Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Off shoring Pricing Models
1.Time and Material: In this model outsourcing enterprise pays for the number of hours put in by Service provider. This model is very popular among Service provider because of its minimal risk. This pricing model is successful in the scenario where requirements are evolving and work involves lot of thinking.
2.Fixed Pricing: In this model Service Provider is paid a fixed amount for a fixed amount of work. In this model Service Provider assumes larger risk because of inaccurate estimation of work.
3. Outcome Based Pricing: In this pricing model relationship of outsourcer and service provider morphed into collaborative business entities where outcome of project decides fate not only of outsourcer but also of service provider. In this model service provider has highest level of engagement with outsourcer. In this model service provider assumes highest risk. This type of engagements are form of consulting where consulting starts much earlier and service providers understands outsourcers business in depth.
2.Fixed Pricing: In this model Service Provider is paid a fixed amount for a fixed amount of work. In this model Service Provider assumes larger risk because of inaccurate estimation of work.
3. Outcome Based Pricing: In this pricing model relationship of outsourcer and service provider morphed into collaborative business entities where outcome of project decides fate not only of outsourcer but also of service provider. In this model service provider has highest level of engagement with outsourcer. In this model service provider assumes highest risk. This type of engagements are form of consulting where consulting starts much earlier and service providers understands outsourcers business in depth.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Book Review: Cloud Computing - Web Based Applications that Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online by Michael Miller
Book Review: Cloud Computing - Web Based Applications that Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online by Michael Miller: Publisher- Que Publishing: ISBN- 13: 978-0-7897-3803-5
I have very little to say for Cloud Cloud Computing - Web Based Applications that Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online.
1. It is long list of web based applications
2. Incorrect projection of web based applications as Cloud based
3. DO NOT WASTE TIME ON THIS BOOK
Disclaimer: I did not get paid to review this book, and I do not stand to gain anything if you buy the book. I have no relationship with the publisher or the author.
Further reading: None
I have very little to say for Cloud Cloud Computing - Web Based Applications that Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online.
1. It is long list of web based applications
2. Incorrect projection of web based applications as Cloud based
3. DO NOT WASTE TIME ON THIS BOOK
Disclaimer: I did not get paid to review this book, and I do not stand to gain anything if you buy the book. I have no relationship with the publisher or the author.
Further reading: None
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Modelling Processes
The Process Modeling (PM) is the one of the primary requirement of any BPM project. The objective of PM is to record definition of as-is process. This recording results in analysis of existing process to understand strengths and weakness of the same. Any PM exercise needs to answer following questions:
1. What are the inputs (3Ms and One I – Man/Human Resources/Roles, Material/Document, Machine/Processing capability and Data/Information and Knowledge) to the Process?
2. What are the outcomes of the Process (tangible and non-tangible as well as direct and side effects)?
3. What are the different activities are performed in the course of execution of the Process?
4. What is the order of activities?
5. Who perform the activities?
6. What are the different events occur during the course of process execution?
7. What is the order of events?
8. What the pre-requisites of the Process to initiate?
9. What do/does trigger/s the Process?
10. What are incomplete-nesses or strengths of the Process?
11. Any historical information related to the Process.
The Process Modeling is carried out to achieve following objectives:
1. To specify the exact result of the process and to understand the value of this result.
2. To enable evolution of the Process.
3. To optimize the process (3Ms, One I and One T – Man/Human Resources, Material/Document, Machine/Processing capability, Data/Information and Knowledge and Time to execute)
4. To understand correlation among different processes.
Process Modeling results is variety of artifacts:
1. Process Map: This document – textually and/or graphically depicts various processes in enterprise and their interrelationship at very high level.
2. Roles and Relations Structure: This document - and/or graphically depicts various roles/groups and their relation in graph structure ( not organizational hierarchy) with respect to a Process.
3. As is Process Model: This model consists of following:
a. Process Environment Diagram: Detailed relationship of the Process with other interacting/intersecting processes.
b. Detailed Process Map: Detailed process map of each activity which getting executed in Process Execution all probable conditions.
c. Business rule: List of Business Rules and how they affect execution of process.
d. Exception Handling Diagram: Here detailing is carried out for error and exceptional cases for the process.
