Cloud computing technology in local governments: Investigation of integrated municipal cloud system architecture

Cloud computing is a technology and service model that provides access to computer systems, data and sharing of these resources over the internet. Unlike traditional computing infrastructures, in cloud computing, hardware and software resources are provided virtually on a server and made available to users via the internet. This model provides users with advantages such as flexibility, scalability, cost effectiveness and ease of access. In municipalities and other local administrations providing public services, cloud computing can offer advantages such as cost savings, scalability, ease of access, data backup, security, innovation and efficiency in service delivery. In the study carried out in this context, the conceptual framework for the implementation of cloud computing infrastructure in local governments was determined and the opinions of local government employees on the subject were tried to be determined. In addition, how the integrated municipal cloud system architecture is understood and implemented in local governments, participants' experiences with cloud computing services, and their opinions on this technology were examined. For this purpose, an online survey form was sent to the local governments contacted within the scope of the research, and participation was obtained from 31 different municipalities. A total of 95 local government employees, including 1 Mayor and 4 Deputy Mayors, participated in the study, which was conducted on a voluntary basis. The data obtained from the participants were analyzed using frequency and percentage distributions. As a result of the study, it was observed that cloud computing is highly understood and adopted by users and that municipalities show a strong tendency to use cloud computing systems. However, they are also aware of the challenges brought by this technology, and decision makers in municipalities need to consider factors such as security, cost and organizational change while evaluating the benefits offered by the technology. It was concluded that it is extremely important for local governments to adopt a security-centered approach in the digital transformation process, and that the proposed integrated municipal cloud system architecture was largely welcomed by the participants. 2024, xi + 106 pages Keywords: Cloud computing, local government, integrated municipal cloud system.