NIST Sponsors Second Cloud Computing Forum and Workshop Nov. 4-5

On November 4 and 5, 2010, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host the Cloud Computing Forum and Workshop II to give government and industry stakeholders opportunity to comment on the next steps in developing cloud computing standards. Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra and NIST Director Patrick Gallagher will present their vision for cloud computing standards during the workshop in Gaithersburg, Md.

Cloud computing is an emerging model for obtaining on-demand access to shared computing resources, often through the use of remotely located, widely distributed data networks. The technology is already being used in the public and private sectors.

Earlier this year, Kundra asked NIST to help accelerate the federal government's secure adoption of cloud computing by leading efforts to develop standards and guidelines. The laboratory's efforts focus on developing open standards in security, data portability and cloud interoperability (the ability of different systems to work together seamlessly).

NIST will introduce its strategy to develop a cloud computing roadmap in collaboration with other federal and industrial stakeholders and discuss the development of a neutral cloud computing reference architecture and taxonomy with stakeholders. NIST also will announce access to the Standards Acceleration to Jumpstart the Adoption of Cloud Computing (SAJACC) portal. SAJACC is a collaborative technical initiative that is intended to validate and communicate interim cloud computing specifications, before they become formal standards.

On November 4, Kundra and Gallagher will deliver keynote presentations and subsequent panel discussions will consider the roles of standard organizations and ad-hoc standards in the cloud, need and use of a reference architecture to support cloud adoption, key cloud computing issues and potential solutions, security in the cloud, and international aspects of cloud computing.

Breakout sessions on November 5 are designed to actively engage stakeholders in discussion of these issues and develop a series of next steps for the effort in cloud computing standards.

More information on the Cloud Computing Forum and Workshop II and registration is available online.

Reporters interested in attending should contact Evelyn Brown, (301) 975-5661.