2- Cloud Technologies Case Study

Welcome to C850 and here is its study plan.  The only way to pass on a first attempt, which is important, is to make a Course Instructor appointment because there have been recent changes to the course and instructors know things about the course that are not obvious and not clear from the course rubric.  Read the attachment called C850 Techfite Case Study. You must write about Techfite to pass this course, no exceptions.

Steps how to pass the first time.
1. Make an instructor appointment immediately for either 15 or 30 minutes. Be at a computer and have this email ready and opened to save time.
2. Get a topic approved from the Techfite Case Study first from the course instructor; don’t begin writing until approval has been given either on a phone call or through email.
3. Instructors will review your paper twice; first after only writing Requirements A, B & C and a second time after completing Requirements. D, E & F. 
4. Submit the paper to the instructor first after writing Requirements A, B & C. After the instructor provides feedback and says it’s OK to continue writing Requirements D, E & F, then proceed with writing Requirements D, E & F.
Note: When submitting your work to an instructor the second time, include the entire paper from beginning to end, parts A through F; don’t just submit parts D, E & F; submit all requirements.
5. Please never submit the task without instructor approval; only submit after getting instructor approval either through email or a phone call.

Less than 1% of students pass on a first attempt without consulting an instructor, but over 60% succeed with an instructor’s guidance.
 IMPORTANT POINTS BEFORE GETTING STARTED – The way to pass this course is to fulfill the course’s requirements by setting an instructor appointment first.
 
HOW TO GET STARTED WRITING THE TASK
The goal is to pass this course and all courses at WGU on a first attempt.
1)     It’s only necessary to solve ONE of Techfite’s problems and “one” means “one only.”  The company has more than one, but thankfully, you only need to solve one.  Examples from the Techfite Case Study (attached) include automating one of these:  log scanning, log storage or attack detection.
 
2)   GET APPROVAL FROM THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR ABOUT YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC by emailing the Course Instructor.  NEVER BEGIN writing until you obtain email approval or oral approval during a live instructor conversation.  The goal is to pass the course on the first attempt.

Here are some possibilities or you can choose something else.  

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Examples of Cloud Technologies and products.

Log Scanning and Attack Detection- AWS Cloud Watch, AWS GuardDuty, Azure Sentinel, Google Cloud, IBM QRadar, Splunk

Data Storage AWS S3 and Azure Blob

3)     Don’t overthink the paper.  This is a business proposal so the person reading it is a businessperson.  This paper is NOT A TECHNICAL REPORT so do not write much in depth about technology.  It is not necessary so don’t go there.

4)     There’s no minimum or maximum length required.  The average total paper length DOUBLE SPACED, NOT INCLUDING the cover sheet and the reference page, is usually 4 to 6 pages double spaced.
5) When writing this task, NEVER COMBINE DIFFERENT SECTIONS TOGETHER.  Answer each requirement separately.  Each requirement must stand on its own. 

ALWAYS INCLUDE THESE ITEMS IN THE PAPER
a. STEP ONE – Get your topic approved by an instructor first through email “or” by discussing it during an instructor appointment. DO NOT PROCEED writing anything until you obtain an instructor’s approval first.  Don’t waste valuable time.  This is a critical step to passing the first time.

b. NUMBER ALL PAGES IN THE PAPER.  DON’T FORGET TO DO THIS!!!!
c. LABEL all sections of the paper exactly like this:  Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part E and Part F so the reader knows where each section begins and ends.

d.When writing, use “first person” meaning say “I will discuss” or “I will explain.”  Use first person as much as possible.
e.Always use complete sentences for this task.  DO NOT USE BULLET POINTS; use complete sentences at all times.
f. Write as much of the paper in your own words known as “originality.”  The rule at WGU is that you can’t have more than 29% (twenty nine percent) of your paper borrowed from other sources, even if you correctly cite them using the APA writing style.  Also, a single reference cannot be used more than 10% (ten percent) of the time.  standards. 
g. Create a COVER SHEET with your name, course name, C850 – Emerging Technologies, Date of Submission;
h. ALWAYS INDENT THE START OF A NEW PARAGRAPH.
i. Required to pass the course – Use a minimum of two (2) references using APA writing style and each reference requires a matching in-text citation using APA format.  Need help with APA?  Contact WGU’s Writing Center, open 7 days at https://my.wgu.edu/success-centers/writing-center

