Cloud computing

In order to promote the wide spread adoption of OVF it is important that software vendors have confidence in the ability to build an OVF that can be deployed on a set of target virtualization platforms (aka hypervisors). To this end it is useful to define additional constraints and requirements on the OVF package to enable automated deployment and portability. Interoperability, i.e., the ability to be deployed on target virtualization platforms, is also enhanced.
The Open Virtualization Format standard defines conformance requirements, but these are not sufficient for the use cases that this specification addresses. Conformance can be done by inspection, checking for the ovf:required tag in the OVF and noting the conformance level as specified in the standard.
Software developers need guidelines for what needs to be included in each section of the environment file to ensure that a deployment function is capable of deploying the OVF.

The Cloud Data Management Interface defines the functional interface that applications will use to create, retrieve, update and delete data elements from the Cloud. As part of this interface the client will be able to discover the capabilities of the cloud storage offering and use this interface to manage containers and the data that is placed in them. In addition, metadata can be set on containers and their contained data elements through this interface.
 
This interface is also used by administrative and management applications to manage containers, accounts, security access and monitoring/billing information, even for storage that is accessible by other protocols. The capabilities of the underlying storage and data services are exposed so that clients can understand the offering.
 
The CDMITM International Standard specifies the interface to access cloud storage and to manage the data stored therein. This International Standard applies to developers who are implementing or using cloud storage. It documents how to access cloud storage and to manage the data stored there.
 
This standard is also published as ISO/IEC 17826:2016.

Cloud Customer Architecture for API Management is an introduction to API Management and the architecture elements of an effective API Management Platform.
 
An API (Application Programming Interface) exposes defined business assets, data, or services for public consumption. APIs allow companies to open up data and services to create innovative channel applications that drive digital transformation. An effective API Management Platform provides a layer of controlled and secure self-service access to these core business assets for reuse.
 
This whitepaper describes the lifecycle approach to creating, running, managing and securing APIs. It covers the principles and characteristics of selecting an API Management Platform, as well as runtime

Cloud Customer Architecture for Big Data and Analytics describes the architectural elements and cloud components needed to build out big data and analytics solutions.
 
Big data analytics and cloud computing are a top priority for CIOs. Harnessing the value and power of big data and cloud computing can give your company a competitive advantage, spark new innovations, and increase revenue. Many companies are experimenting and iterating with different cloud configurations as a way to understand and refine requirements for their big data analytics solutions without upfront capital investment.
 
This whitepaper includes proven architecture patterns that have been deployed in successful enterprise projects and a description of capabilities offered by cloud providers.

Virtual desktop services enable enterprise IT organizations to logically centralize desktop resources so as to reduce desktop management costs and support any-device, any-network access to desktops by end-users. The emergence of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure as a service additionally allows enterprise IT organizations to take advantage of cloud resources instead of building their own infrastructures. As a result, enterprises can further reduce IT costs.
This document describes the virtual desktop (VD) requirements for enterprise services and specifies a federation framework for deploying VD services across multiple networks and administrative domains. In particular, the framework allows cloud service providers to host VD services for enterprises and at the same time maintain seamless network connectivity to enterprise resources. For the sake of end-user experience, it is essential that VD sessions can be transparently moved between data centers or between service providers without compromising security and isolation. Such transparent migration of VD session poses significant requirements on the underlying networks, which are also addressed by this document.

The “Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) protocol,” is designed to provide on-demand, dynamically provisioned, air-gapped networks. Air-gapped networks are trusted networks that are isolated from all unsecured networks and this may allow them to mitigate network-based attacks. The SDP protocol is based on workflows invented by the Department of Defense (DoD) and used by some Federal Agencies. Networks based on these workflows provide a higher level of security, but are thought to be very difficult to use compared to traditional enterprise networks.
 

The Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) has adapted the generalized DoD workflow but has modified it for commercial use and made it compatible with existing enterprise security controls. Where applicable, SDP has followed NIST guidelines on cryptographic protocols. SDP can be used in government applications such as enabling secure access to FedRAMP certified cloud networks as well as enterprise applications such as enabling secure mobile phone access to public clouds.

