SITA working on massive government cloud migration project

The only thing massive in this project is the cost to the taxpayer and the kickbacks.
“Our infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired.”
Click to expand...
Believe me, he is not exaggerating.
 
cloud computing = somebody else's computer

really, think about it

what will happen if said cloud service provider have a TITSUP*, and all data is lost? Things like that do happen if the cloud service provider is trying to be cheap as possible...








*Total Inability To Support Usual Performance (as from The Register)
 
The_Librarian said:
cloud computing = somebody else's computer

really, think about it

what will happen if said cloud service provider have a TITSUP*, and all data is lost? Things like that do happen if the cloud service provider is trying to be cheap as possible...








*Total Inability To Support Usual Performance (as from The Register)
Click to expand...

To be fair, it's less likely than if their incompetent staff ran things.

What bothers me is the immense cost behind this thing. I've looked at pricing for AWS and such, vs having your own hardware in your own data center, and AWS was way more expensive, all in.
 
Another thing which I've thought of just now.

How secure is the datacenter which will ultimately host the data and other gubbins? Because if I can launch a full-fledged cyberattack on said DC, I can effectively hamstring the government and public services... :eek:

Nevermind cyberattack, what about a physical attack? Or even sabotage?

Not that I want to do so... just pointing out the obvious weak link.
 
Last edited:
LCBXX said:
...
Believe me, he is not exaggerating.
Click to expand...

But is it? Honest question.

There is seems to be lots of under-utilised fibre lines all over the place from the likes of DFA and Telkom. Data is getting really cheap. If you compare the cost of cloud services to the establishment and maintenance of local servers, the cloud should be cheaper and more reliable already.
 
Skerminkel said:
But is it? Honest question.

There is seems to be lots of under-utilised fibre lines all over the place from the likes of DFA and Telkom. Data is getting really cheap. If you compare the cost of cloud services to the establishment and maintenance of local servers, the cloud should be cheaper and more reliable already.
Click to expand...

Cloud is multiple times more expensive than running your own DC. I've seen quotes of R1.2m/pa for a "medium" spec DB server, to banking spec, on AWS. That's with redundancies, etc.
 
In my opinion government should really have its own DCs for its most of its stuff, no matter the cost. I don't like the sound of government mail servers, police/court DBs etc being in the cloud. Cloud is fine for things that don't need to be secure and where flexible computing is needed; eg for seasonal things such as school applications etc.
 
SITA does have it's own DCs.

My problem with cloud is security and privacy. Where does your data really sit. Where are the backups. Does where it find itself conform to our laws etc?

The EU Union has a long hard look at these issues and it opened up a few cans of worms. One of the victims was the EU Safe Harbour agreement which had to be renegotiated etc.

Much of cloud is really more pie in the sky once you start talking to it's sales proponents, nothing more than a buzz word to make sales figures.
 
Sollie said:
SITA does have it's own DCs.

My problem with cloud is security and privacy. Where does your data really sit. Where are the backups. Does where it find itself conform to our laws etc?
Click to expand...

As far as I know government's data does not have to be secure. Government and its agencies are all excluded from POPI and all other laws related to secure data.
 
Dear SITA: Remember when I alerted you about that big botnet in your DC and your office several years back? You probably did not, because you left it running for a good year without lifting a finger. Let's hope that citizens private data will never be in the "cloud"
 
Hohoho. Government data in the "cloud", interesting
 
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