A new code of practice for the cloud computing industry has been introduced by the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF).

The code should give recruiters more confidence and reassurance when assessing software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud vendors.

The code encompasses a wide range of areas including operational issues, delivery, financial viability of suppliers’ governance and technology standards.

Phil Wainewright, president of EuroCloud, the industry body for SaaS and cloud vendors, welcomed the code and told Recruiter it was important because it provides buyers with a solid template they can use to evaluate cloud and SaaS providers.

“Some of the questions they need to ask are different from what they would ask a conventional software vendor; for example, they should be asking about contract terms, service level guarantees and how to get back-ups of their data,” he said. “The online dimension is such an integral part of the recruitment process these days that a SaaS solution is frequently the most practical choice. If anything is holding people back it’s probably lack of familiarity with the SaaS model, and I think initiatives like the code will help to break down the final barriers.”

It should also allay fears in certain key areas. “Buyers need to be satisfied about the safety and security of their data. I think the code will help a lot towards knowing what questions they should be asking,” said Wainewright. “Most cloud providers understand a lot more about how to guard against the security risks than the majority of enterprises do, because it’s their day-to-day environment.”

Organisations which claim to be compliant with the code must conduct an annual self-certification in conjunction with CIF to receive authorisation to use the certification mark for the following year.

Recruiters can find out more about the code at CIF’s website.

www.cloudindustryforum.org
www.eurocloud.org.uk