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j. Required to pass the course – Spelling, grammar and punctuation are evaluated so if you need help with writing skills, contact WGU’s Writing Center, open 7 days at https://my.wgu.edu/success-centers/writing-center
This section explains Requirements A, B and C.  After writing them, submit to tom.milham@wgu.edu for proofreading to make sure the requirements are correct and not missing any information.  If you need help with writing skills, contact WGU’s Writing Center at https://my.wgu.edu/success-centers/writing-center
Part A – Requires an organizational need and a scope about Techfite.  Include the following four (4) items and put each one in a separate sentence.

Begin by labeling this section “Part A”
1. Say what Techfite manufactures and for whom.
2. Say the company is growing internationally.
3. Mention that Techfite must comply with FISMA and NIST.
4. Include that Techfite would benefit by  “automating” one of the following.  Use the precise word “automate.”
a.      its current manual log scanning “or”
b.      its current log storage “or”
c.      its current manual detection of attacks. 

HOW TO APPROACH WRITING REQUIREMENT B

Part B – This is a justification section so read these instructions carefully.
Part B requires three (3) items to pass.

Item #1 required – Identify the emerging technology.

I recommend that Techfite purchase (insert name of emerging cloud technology). Create a minimum of a TWO SENTENCE explanation that explains why your chosen technology is emerging.

Example: I recommend Techfite purchase (insert name of emerging technology) because it makes use of Artificial Intelligence, which offers an emerging feature known as (choose one:
anomaly detection, data ingestion or predictive analytics.

(Next, write a one sentence definition about this emerging feature and cite the reference).

Item #2 required – It’s required to include where your chosen emerging technology falls on either “the Gartner Maturity Level “or” the Gartner Hype Cycle, found in Module 3 of the C850 Course of Study , study material.

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Note: Your emerging technology must fall on one of the first two stages in the Gartner Maturity Level shown below which are embryonic or emerging.  Anything beyond these first two stages WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE and WILL NOT PASS Part B.

In the Gartner Maturity Level, it’s a good idea to choose the “emerging stage” (see chart below) and then to associate the emerging stage with one of the following from the far right column called Products/Vendors, associated with the emerging stage: Either first generation, high price or much customization. It does not matter which one is chosen.

Example: (INSERT NAME OF TECHNOLOGY) falls on the Gartner Maturity Level in the emerging stage because it’s a first generation technology which requires a great amount of customization to make it operate in Techfite’s environment.

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

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The Hype Cycle is an alternative to the Gartner Maturity Level.  BOTH ARE NOT REQUIRED; THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE only if you choose NOT to use the Gartner Maturity Level.

As an alternative to the Gartner Maturity Level, you may also locate your chosen technology on “The Hype Cycle” curve (see below), also from Gartner, found in Module 3 of the C850 Course

Material. For this submission, anything that is plotted into the first three zones will be acceptable as that meets the definition of an emerging technology in this course. 

The first three zones as shown along the horizontal axis of this diagram include the innovation trigger, the peak of inflated expectations and the trough of disillusionment.  Nothing else will be accepted and would cause a fail of Requirement B.

Next, relate your chosen emerging feature chosen earlier from Part B to these two (2) things:

1) Where it falls on one of the first three zones of the Hype Cycle (shown below) and
2) Secondly, choose a point on the graph “within that same zone” and discuss it.

Example Only. (INSERT NAME OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY CHOSEN) falls on the Gartner Hype Cycle in the zone called the “peak of inflated expectations and it relates to a point called activity beyond early adopters”

 

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Item #3 required –Provide a solution to the identified organizational need that is relevant to the case study.

Example: By using (insert name of chosen emerging technology), Techfite will be able to go from scanning 10,000 log files per week at a 30% success rate to be able to (choose a percentage greater than 30%. Make this number up on your own).

