Emerging Technologies

AASCIF IT Committee

Emerging Technologies
Cloud Computing
Software as a Service
Mobile Apps
What is Cloud Computing?
• Simply stated: Cloud = Internet

• So…Cloud Computing = Internet-based Computing

• More precisely, Cloud computing is:

▫ using information technology as a service.
▫ having services that are available over a network.
▫ using encapsulated services that have an API.
▫ adding to the efficiency for deploying applications.
▫ billing by consumption.
Cloud Service Models
• Solutions range in category from course to fine
grained, with the potential for course-grained
solutions to be made up of fine-grained
resources.
▫ *Software as a Service (SaaS)
▫ *Platform as a Service (PaaS)
▫ *Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
▫ Storage as a Service (SaaS)
▫ Database as a Service (DaaS)
 Cloud Offerings by Service
More Software
Softwareas
asaaService
Service(SaaS)
(SaaS) Less
Structured Facebook, Control
Facebook,SalesForce.com,
SalesForce.com,Gmail
Gmail

Platform
Platformas
asaaService
Service(PaaS)
(PaaS)
Google
GoogleApp
AppEngine,
Engine,Microsoft
MicrosoftAzure
Azure

Infrastructure
Infrastructureas
asaaService
Service(IaaS)
(IaaS)
Less More
3Tier,
3Tier,Amazon
AmazonEC2,
EC2,Rackspace,
Rackspace,GoGRID
GoGRID Control
Structured
Cloud Delivery Models
• Private
▫ Uses cloud technologies to expose services across
a private enterprise.
• Public
▫ All information access is housed in the public
domain.
• Hybrid
▫ A combination of public and private services.
Cloud Concerns/Issues
• Security - #1 concern
• Availability (mission critical vs. not)
• Compliance
• Price
• Training
• User Experience (UI design, Speed)
• Data Ownership
Some Cloud Myths
• One single “Cloud”
• All that is needed is a credit card
• Reduces workload
• Seamless integration (datacenter to public)
• Always saves money
• Provider can guarantee security
Software as a Service (SaaS)
• SaaS is the delivery of an application over the Internet, usually
accessed through a browser.

• Aka: web-based software, on-demand software or hosted

software.

• Multitenant Architecture, Easy Customization, Better Access

• SaaS Integration Platform (SIP) - 3rd wave in software

adoption.
Benefits of SaaS
• Lower entry cost.
▫ No upfront investment in servers.
▫ No software licensing.
▫ No software updates for customers.
• Global availability.
• High Adoption.
• Ease IT pain.
• One application to maintain for providers.
SaaS Adoption
• "Although SaaS will keep gaining
ground in CRM and HR applications,
SaaS will also pick up considerable
momentum in online backup, Web
conferencing, collaboration, and IT
systems management.”

Forrester, March 2009

What’s being offered as SaaS?
• Billing
• CRM
• Collaboration
• Content Management
• Document Management
• ERP
• Financials
• Health and Wellness
• Personal Productivity
• Project Management
• Sales
• Security
SaaS Adoption Concerns
SaaS Implementation Strategy
• Select the provider
• Sign Contract
• Detailed Exit Strategy
• Manage Relationship
• Contingency Plan
• Interoperability
• IT’s Role
• Executive Support
• Align to Company Objectives
IaaS Vendor Comparisons
Ways we are using the cloud services
• Mash-ups
▫ Effectively mesh with on-site architecture.
• Utility API’s
▫ Virtual Servers and Storage, accessed on demand.
• Web Service Calls
▫ Google Maps, ADP payroll, U.S. Postal
• Managed Services
▫ Exposed to IT and not the users.
Takeaways
• Expectation that Cloud Computing will be the
wave of the future.
• Security remains a concern and an attractive
target for hackers.
• There remains a need for standards across
vendors.
• Promise of cost savings along with scalability
and availability.
• Only time will help with vetting and acceptance.
Case Studies
• IWIF
▫ Data Mining – Policy and Claims
▫ Correspondence (Cedar)
▫ Agency Port
▫ Helpdesk Application
Mobile Apps
110% Growth Last Year

2007 2008 2009 2010

Mobile Web Usage

Still only a tiny slice of the whole
Custome
r Requir
ement

Or Pure Marketing?
Technology Adoption
Trends
Cloud Computing in Banking
Mobile Banking Customers
Growing Fast
Personal Auto Apps for iPhones are a
common starting point in Insurance
Personal Auto

Geico Nationwide

State Farm iWrecked

Geico American Family

Progressive
Other Products

Highmark

iPhone Other Mobile Platform

Example: Progressive
Here are just a few of the things you can do with the
Progressive App on iPhone, Blackberry, Android:

1.Log in to your policy

2.Make a payment, using billing information stored
in your progressive.com account.
3.Find a local agent to help you shop for an
insurance policy.
4.Report an accident to Progressive, and locate a
Service Center.
5.Find a local Service Center
6.Track your claim
7.Get vehicle information, such as cost-to-insure
ratings, recalls, and crash test ratings
8.Estimate your budget and monthly loan payment
using car shopping calculators.
9. Watch our commercials anytime with on-
demand viewing.
Example: Highmark
Highmark BCBS Rolls Out iPhone App. Plan
members can

1.Find participating medical facilities

(hospitals or urgent care)
2.Find participating health care providers
(doctors or clinics)
3.Find pharmacies
4.Use GPS to limit searches to nearby services
5.Use phone integration to initiate the contact
6.Research health topics by topic or symptoms
7.Delivered via iTunes

Use ADAM as a source of online information

and technology vendor to help create the
application.
• Missouri Employers Mutual
▫ CRM
 Status: Implemented
 Oracle on Demand
▫ E-mail and Office Productivity
 Gmail and Google Apps
 Status:
 Gmail: Research complete, business case in process
Google Apps: Concept assessment
Customer Relationship Management at MEM
General Market Players Special Market Players
• Oracle on Demand • BlueRoads
• salesforce.com • ClickCommerce

Oracle on Demand
Implemented
Drivers for a Cloud Solution
• Shorten time to market
• Outcomes understood but requirements to get
there were nebulous
• Size of deployment would be based on
achievement of outcomes
• Variable vs. fixed expenses
Live since 2008
• 78 internal users active on the system
• Tracking all agency interactions including
prospecting
• Calendaring and scheduling
• Interfacing with policy management and billing
• Users consider it a success!
• Little demand on Information Services efforts
E-mail and Office Productivity Research at MEM
 68% expect to change
in-house e-mail delivery, their
reasons…

Source: Forrester Research

 What method will they consider?

Source: Forrester Research

Multiple answers allowed by respondents
Smaller the firm,
larger the benefit
Cost per mailbox

Source: Forrester Research

Options Under Review…

• In-house Microsoft Exchange

• Hosted Microsoft Exchange
• Google Solution
Discussion…
• Who is using cloud computing?
• Do you agree with the concerns?
• What major challenges did you or do you see?
• Who is working with Mobile Apps?

• Other questions or concerns?