Organization: Cloud Carib

Session Leads: Eamonn Sheehy, Cloud Carib

Time: 13:30-17:00

Summary: The training session will not focus on the detail technical ICT issues but rather on the strategic approaches needed to ensure stable, available and resilient ICT operational environments. The increased reliance on ICT and digitization of information and processes means that ICT is no-longer just for the IT Department. At the organizational level it must be seen as strategic imperative for the successful delivery of services to clients (whether commercial or public sector.). At the national level, particularly with the stated aims of many Caribbean governments to digitize government services, it must be seen as a national security issue.

This means that the traditional 9 to 5 approach to ICT can no-longer be supported. Implementation of sophisticated systems that are designed to provide timely 24/7 services to citizens and businesses must come with sophisticated support mechanisms, both in terms of operations and sustainability.

A fully formed and properly managed cloud computing strategy at both national and regional levels can significantly improve the physical resilience of ICT systems and alleviate and minimize system loss or unavailability due to natural disaster and/or due to man-made disasters. It can also provide financial investment safeguards and long-term sustainability of ICT environments. But this must be underpinned by reliable, secure and resilient physical ICT infrastructure (data centers, networks, power supply, etc.)

This Training Session will explore the various strategies and standards needed to ensure that ICT environments in the Caribbean have the necessary physical and operational resilience to withstand various risks, whether natural or man-made through a systematic approach to component design, implementation, availability and sustainability.