Cloud providers gather to build consumer and business confidence

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 21:30

A group of Australian cloud computing providers have formed an alliance, the OzHub Coalition, with Australia's telecommunications consumer representative body, ACCAN, aiming to build local consumer and business confidence in cloud computing.

Founding members are Macquarie Telecom, Fujitsu, InfoPlex and VMware. They say discussions are under way with future partners. The stated aim of OzHub is "to establish a regulation framework to promote good business practices and greater transparency to consumers about crucial issues such as where their personal data are held."

The founders say that OzHub hopes to work with ACCAN "to understand consumer needs, and develop a self-regulatory framework and set of protocols to address them." It then plans to release a self-regulatory framework and accreditation protocols, which will be made publicly available.

Innovation minister, senator Kim Carr, welcomed the initiative, saying it was important that consumers and businesses be protected. "I commend the members of the OzHub Coalition for taking the initiative to establish a regulation framework promoting good business practices in the provision of cloud computing services."

Macquarie Telecom CEO David Tudehope said: "Creating new levels of consumer and business confidence in the cloud will have the additional benefit of helping position Australia as a national and regional hosting centre, boosting jobs and productivity, and attracting global investment."

Fujitsu ANZ CEO, Mike Foster, added: "The OzHub Coalition will focus on developing the opportunities and overcoming the constraints identified in the new research from Lateral Economics, 'The Potential for cloud Computing Services in Australia'. These include a number of challenges that can currently constrain the adoption of cloud-based services by Australian companies which, until recently, have had to go offshore."

The report - commissioned by Macquarie Telecom - was released at the OzHub launch event.