EC prioritises cloud standardisation

digital agenda has put interoperability and standards at the forefront of the cloud computing agenda, according to PC World.

"Users must be able to change their cloud provider as fast and easily as changing one's Internet or mobile phone provider has become in many places," said Commissioner Neelie Kroes at the unveiling of Microsoft's cloud computing centre in Brussels on Tuesday.

“Interoperability is essential for the cloud to be fair, open and competitive. International standardisation efforts will have a huge impact on cloud computing. Open specifications are a key in creating competitive and flourishing markets that deliver what customers need,” she added.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft wants the EU to harmonise rules governing cloud computing, where data is stored remotely, in order to give the bloc of 27 countries a competitive advantage.

"On privacy and data retention, we should have a proposal in summer, and we should see the law enacted by about the end of 2012, if it's a regulation,” John Vassallo, VP of EU affairs at Microsoft said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires.

He said Microsoft had “shown a preference” for a regulation, where the EU law is applicable straight away, rather than a directive, where member states must implement the rules after transposing them into national law.

Microsoft's cloud computing centre in Brussels caters for different audiences, from governments and academics to industry, and in particular small and medium enterprises, notes On Windows.

The company will focus 90% of its $9.5 billion global R&D budget on cloud computing-related efforts.

The centre also includes a local data centre with 25 servers that will host and drive cloud applications and enable collaboration through its link to the broader network of Microsoft data centres.