Cloud Computing Technologies for Open Connected Government

Cloud Computing is an attractive paradigm for organisations that have a requirement to process large scalable distributed applications. It allows for self-provisioning of cloud resources to develop and host applications as well as acquire storage and networking resources. Connected Government (c-government) is an area where cloud technologies can be effectively used to achieve the benefits that the cloud paradigm promises. Social Media, Web 2.0 and mobile technologies can all help to further enhance the connected government capabilities. Using such technologies, governments and citizens can engage in real time in the electronic participation of a government's functioning. In this chapter, we introduce the cloud paradigm and then discussing the requirements of c-government, we outline how cloud technologies can help to achieve an open and transparent c-government. The aim is to provide the basics of relationship between c-government and cloud computing to set the scene for other contributions in this volume.