You would probably never buy a car without taking it for a test drive, and for good reason. It’s a large investment that will likely be with you for a while, and you want to make sure the car meets your needs, runs well and fits within your budget. Similarly, Federal Agencies need to take Cloud Computing for a test drive, kick the tires, and look under the hood. The best way to do this is with Cloud Computing Pilots.

Pilot projects are vital to the health of Government IT because they provide hands-on experience and give an intimate picture of both the technology and operating model with a limited level of risk. The experience gained from Pilots will help the Government be a smarter, more informed buyer of Cloud technology. Pilots such as Nebula hasten the adoption of technology standards and best practices and give us all a more robust picture of what a Federal-wide Cloud might look like. They allow the Government to test, on a small scale, the impact that Cloud Computing has on budget and infrastructure procurement, and what that impact might look like on a larger scale.

There are a number of innovative Cloud Computing pilots now underway across the federal Government that are providing these valuable insights into Cloud technology. It is my hope that our leaders will continue to nurture and invest in these small projects so they can continue to operate and innovate, enabling other Federal Agencies to learn from and build on the experience. Only through openness, communication and collaboration will we avoid reinventing the wheel.