4. Publishing and Communication Process Modeling artifacts.
To carry out Process Modeling, simulation plays important role. Any simulation platform/tool/facility should exhibit following traits:
1. Simulate processes with respect to load distribution with time and non time factors
2. Simulate processes with respect to resource consumption ( 3Ms, One I and One T)
3. Statistical analysis of simulation result.
4. What if analysis.
5. Textual and graphical representation of simulation results
6. Publication of simulation results.
While carrying out Process Modeling following principles should be followed:
1. Stick to standards such as BPMN, ARIS methodology, etc.
2. Models must be semantically correct, means all activities, events and 3Ms, One I & One T are taken care of.
3. Beware of Paralysis by Analysis phenomenon.
4. Do Cost Benefit Analysis
5. Minimize technical jargon
While doing Process Modeling following challenges are common:
1. Absence of Process owner
2. Persons aware about process details are not cooperative enough
3. Modeler's point of view gets incorporated in Process Model.
4. Usage of jargon ( Business as well as IT specific)
5. As is Model start depicting To Be.
1. What are the inputs (3Ms and One I – Man/Human Resources/Roles, Material/Document, Machine/Processing capability and Data/Information and Knowledge) to the Process?
2. What are the outcomes of the Process (tangible and non-tangible as well as direct and side effects)?
3. What are the different activities are performed in the course of execution of the Process?
4. What is the order of activities?
5. Who perform the activities?
6. What are the different events occur during the course of process execution?
7. What is the order of events?
8. What the pre-requisites of the Process to initiate?
9. What do/does trigger/s the Process?
10. What are incomplete-nesses or strengths of the Process?
11. Any historical information related to the Process.
The Process Modeling is carried out to achieve following objectives:
1. To specify the exact result of the process and to understand the value of this result.
2. To enable evolution of the Process.
3. To optimize the process (3Ms, One I and One T – Man/Human Resources, Material/Document, Machine/Processing capability, Data/Information and Knowledge and Time to execute)
4. To understand correlation among different processes.
Process Modeling results is variety of artifacts:
1. Process Map: This document – textually and/or graphically depicts various processes in enterprise and their interrelationship at very high level.
2. Roles and Relations Structure: This document - and/or graphically depicts various roles/groups and their relation in graph structure ( not organizational hierarchy) with respect to a Process.
3. As is Process Model: This model consists of following:
a. Process Environment Diagram: Detailed relationship of the Process with other interacting/intersecting processes.
b. Detailed Process Map: Detailed process map of each activity which getting executed in Process Execution all probable conditions.
c. Business rule: List of Business Rules and how they affect execution of process.
d. Exception Handling Diagram: Here detailing is carried out for error and exceptional cases for the process.
4. Publishing and Communication Process Modeling artifacts.
To carry out Process Modeling, simulation plays important role. Any simulation platform/tool/facility should exhibit following traits:
1. Simulate processes with respect to load distribution with time and non time factors
2. Simulate processes with respect to resource consumption ( 3Ms, One I and One T)
3. Statistical analysis of simulation result.
4. What if analysis.
5. Textual and graphical representation of simulation results
6. Publication of simulation results.
While carrying out Process Modeling following principles should be followed:
1. Stick to standards such as BPMN, ARIS methodology, etc.
2. Models must be semantically correct, means all activities, events and 3Ms, One I & One T are taken care of.
3. Beware of Paralysis by Analysis phenomenon.
4. Do Cost Benefit Analysis
5. Minimize technical jargon
While doing Process Modeling following challenges are common:
