Singapore cloud services registry gets analytics boost

Enterprise

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Singapore’s cloud services registry now offers almost real-time analytics on how various cloud services are faring, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) said today.

Speaking at the opening of the Cloud Asia 2014 conference, IDA assistant chief executive Khoong Hock Yun said besides service uptime and performance data, the registry has been beefed up to include details on how CSPs deal with outages and data loss.

“Potential cloud adopters can use the registry to compare and contrast different CSPs based on the information published, making it easier for them to decide which CSP is right for their needs,” he said.

While seven CSPs are listed in the registry, only four meet the Multi-Tier Cloud Security (MTCS) standard, which was launched last November to certify a CSP’s capabilities in securing corporate data.

With more enterprises concerned with compliance, privacy and security of the cloud, IDA has also established a new accreditation programme for certifying bodies of the MTCS standard.

The programme will be run by national accreditation body Spring Singapore’s Singapore Accreditation Council, which will assess certifying bodies to ensure they adhere to strict certification practices.

Certifying bodies such as DNV Business Assurance, British Standard Institute and Singapore ISC are among the seven certification bodies that are expected to be accredited under the programme.

According to IDA, MTCS-certified CSPs will only need to go through an audit process to maintain their certified status with an accredited certification body.

IDA said the MTCS standard has been well-received by CSPs such as Amazon Web Services, which has attained the top MTCS Level Three certification. Other certified CSPs include Hong Kong’s Ribose as well as Singapore’s Clearmanage and New Media Express.

Singapore’s liberal arts college NUS-Yale College is also taking a shot at MTCS certification for its hybrid cloud, Khoong revealed.

“MTCS is a continually evolving standard to match the evolving nature of the cloud,” Khoong said. “With the benefit of a year of deployment, IDA and the IT Standards Committee are now in the process of reviewing the standard.”

Late last year, the IDA said MTCS certification is required of CSPs that participate in the Singapore Government’s public cloud service bulk tenders. It is currently reviewing 13 proposals for the next tender.

Clarification: In an earlier version of the story, we said that MTCS-certified CSPs may need to go through another round of certification with accredited certifying bodies. IDA has clarified that CSPs will only need to be audited in order to maintain their certified status with an accredited certifying body.