Cloud-Based Solutions Report: Agile Methodologies and eHealth System

This report delves into cloud-based solutions, defining them as internet-accessed computing resources like networks, applications, and storage. It explores their applications across various sectors such as healthcare and business, highlighting advantages like cost reduction, flexibility, and location independence. The report also acknowledges limitations, including provider control issues and potential security risks. Furthermore, it compares the Unified Process (UP) and Scrum agile methodologies for software development, particularly in the context of developing an eHealth cloud system. It suggests the Unified Process as the preferred framework due to its predefined scope, which facilitates financial planning and adherence to timelines, crucial for large and complex projects. The report references several sources to support its analysis.

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Cloud Based Solutions
A cloud based solution can be defined as the computer networks, applications,
demand services, storage or resources that can be accessed through the internet and other
people who have also shared their computing infrastructure in the cloud (IGI Global, & In
Information Resources Management Association, 2016). Any individual who is connected to
the internet through cloud is capable of getting access of cloud-based solutions from
whichever place they are at any time (Fox & Riemann, 2012).
There are many environments in which these solutions can be applied. Some of them
include hospitals, industries, business enterprises and learning institutions (Jamsa, 2013). The
major scenarios that may call for cloud-based solutions include the management of
infrastructure transformation in an organization, disaster recovery (because of high costs or
lack of in-house capability in a firm), management of a hybrid environment, big data
analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence, or data storage problems (IGI Global, &
In Information Resources Management Association, 2016). Among the most recent
development in cloud-based solutions is the employment of this technology in keeping health
records which will make it easier to track and manage the records of the patients and other
activities in health and research institutions (Fox and Riemann, 2012).
Depending on the environment and scenario in which a cloud based solution is
applied, it comes with a number of advantages. For instance, the use of cloud computing in
keeping health records will help ease the cost that is spent on operational activities on data
management (Jamsa, 2013).
Another advantage of this technology is that it improves the flexibility of workers
within an organization by the addition or expansion of infrastructure resources on technology.
Clod-based solutions are also independent of the location of an individual or the device being

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used to access the information (IGI Global, & In Information Resources Management
Association, 2016). Therefore, it is very easy for workers on field work to easily access
information even through their mobile phones. This is especially suitable for health worker
who go working in remote and marginalised areas (Fox & Riemann, 2012).
Cloud based solutions also make it easier to maintain applications since not every user
needs to have it installed in their device. Therefore, maintenance can be done from the main
server while different people access the information from different locations (Jamsa, 2013).
In case of application failure, the technician will not have to go to each user trying to make
things right. There is also a high performance level as a result of easier maintenance (Fox &
Riemann, 2012).
Another merit of clod-based solutions is the improvement of productivity within a
business organization. This is because workers can handle the same kind of data
simultaneously instead of having the data being sent to every individual through e-mail. In
addition to that, the users will not have to start re-entering the data into their computers or
upgrading into the latest needed application (IGI Global, & In Information Resources
Management Association, 2016).
Cloud-based solutions are also reliable by virtue of the fact that users can access
multiple sites while working. There is also improved security on resources and data as the
system is being managed from one central location. It also enables cost sharing among the
users as the infrastructure is always centralized with low maintenance costs (Fox & Riemann,
2012).
Despite having all these advantages, cloud-based solutions also have their limitations.
For instance, providers for cloud-based solutions do not fulfil the legal needs of their

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customers. This is simply because the management of the infrastructure is only done by the
service provider and the customer has no control over that (Jamsa, 2013).
In addition to that, cloud-based solutions have limited options on customization. This
is simply because there are multiple users with varied demands using the system and yet it
cannot cater for those demands for every individual (Jamsa, 2013). There is also the risk of
security on sensitive data that is not encrypted. Business activities may also be suspended in
the case of outages where the service providers get overwhelmed by the tasks at hand (IGI
Global, & In Information Resources Management Association, 2016).
Agile Methodologies
The Unified Process and Scrum are frameworks for software development which are
both widely used in the current technological era (Ashmore & Runyan, 2015). In the case of
developing an eHealth cloud system, one needs to make a wise choice on the kind of
framework to use. This is because the framework is what gives the direction on the
development and the subsequent monitoring of the developer’s progress (El, & Alnoukari,
2012).
Both of the two software frameworks are agile with an iterative approach therefore,
they both need teamwork and an organization of the process in stages. While doing this, the
frameworks maintain self-management while incorporating team work, and quality of the
product is a key objective for the two frameworks (El, & Alnoukari, 2012). However, there
are differences that come up in the outworking of the two frameworks.
For instance, while defining the scope and the major milestones in the project, the
unified process uses a formal approach. Therefore, there are usually deadlines for meeting the
specific milestones within the project (Ashmore & Runyan, 2015). On the other hand, rather

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than defining the scope of the project at hand, SCRUM works with the project backlog which
is redefined at the end of each iteration process (El, & Alnoukari, 2012).
From the above expressed differences between UP and SCRUM, it will be most
preferable to use the Unified Process in developing an eHealth system. By virtue of a
predefined scope, it will be easier to do prior financial planning that will bring the project
into completion. This is unlike the SCRUM framework which works out of speculation. This
may likely lead to overspending in a project which could have taken lesser time (Ashmore &
Runyan, 2015).
Another reason why the UP framework will be suitable is because it gives a defined
timeline for carrying out the different tasks. Therefore, the organization will know when to
expect the end product and incorporate it into their system. Because an eHealth system is
large and complex, it will be advisable to use the UP framework approach (El, & Alnoukari,
2012).

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REFERENCES
Ashmore, S., & Runyan, K. (2015). Introduction to agile methods. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education.
El, S. A. A. R., & Alnoukari, M. (2012). Business intelligence and agile methodologies for
knowledge-based organizations: Cross-disciplinary applications. Hershey, PA:
Business Science Reference.
Fox, S., & Riemann, L. (2012). Professional SharePoint 2010 cloud-based solutions.
Indianapolis, Ind: Wrox/John Wiley & Sons.
IGI Global,, & In Information Resources Management Association,. (2016). Web-based
services: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications.
Jamsa, K. (2013). Cloud computing: SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, virtualization, business models,
mobile, security and more. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.