Transport Canada (TC) Infrastructure Modernization - Cloud / DR / Workload Migration

Transport Canada (TC) IT Infrastructure Modernization

The project is to deliver a complete modern infrastructure environment for TC applications in the Cloud. This requires building a foundational Cloud environment, planning and execution of a workload migration plan, and establishing and operationalize a Disaster Recovery Management Program. In conjunction with SSC, establishment of foundational services (secure network to cloud and authentication services) is required.

The Cloud will provide TC with a modern, scalable, and resilient infrastructure which offers disaster recovery and rapid time to market to support the promotion of a safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada.

This project is meant to address the business needs and opportunities of:

• Providing recovery services for IT in the event of a disaster. This will ensure that the delivery of critical services affecting the safety, security, and economic viability of Canadian citizens continues in a normal operations mode in the event of a disaster;
• Responding to the Cloud First principle and direction from TBS for delivery of Digital Services;
• Responding to demands for increased IT capabilities and increased IT capacity to support department’s programs;
• Adoption of DevOps and modern development methodologies that are enhanced by Cloud services – working in Agile, Open, Collaboration; and,
• Implementing a disaster recovery management program in response to the TBS Policy on Government Security to provide IT service continuity in a timely and efficient manner.

The key deliverables are:

Modernized TC IT environment using Cloud solutions;

• A migration of all applications/systems within the Workload Migration (WLM) initiative to the Cloud;
• Application development and support model modernization to enable Cloud solutions providing efficiencies in delivery time and cost; and,

A validated and maintained Disaster Recovery Management framework in place.

Project Status

This project will use where possible the Agile methodology, following the TC Project Management Office Framework.

Milestones	Initial Target Date	Forecast Date	Completion Date	Comments
Project Start Date	2017-10-26	2017-10-26
Discovery & Analysis for Disaster Recovery (DR)	2018-10-05	2018-10-05	2018-10-05	Complete: Initial research for establishing a Disaster Recovery Program for TC
Cloud Phase 1: Discovery and Initial Cloud Foundation build	2019-04-29	2019-04-01	2019-04-01	Complete: Task awarded to Microsoft to collect information for Cloud environment, assess the TC landscape, and create the initial working environment for TC applications
Cloud Phase 2: Application Target State Assessment	2019-09-20	2019-09-20	2019-09-20	Complete: All business systems assessed and assigned a Cloud target state
Network Connectivity to the Cloud	2018-07-16	2020-04-30		While TC had requested an initial target date of July, 2018, per the SCED project, TC is scheduled to have the connectivity in April, 2020. Until the connectivity is available, TC cannot put into production any applications into the Cloud that require connectivity to an Enterprise data centre
Cloud Foundation Build	2019-04-01	2019-10-18	2019-10-18	Complete: This is the Cloud Working environment for TC applications
Protected B Application in Pilot	2019-10-18	2019-10-18	2019-10-18	Complete: MISS application
Gate 2 – Business Case approval	2019-09-30	2019-10-31		Reviewed by EOC.
Migration Plan Approved	2019-09-30	2019-10-30		Implemented in Microsoft Contract.
Gate 2 Phase 3 – Project Execution approval	2020-03-01	2020-03-01
First Sprint of migration of applications into cloud (Unclassified and not requiring connectivity)	2020-01-30	2020-01-30
Migration of Business Systems to Cloud	2023-03-31	2023-03-31		Remainder of systems migrated via Agile processes using sprints
Disaster Recovery Plans for all applications completed	2023-03-31	2023-03-31
DR initial Exercise	2022-03-30	2022-03-30		First full scale exercise
Gate 4 - Project Completion Date - Approval for Project close	2023-03-31	2023-03-31		TC signoff of delivery of all services
Gate 5 - Project Close	2023-04-15	2023-04-15

