Recommendation 2 - Participate in Standards Development
Agencies should actively participate and coordinate in cloud computing standards development projects that are of high priority to their agency missions. The January 17, 2012, White House Memorandum, M-12-08, lists five fundamental strategic objectives for federal government agencies whenever engaging in standards development.
Recommendation 3 - Encourage Testing to Accelerate Technically Sound Standards-Based Deployments
Agencies should support the concurrent development of conformity and interoperability assessment schemes to accelerate the development and use of technically sound cloud computing standards and standards-based products, processes, and services. Agencies should also include consideration of conformity assessment approaches currently in place that take account of elements from international systems, to minimize duplicative testing and encourage private sector support.
Recommendation 4 - Specify Cloud Computing Standards
Agencies should specify cloud computing standards in their procurements and grant guidance when multiple vendors offer standards-based implementations and there is evidence of successful interoperability testing.
Recommendation 5 - USG-Wide Use of Cloud Computing Standards
To support USG requirements for accessibility, interoperability, performance, portability, and security in cloud computing, the Federal Cloud Computing Standards and Technology Working Group, in coordination with the Federal CIO Council Cloud Computing Executive Steering Committee (CCESC) and the Cloud First Task Force, should recommend specific cloud computing standards and best practices for USG-wide use.
2 INTRODUCTION
2.1 BACKGROUND
บ.ร. laws and associated policy require federal agencies to use international, voluntary consensus standards in their procurement and regulatory activities, except where inconsistent with law or otherwise impractical.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been designated by the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) to accelerate the federal government’s secure adoption of cloud computing by leading efforts to identify existing standards and guidelines. Where standards are needed, NIST works closely with บ.ร. industry, standards developers, other government agencies, and leaders in the global standards community to develop standards that will support secure cloud computing.
The NIST Cloud Computing Program was formally launched in November 2010 and was created to support the federal government effort to incorporate cloud computing as a replacement for, or enhancement to, traditional information system and application models where appropriate.