Cloud computing's next step

Agencies and vendors need common definitions, performance metrics and security controls, say panelists at the FOSE 2012 conference.

The General Services Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed compliance standards for agency acquisition of cloud computing technology, but they still need to develop performance metrics and interpret standards for agency use of cloud computing technology, experts said at the FOSE 2012 conference held in Washington, reports Kathleen Hickey at FCW.com's sister site, GCN.com.

“There is an appendix of [cloud computing federal government] standards for vendors to comply with,” said Katie Lewin, director of the federal cloud computing program in GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, quoted in Hickey's article.. But “there needs more interpretation and discussion between cloud computing vendors and customers. You can’t just give standards to comply with. [Agencies need to know] what the government is looking for and how the controls will be interpreted.”

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