Notice this information is taken directly from the Case Study so it is relevant to it.
–
 
Part C

It is required to read and use the Gartner STREET method found in Module 3 of the Course Material.  Please do the following:

First sentence must say, “I have chosen the Gartner STREET method as the adoption process, which uses six steps called scope, track, rank, evaluate, evangelize and transfer.
Next, for each of the six steps of the STREET process which are scope, track, rank, evaluate, evangelize and transfer, there are two (2) things to accomplish.  Write a total of two (2) sentences for each step in the order shown below.  Do number one first, followed by number two.  DO NOT CHANGE THEIR POSITIONS.
1)      First, write one complete sentence EXPLAINING WHY each step is necessary;
2)      Second, write one complete sentence DESCRIBING HOW each step relates to Techfite .  It’s helpful to repeat the word Techfite six different times, ONCE per STEP, since it is necessary to relate each step to Techfite.
WHAT TO DO NEXT – The goal is to pass on the first attempt!
1. Proofread your own paper for correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Make sure you have read how to write Parts A, B and C so that each part fulfills the requirements.
2. Email your rough draft of Parts A , B and C to cornel.levy@wgu.edu
3. The Course Instructor will reply with feedback including possible revisions.  Watch your email for this. 
If the instructor says you are ready to continue writing the rest of the task, including Parts D, E & F, then be sure to send that also to the instructor for a second instructor review. Never submit for evaluation until the instructor tells you it’s ok to do so. 
4. After the instructor says your paper is complete and ready to be submitted for evaluation, NOTICE THE PERCENTAGE of ORIGINALITY WHEN SUBMITTING.  It must NOT be greater than 29% (twenty nine percent).
If your paper contains more than 29% “NON-ORIGINAL” content, “even if correctly cited in APA,” you will NOT PASS the course.  If this occurs, CANCEL THE SUBMISSION
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IMMEDIATELY.  The solution will be to write more of the paper USING YOUR OWN ORIGINAL WORDS.  Repeat this process until the percentage is less than 29%.   

Requirement D – There are four (4) items to account for in Part D.  They are one positive impact, one negative impact and two examples how to address, meaning how to overcome or mitigate “only” the negative impact. 
WHAT TO DO  – Using the words “positive impact” and “negative impact,” describe both ONE POSITIVE and ONE NEGATIVE impact that your emerging technology solution could have on the people or current processes at Techfite, providing TWO (2) examples how to address ONLY the negative impact. 

Requirement E – Compare your chosen emerging technology mentioned earlier in Part B  to an alternative CLOUD technology, providing two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages for EACH TECHNOLOGY.   
WHAT TO DO to PASS PART E
Note:  In the first sentence of Part E, it’s required to use the word “compare” or “comparison.”  I will compare AWS GuardDuty with Azure Sentinel. 
1. The alternative technology should be a cloud technology AND the alternative must include BOTH the technology and a specific service of the technology such as AWS GuardDuty, Azure Sentinel, etc.  EVEN IN THE COMPARISON OF THE SECOND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, a combination of the technology “and” the specific service of the technology are REQUIRED TO PASS.  The alternative CANNOT ONLY say AWS, Azure, etc;  it must use a specific service of the technology. 
2.
Correct Example:  Part B   AWS Cloudwatch compared to Microsoft Azure Sentinel.  Notice both technologies also must both have specific services.
Wrong Example that will FAIL:  AWS compared to Azure;  NOT CORRECT because there are missing specific services.  This will NEVER PASS!!!!
2. WHAT TO DO TO PASS PART E  – It’s necessary to use the precise word “compare” or “comparison” in the first sentence by saying, “I will compare AWS GuardDuty with Microsoft Azure Sentinel.”  DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE THE WORD COMPARE; IT IS REQUIRED TO PASS.
 
3. ALWAYS PUT ADVANTAGES FIRST, meaning before disadvantages.  NEVER put disadvantages first in any type of written assignment; it is not considered good writing style, ever!
 
