by Vision Internet
• Hosted website means no servers to maintain
• Website now administered by PIO's office.
• IT involvement now minimal
• WYSIWYG editor means non-technical employees can create decent-looking content
CRMDesigned/Hosted by GovQA
• Hosted app means no servers or databases to maintain
• Application now run by PIO's office.
• IT involvement now minimal
IntranetGoogle Apps - Google Sites
• Intranet now designed with / hosted by Google Sites.
• WYSIWYG editor means quick and easy page/content creation
• Changes instantly available
• Employees can access from outside the network (home, mobile, etc)
Office Productivity SuiteGoogle Apps - Google Docs
• Web-based - No client-side apps to manage
• Spreadsheets
• Word Processor
• Presentations
Advanced:
• Scripting (Google Apps Script)
• APIs (use them plain or with libraries like .NET, Python, Java, Javascript, etc)
GISGoogle Maps API + Fusion Tables
• Users are familiar with G-Maps
• Very easy to code
• Can add GIS layers via Fusion Tables
• No direct access to GIS servers/data
• Use Google Spreadsheet / API to control layer visibility and settings (labels, zoom levels, etc)
Apps created using google tools.
• Public Safety Unit Tracking interfaced with message switch leveraging google map tools.
• Public Safety informational maps with vital resource information.
• Public Safety EOC applications leveraging google sites for emergency management center operations.
• Txdot links for highway camera access.
• All City GIS layers are available on google map application.
Apps Continued
• Self service applications for employees outside of network using google api's and oauth (open authorization) for authentication.
• Internet applications leveraging google sites and docs to launch .net apps and reporting services.
• Apps using web forms and spreadsheet features of google docs. (Replace most small database applications).
• Information sharing through shared services in google docs.
Contacts
Larry Buchanan ITS Director
Chris Lee ITS Operations Manager
Jason Kirkland Projects Manager
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