1. Absence of Process owner
2. Persons aware about process details are not cooperative enough
3. Modeler's point of view gets incorporated in Process Model.
4. Usage of jargon ( Business as well as IT specific)
5. As is Model start depicting To Be.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Role of clouds in SOA
Cloud is a cost-effective deployment platform for your SOA
Basic level: Use virtualized platform as a convenient provisioning tool
Advanced level: Service and application Architects, designers and developers architect, design and develop services which auto-scale, are multi-tenant and possibly use parallel computing
Basic level: Use virtualized platform as a convenient provisioning tool
Advanced level: Service and application Architects, designers and developers architect, design and develop services which auto-scale, are multi-tenant and possibly use parallel computing
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Book Review: Cloud Application Architectures, Building Applications and Infrastructure in the Cloud by George Reese
Book Review: Cloud Application Architectures, Building Applications and Infrastructure in the Cloud by George Reese: Publisher- O’Reilly: ISBN- 13: 978-0-596-15636-7
There are several books in wild about cloud. Most of these books are focusing on business aspects of cloud. This is the first book on cloud which I encountered, covers some aspects of technical aspects of Cloud computing.
The book is easy read and does not assume any technical hands on any platform or programming language but still covers fair amount of technical details of applications to be available on cloud.
Book focuses on transactional web applications to be available on cloud in general and Amazon cloud platform in particular. Since book focuses on Amazon Cloud platform which is Platform and Infrastructure focused, book focuses on Platform and Infrastructure as service aspect of Cloud.
Book has seven chapters which cover introduction to cloud, Amazon EC2 and S3, Business and Technical aspects of moving an application to cloud, security, disaster recovery and scalability of application. Book covers wide spectrum of challenges and opportunities of clod applications. This book is not for hard core developer community but for techno managerial community which will influence the business decisions in any large enterprise.
In appendix there are short articles by Randy Bias of GoGrid and Eric Johnson of Rackspace which are potentially in same cloud space as of Amazon.
Book certainly worth one read on hot topic of Cloud. Book must be in your bookshelf if you are of software techno managerial breed or aspiring one.
Disclaimer: I did not get paid to review this book, and I do not stand to gain anything if you buy the book. I have no relationship with the publisher or the author.
Further reading: Following are the book covering cloud computing:
1. Cloud Security and Privacy: An Enterprise Perspective on Risks and Compliance by Tim Mather (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Security-Privacy-Enterprise-Perspective/dp/0596802765)
2. Cloud Computing, A Practical Approach by Anthony T. Velte, Toby J. Velte and Robert Elsenpeter (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Computing-Practical-Approach-Velte/dp/0071626948)
3. Dot Cloud: The 21st Century Business Platform Built on Cloud Computing by Peter Fingar (http://www.amazon.com/Dot-Cloud-Business-Platform-Computing/dp/0929652495)
4. Cloud Computing: Implementation, Management, and Security by John W. Rittinghouse (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Computing-Implementation-Management-Security/dp/1439806802)
One can get more information about book and related topics from:
1. Publisher Oreilly: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596156374
2. Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Application-Architectures-Applications-Infrastructure/dp/0596156367
3. Cloud Computing at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
4. a1Books: http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=0596156367
5. Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/search.php?query=0596156367
6. George Reese at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reese_%28computer_programmer%29
7. Book Review: http://restrainedfreedom.com/2009/07/book-review-cloud-application-architectures-building-applications-and-infrastructures-in-the-cloud/
8. George Reese at Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/georgereese
There are several books in wild about cloud. Most of these books are focusing on business aspects of cloud. This is the first book on cloud which I encountered, covers some aspects of technical aspects of Cloud computing.
The book is easy read and does not assume any technical hands on any platform or programming language but still covers fair amount of technical details of applications to be available on cloud.
Book focuses on transactional web applications to be available on cloud in general and Amazon cloud platform in particular. Since book focuses on Amazon Cloud platform which is Platform and Infrastructure focused, book focuses on Platform and Infrastructure as service aspect of Cloud.
Book has seven chapters which cover introduction to cloud, Amazon EC2 and S3, Business and Technical aspects of moving an application to cloud, security, disaster recovery and scalability of application. Book covers wide spectrum of challenges and opportunities of clod applications. This book is not for hard core developer community but for techno managerial community which will influence the business decisions in any large enterprise.