Interoperability and Portability for Cloud Computing: A Guide was written to provide a clear definition of interoperability and portability and how these concepts relate to various aspects of cloud computing and to cloud services.
 
The aim of this guide is to give both cloud service customers and cloud service providers guidance in the provision and selection of cloud services indicating how interoperability and portability affect the cost, security, and risk involved.
 
Version 2.0 is updated to reflect the ISO/IEC 19941 Cloud Computing Interoperability and Portability standard and its facet models of interoperability, data portability, and application portability. Containers and their associated technologies are addressed in the paper, as well as automation in the use of cloud services.

Convergence of Social, Mobile and Cloud: 7 Steps to Ensure Success is a practical reference to help enterprise information technology (IT) and business decision makers analyze and consider the implications of social, mobile and cloud technologies on their business. Organizations increasingly value how these technologies can improve customer engagement, forge new partnerships and drive competitive advantage and seek to understand the impact on new and existing business processes.
 
This guide contains guidance and strategies to help decision makers evaluate and compare offerings in key areas from different providers. Along with the base technologies of social, mobile and cloud, the guide discusses the importance of supporting technologies like integration, Big Data analytics and DevOps that enhance the business value of convergence. Industry-specific use cases are used to highlight business impact.

Convergence of Social, Mobile and Cloud: 7 Steps to Ensure Success is a practical reference to help enterprise information technology (IT) and business decision makers analyze and consider the implications of social, mobile and cloud technologies on their business. Organizations increasingly value how these technologies can improve customer engagement, forge new partnerships and drive competitive advantage and seek to understand the impact on new and existing business processes.
 
This guide contains guidance and strategies to help decision makers evaluate and compare offerings in key areas from different providers. Along with the base technologies of social, mobile and cloud, the guide discusses the importance of supporting technologies like integration, Big Data analytics and DevOps that enhance the business value of convergence. Industry-specific use cases are used to highlight business impact.

This document defines the artifacts and APIs that need to be offered by a Platform as a Service (PaaS) cloud to manage the building, running, administration, monitoring and patching of applications in the cloud. Its purpose is to enable interoperability among self-service interfaces to PaaS clouds by defining artifacts and formats that can be used with any conforming cloud and enable independent vendors to create tools and services that interact with any conforming cloud using the defined interfaces. Cloud vendors can use these interfaces to develop new PaaS offerings that will interact with independently developed tools and components.

The Cloud Storage TWG acts as the primary technical entity for the SNIA to identify, develop, and coordinate systems standards for Cloud Storage. This group aims to produce a comprehensive set of specifications and drives consistency of interface standards and messages across the various Cloud Storage related efforts. The TWG also documents system-level requirements and shares these with other Cloud Storage standards organizations under the guidance of the SNIA Technical Council and in cooperation with the SNIA Strategic Alliances Committee.

The primary focus of the I/O Traces, Tools, and Analysis (IOTTA) TWG is to create a worldwide repository for storage-related I/O trace collection and analysis tools, application workloads, I/O traces, and best practices around such topics. That repository is located at http://iotta.snia.org

The I/O traces of interest to the IOTTA TWG include those up at the host (e.g., system call, file system), those involving a file server (e.g., NFS, CIFS) and those at the "transport level" (e.g., SCSI, Fibre Channel). I/O traces of application workloads along with the analysis and definition of common, recommended semantics and formats for I/O traces are also specific areas of focus for the TWG. Standardized I/O trace formats/semantics will enable the development and use of common I/O trace collection and analysis tools as well as facilitate the sharing of the I/O traces themselves.

The IOTTA TWG is for those interested in the use of empirical data/metrics to better understand the actual operation and performance characteristics of storage I/O, especially as they pertain to application workloads. This includes not only storage vendors but also storage users as well as those within the academic community who are performing research related to storage I/O and storage devices.