CompTIA Launches Effort to Define the Cloud

CompTIA, or the Computing Technology Industry Association, a key trade association for the IT industry, has launched an effort to improve "delivery and adoption of cloud computing."

CompTIA announced July 26 that participants in a "recent CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community summit ... agreed to work collaboratively on educational resources, standard definitions, business models and skilling requirements aimed at improving the delivery and customer adoption of cloud computing solutions."

CompTIA describes itself as a "nonprofit trade association advancing the global interests of ... IT professionals and companies including manufacturers, distributors, resellers and educational institutions." The organization says "the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community addresses the challenges and opportunities in the emerging field of cloud, or SAAS (software as a service) computing and application delivery. This group develops best practices, education programs, industry standards and member-driven initiatives specific to the Web-based technologies."

The July 26 announcement said:

"More than a dozen industry leaders met to discuss strategies aimed at moving beyond the hype that envelopes cloud computing. The group's goal is to define how industry participants can best deliver technology solutions that provide value to customers and profits to technology solution providers. Among the areas the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community intends to address are:

• standardizing cloud computing definitions
• developing "ecosystem" business models for the IT channel; and
• assessing the need for a cloud computing skills certification for the IT workforce.

"One of the challenges is to find common ground, not just on how to sell cloud computing and software-as-a-service solutions, but how to define these emerging technologies in language that's understandable to laymen and business people both inside and outside the IT industry," said Jim Hamilton, senior director, member relations, CompTIA.

The community's work on standardized definitions and ecosystem models will culminate in a whitepaper scheduled to be delivered at Breakaway 2010, North America's premier event for IT channel companies, Aug. 9–12 in San Antonio, Texas.

Another area where the CompTIA Cloud/SaaS Community is working is evaluating what level of training is required for IT professionals selling and servicing cloud computing solutions. The group intends to identify and define job roles specific or fundamental to cloud computing; evaluate which existing IT certifications are relevant to cloud computing; and identify skills gaps that can be closed through the development of new certifications and credentials specific to cloud computing."