Open Cloud Initiative sets out principles

The Open Cloud Initiative has been launched at the OSCON 2011 Open Source Convention. The organisation, which describes itself as a non-profit advocate of open cloud computing, aims to create a legal framework for the wider cloud computing users and providers. This framework would be based around a new consensus on the requirements for an open cloud which are described in a document, the Open Cloud Principles (OCP).

OCP mandates open formats and interfaces, interoperability and freedom of movement for users between systems. It expects vendors to cooperate with freely available, patent free or royalty free, standards and collaborate in open processes. Although open source does play a key role in the OCP, it only requires "multiple full, faithful and interoperable implementations" of standards with at least one implementation being open source, so as to provide users with one open alternative.

The organisation draws comparisons with the Open Source Initiative's Open Source Definition, which provided a test for the "open source" nature of new licences. The OCI draws its directors from around the industry, though they work with the OCI as individuals. According to the organisation's history page, the OCI was originally founded in 2009, but progress stalled when the founder Sam Johnston joined Google and moved to Switzerland. At OSCON 2010, the OCI board met in person for the first time and completed the paperwork needed to become a non-profit. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, that paperwork was never processed and further delays came when Johnston changed employer to cloud provider Equinux. But at the start of July the board restarted the process and planned and carried out the OSCON 2011 launch.

(djwm)