Rather than focusing on technical standards, which will likely converge over time and bear more relevance to on-premise solutions, the cloud industry should focus on key operational standards, such as transparency, accountability and capability, states APM Group, the Cloud Industry Forum’s (CIF) independent certification partner.
The CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Dr. Jeff Jaffe, has called for tighter control over today's cloud computing standards to combat issues relating to interoperability and data portability, pointing to the 'confused patchwork of design' that currently exists.
In response, Richard Pharro, CEO of APM Group, has called for a shift in focus from technical standards, which he states are fractious and fast losing relevance, to operational standards, to ensure that end users are able to navigate the cloud marketplace: “While technical standards are important, particularly in areas such as APIs that aide interoperability, they do not have the significance in cloud deployments that they have in on-premise installations. Indeed, as the market reaches maturity, and market forces drive convergence, technical standards will become increasingly irrelevant in the cloud setting. Technical standards relating to the cloud will be unlikely to able to keep up with the rate at which it matures, if and when the industry arrives at a single set of standards, they are likely to be redundant.
“In light of this, I’d suggest that less prescriptive management and operational type certifications will be of most value to the industry. Certifications, such as the Cloud Industry Forum’s Code of Practice, ensure that Cloud Service Providers operate in a transparent way and are up front about their commercial and operational capabilities, making it easier for end users to find a supplier that meets their requirements. For example, it requires full disclosure of data portability requirements, but doesn’t mandate a single standard,” he concluded.
