Cloud bodies team up to promote best practice

Two organisations dedicated to championing the use of cloud services have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote best practices and industry standards.

The Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) and the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) hope that by working together they will be able to increase commercial adoption of cloud computing.

"This relationship shows that we are willing to support other appropriate cloud-based initiatives that complement the purpose of the CIF code of practice," said Andy Burton, chairman of the CIF.

Both bodies advocate adoption methods that aim to see trust develop between suppliers and consumers, through secure and transparent cloud models.

"The CSA will effectively be the security specialist partner to the CIF that will in turn both reference and endorse CSA activity," said Jim Reavis, executive director, CSA.

The CIF's code of practice for service providers was launched in November 2010.

The code outlines three core areas for service providers: capability, accountability and transparency.

"Organisations complying with the code shall conduct themselves in an open and transparent manner that facilitates rational decision making and management by purchasers of their services," said the CIF.