This week in Technically News: IaaS Performance Benchmarks Part 2: AWS; CryptoLocker, Kegotip, Medfos Malware Triple-Threat; How Government IT Uses Virtualization to Lock Down Clouds; State CIO Scramble to Keep Pace with Technology; 7 Keys to More Modern & Secure Government.

One common misconception is that by moving applications – or IT Services – to the cloud, one somehow absolves oneself from properly managing that platform and application. Cloud platforms do not make 40+ years of institutional IT knowledge and learnings suddenly obsolete. In Symantec’s recent State of Cloud Survey, many traditional core IT disciplines were highlighted as being problem areas for cloud adopters. Ironically, many of the issues cited, like rogue IT and backup complexity, are commonly encountered with on-premise IT, so it’s no surprise to see these issues replicated on cloud platforms.

Hey, did you hear how NASA used Amazon’s cloud computing for its latest Mars mission? NASA’s management of the Curiosity Rover is demonstrating the considerable technical expertise of the scientists involved in the design and deployment of history’s greatest continuation of unmanned research on another planet. The JPL Curiosity Rover Team’s use of the latest in Amazon Web Services (AWS) Infrastructure and Platform support services (IASS) are demonstrating the team’s considerable understanding of the financial benefits as well.