Key Accomplishments

Dedicated TC Cloud Centre of Excellence (#TC3OE) has been established

• Deployed 4 production applications in the Cloud (Open Data, Alexa Recalls, TC Search, Navigable Waters Act Registry)
• Deployed 1 Protected B application in pilot – MISS (Major Investigations Specialists Software)
• 40 application workloads currently in pre-production (development, testing, pilot) in Cloud
• Completed implementation of security controls required for Protected-B Cloud environment
• Completed assessment of TC's applications for readiness to be migrated to the Cloud
• Contracted industry Cloud expertise to assist to create, configure, and train TC FTE staff
• Established the foundational Cloud Environment (Hybrid Cloud Management (HCM)) to start accepting workloads
• As part of Culture change to adopt Cloud, 37 (formal and informal) Training sessions, 11 Technical Talks, 33 Awareness building roadshows, and four TC-wide Cloud engagement sessions have been completed
• TC is sharing with other GC Agencies and Departments the Azure Network Template Generator via the GitHub repository
• Adoption of DevOps and modern development methodologies that are enhanced by Cloud services – Working in Agile, Open, Collaboration          

Overview of Transport Canada’s Cloud Centre of Excellence (#TC3OE)

TC3OE is Transport Canada’s Cloud Centre of Excellence –the group is responsible to enable the delivery of modern digital solutions by leveraging the Agility, Flexibility, Elasticity, and Disaster Recovery features of Cloud technologies.

The team supports and maintains the Cloud foundational infrastructure, and aids designers in the planning, procurement, configuration and integration of Cloud services, so that TC clients can quickly address their rapidly changing business needs.

#TC3OE can be contacted via email at: TC.Cloud-Infonuagique.TC@tc.gc.ca

Challenges – Risks and Issues

Risks:

• There is a risk that dependencies from Enterprise Architecture (Target State Cloud Architecture), Data Management (Data Strategy; updated data management policies), IT Security (Updated Risk Management approach), and Solutions Centre (Cloud-Native development framework) will delay aspects of the project – Impact: Low – Probability: Medium

Mitigation- Work with the appropriate groups to expedite deliverables. Cyber Security has approved an updated IT Security Risk Management approach using a Security Assessment & Authority (SA&A).                  

• Transport Canada has dependencies in the Cloud environment to provide Disaster Recovery services for critical business applications.  There is a risk that this will not materialize due to delays in the delivery of Cloud Protected B services – Impact: Medium – Probability: High

Mitigation - Work with and the Cloud service providers to expedite the delivery and to prioritize critical applications once the cloud environment is available. Availability of the Cloud environment is continuing to be impacted by the delayed delivery of connectivity from "Cloud to Ground" (now scheduled for April, 2020).

Issues:

• Missing secure network connectivity "Cloud to Ground".

Resolution Plan: Re-order activities to migrate workloads that have minimum dependency on Network requirements first. Working to ensure TC is on the next wave of SCED planning.

• The contracts for Protected B Cloud services were available August, 2019, however, the required connectivity from "Cloud to ground" and associated services have not been delivered.  This delay is impacting Workload Migration activities for Protected-B workloads.  

Resolution Plan: Re-order activities to migrate unclassified workloads first; work to expedite the implementation of a secure tunnel and the required foundational services.        

Guidance and Documentation

• Frequently Asked Questions  
• [Cloud Adoption Strategy]
• [Journey to the cloud]
• TC Cloud Corner page
• The Azure Network Template Generator is now released to GitHub at: https://github.com/canada-ca/accelerators_accelerateurs-azure

Workload Migration Categorizations (Business Applications in Scope)

• Data Source from the previous Microsoft Assessment

Security Classification	No Active Directory Dependency	No Connectivity	Requires Active Directory	Requires Connectivity with EDC	SQL Database	Total
Unclassified	84	21	40	103	7	124
Protected A	87	9	60	138	5	147
Protected B	46	8	9	47	4	55
Total	217	38	109	288	16	326

Application Workload Migration via Agile Sprints

Placeholder to identify applications for upcoming Workload Migration of Applications via Agile Sprints

Activities and Timelines for TC's Cloud Adoption Strategy

Activities and Timelines for TC's Cloud Adoption Strategy