UK govt opens CloudStore

The Guardian reports.

Called CloudStore, it offers more than 1 700 services from 258 suppliers. It comprises four service genres, namely: infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, software as a service, and specialist cloud services.

The CloudStore, built by UK SME SolidSoft on Microsoft Windows Azure, will enable public sector organisations to purchase off-the-shelf IT services on a pay-as-you-go basis, TechWorld states.

As part of the government's transparency agenda, and to encourage competition, the service details and pricing information are open to all on CloudStore, and contracts for services should be no longer than one year.

According to Cabinet office minister Francis Maude, CloudStore will revolutionise the purchasing, management and delivery of public sector IT services and the way suppliers work with government, eGovmonitor says.

It will also enable public sector companies to procure services such as e-mail, word processing, system hosting, enterprise resource planning, electronic records management, customer relationship management and office productivity applications.