[LINK] ISO Cloud Standards

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Cloud storage specification gets ISO approval

CDMI allows data to be moved around private and public Clouds

By Lucas Mearian (Computerworld (US))19 October, 2012
<http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/439600/cloud_storage_specification_gets_
iso_approval>


The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has ratified the 
Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI), a set of protocols defining how 
companies can safely move data between private and public Clouds.

 http://snia.org/cloud

The Storage Networking Industry Association's (SNIA) Cloud Storage 
Initiative Group submitted the standard for approval by the ISO last 
spring. 

CDMI is the first industry-developed open standard specifically for data 
storage as a service.

"There is strong demand for cloud computing standards and to see one of 
our most active consortia partners contribute this specification in such 
a timely fashion is very gratifying," Karen Higginbottom, chairwoman of 
the ISO committee, said in a statement. "The standard will improve cloud 
interoperability."

The CDMI specification is a way to create an interface for accessing data 
in the cloud by preserving metadata about information that an enterprise 
stores in the cloud. With metadata associated with the information, 
companies can retrieve data no matter where it's stored.

"With the metadata piece, it's also complementary with existing 
interfaces. The standard can be used with Amazon, for file or block data 
and it can use any number of storage protocols, such as NFS, CIFS or 
iSCSI," said SNIA Chairman Wayne Adams.

Based on a RESTful HTTP protocol, CDMI provides both a data path and 
control path for cloud storage and standardizes a common interoperable 
format for securely moving data and its associated data requirements from 
cloud to cloud. The standard applies to public, private and hybrid 
deployment models for storage clouds.

CDMI also defines service levels for cloud-based data, such as how long 
it should be retained, how many copies should be kept and whether those 
copies need to be distributed geographically.

"This is the only open interface out there in terms of the cloud," Adams 
said.

CDMI has been gaining adoption among vendors and governments. 

In the U.S., the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
has been a strong supporter of CDMI. In Japan, the nonprofit Global Inter-
Cloud Technology Forum also is pushing the CDMI standard as a way for the 
government to use its APIs to move data around to different agencies in 
the event of another catastrophic event, such as the March 2011 
earthquake and tsunami...

Oracle is among 21 members of SNIA's Cloud Storage Initiative group. 
Others include CA Technologies, Cisco Systems, Cleversafe, EMC, Hewlett 
Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, IBM and LSI Corporation.

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Cheers,
Stephen