In appendix there are short articles by Randy Bias of GoGrid and Eric Johnson of Rackspace which are potentially in same cloud space as of Amazon.
Book certainly worth one read on hot topic of Cloud. Book must be in your bookshelf if you are of software techno managerial breed or aspiring one.
Disclaimer: I did not get paid to review this book, and I do not stand to gain anything if you buy the book. I have no relationship with the publisher or the author.
Further reading: Following are the book covering cloud computing:
1. Cloud Security and Privacy: An Enterprise Perspective on Risks and Compliance by Tim Mather (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Security-Privacy-Enterprise-Perspective/dp/0596802765)
2. Cloud Computing, A Practical Approach by Anthony T. Velte, Toby J. Velte and Robert Elsenpeter (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Computing-Practical-Approach-Velte/dp/0071626948)
3. Dot Cloud: The 21st Century Business Platform Built on Cloud Computing by Peter Fingar (http://www.amazon.com/Dot-Cloud-Business-Platform-Computing/dp/0929652495)
4. Cloud Computing: Implementation, Management, and Security by John W. Rittinghouse (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Computing-Implementation-Management-Security/dp/1439806802)
One can get more information about book and related topics from:
1. Publisher Oreilly: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596156374
2. Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Application-Architectures-Applications-Infrastructure/dp/0596156367
3. Cloud Computing at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
4. a1Books: http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=0596156367
5. Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/search.php?query=0596156367
6. George Reese at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reese_%28computer_programmer%29
7. Book Review: http://restrainedfreedom.com/2009/07/book-review-cloud-application-architectures-building-applications-and-infrastructures-in-the-cloud/
8. George Reese at Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/georgereese
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Outsourcing and Cloud Computing
Outsourcing: Big corporates took lead and done it first
Cloud Computing: Startups and SME and leading the bandwagon
Outsourcing: Banking, Finance, Insurance, Cxxxx were early movers
Cloud Computing: Technology sector is leading
Outsourcing: Non core applications were early targets
Cloud Computing: Non core applications and once off computational needs are prime targets
Outsourcing: Cost cutting was prime mover
Cloud Computing: Cost cutting is prime mover
Outsourcing: As cost differential is shrinking but still out sourcing is growing because of core competency argument
Cloud Computing: Focus is on Cost cutting
Outsourcing: Concerns - Security, Privacy, SLA definition & follow-up, Compliance and change in thinking
Cloud Computing: Concerns - Security, Privacy, Availability, control over IT assets, Audit-ability, SLA definition & follow-up, Compliance, different style of application & infrastructure architecture, Software licenses, Vendor lock-in and most important is Change in thinking
Outsourcing: Morphed into Off-Shoring and Near-Shoring
Cloud Computing: Still evolving
Outsourcing: Technique is mastered
Cloud Computing: Still evolving
Outsourcing: Follow the Sun
Cloud Computing: Present: None, Future: May be follow the Moon
Cloud Computing: Startups and SME and leading the bandwagon
Outsourcing: Banking, Finance, Insurance, Cxxxx were early movers
Cloud Computing: Technology sector is leading
Outsourcing: Non core applications were early targets
Cloud Computing: Non core applications and once off computational needs are prime targets
Outsourcing: Cost cutting was prime mover
Cloud Computing: Cost cutting is prime mover
Outsourcing: As cost differential is shrinking but still out sourcing is growing because of core competency argument
Cloud Computing: Focus is on Cost cutting
Outsourcing: Concerns - Security, Privacy, SLA definition & follow-up, Compliance and change in thinking
Cloud Computing: Concerns - Security, Privacy, Availability, control over IT assets, Audit-ability, SLA definition & follow-up, Compliance, different style of application & infrastructure architecture, Software licenses, Vendor lock-in and most important is Change in thinking
Outsourcing: Morphed into Off-Shoring and Near-Shoring
Cloud Computing: Still evolving
Outsourcing: Technique is mastered
Cloud Computing: Still evolving
Outsourcing: Follow the Sun
Cloud Computing: Present: None, Future: May be follow the Moon
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