4. Next, USING COMPLETE SENTENCES and NOT BULLET points, write a total of eight (8) separate sentences.  Each advantage and each disadvantage must be complete sentences!  Make sure to use the actual words “advantages and disadvantages.” 
Put advantages first and disadvantages second as shown here. 

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Step One – Using complete sentences, not bullet points, give two (2) advantages of the cloud technology mentioned earlier in Part B;

Step Two – Using complete sentences, not bullet points, give two (2) disadvantages of the cloud technology mentioned earlier in Part B; 
Step Three – Using complete sentences, not bullet points, give two (2) advantages of the alternative cloud technology..
Step Four – Using complete sentences, not bullet points, give two (2) disadvantages of the alternative cloud technology. 
Please use the actual words ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES when writing. 
Note:  Altogether, there are eight (8) items to account for in Requirement E. 
Comments:  The advantages and disadvantages provided in Requirement E should be different than the ones found in Requirement                                                                                                                                                  
 Requirement F –   This section is very often missed by students so get with a Course Instructor to review your written work.
Recommend a method that can be used to determine whether adoption of the proposed emerging technology solution will be successful or unsuccessful, based on the needs of Techfite.  Note:  The method will come from Part A of the paper such as automating either log analysis, data storage or attack detection.

HOW TO PASS PART F

WARNING:  Never use the word “implement” in Part F.  This will cause a person to fail immediately.  Remember, this is a proposal which will occur in the future.  Nothing can be said about implementing or implementation in Part F. 

DO NOT INCLUDE anything from Part C which is the Gartner STREET method. Part C is an adoption process whereas Part F is about adoption success and they are very different.

1. ******Important – Write Part F completely using FUTURE TENSE such as “will establish a goal, will determine, will evaluate, will propose a plan.”  Future tense requires using “will plus the verb.  Again, Part F must be in future tense because we’re testing a proposal; the results have not happened yet; they might happen in the future.
2. ******Important – The method is found from earlier in the task in Part A where you originally chose “what” will be automated.  Example:  Automating the number of logs scanned will be in Part F “or” automating the number of logs stored “or” automating the number of attacks detected. Only use one method in Part F and it must MATCH what was used in Part A.

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3. How are you going to determine if the technology is successful or a failure?
What period of time are you going to test your technology KNOWN AS A TRIAL PERIOD such as a 60-day, 90-day or 120-day trial period.  YOU MUST USE THE WORDS “trial period to pass with a specific length of time such as 60, 90 or 120 days as examples.

Reminder:  Requirement F is not a conclusion and a conclusion is not needed.

Note:  Do NOT include anything from Part C, the STREET method, in Requirement F.  Part C was an adoption process whereas Part F seeks a method.  They are different requirements. DO NOT MIX THEM. 

Important:  Before reading the section below, realize you are able to make up your own metrics, meaning numbers.  Techfite is a fictitious company .

4. Again, never use the word “implement” or “implementation in Part F.”

Example:
The method I’ve chosen to determine whether the adoption of (insert name of emerging technology) will be successful or unsuccessful to meet Techfite’s needs is the number of (insert the method from Part A and be sure it’s only ONE METHOD, not more than one).  This proposal will contain a plan to begin by taking a test measurement of the current number of logs analyzed, which will establish a benchmark to set a future goal.  The future goal will be to obtain a percentage increase of (enter a percentage ranging from 30% up to 200%.  Choose any number you desire.) After a 90-day trial period, a second test measurement will be taken which will be compared against the first one and if the percentage increased by (include percentage number you chose earlier) or greater, then success will be met and the organizational goal to (from Part A) automate log scanning will be achieved.
**** REQUIRED TO PASS The precise words “trial period must be used with a specific number of days such as 60-day trial period, 90-day trial period or 120-day trial period.***
 
Requirement G. Make sure sources are cited in the task using APA and that a reference page is at the end of the paper on a SEPARATE and FINAL page of its own.
Requirement H .Make sure your paper is professionally written.  This is a proposal to a CEO/CIO, so you aren’t writing the paper from the perspective of a friend/colleague.