With cloud computing being the number one sourcing hot topic at the moment - the NOA steering committee was held on Thursday 14th October at Zylog Systems to focus on the commercial, technical and legal aspects of buying or developing, new, cloud-based applications.

Apollo Research analyses coverage of outsourcing in a large sample of UK media, including print, online news sites and blogs. In July and September, cloud computing was the number one subject in outsourcing with a 14% share of all coverage. Only 1.2 % of all of that coverage was deemed to be negative. Cloud computing is big news.

Andy Rogers, Representative for Corporate Users, said: “This NOA steering committee was developed out of user feedback, client interest and recent Apollo Research. The element of trust is a key point for the future of cloud computing. A strategic partnership, such as this one, and sharing of development and innovation is key.”

It is clear that the two main issues regarding cloud at the moment are security and cost.

Time will tell whether new reforms and legislature regarding EU data transfer are needed as many companies are already developing new ways to secure their own transfers.

Andy Beale, Technology Director for Architecture and Services, Guardian News and Media, said: “There should be an increase in security with cloud data transfer and there will obviously be no need for hard-copies, data pens and laptops. However if cloud computing is truly going to succeed, it needs to show its cost and be completely transparent about its expenses.”

The committee agreed that businesses and technology will need to be completely integrated otherwise the full value and advantages of cloud will not be gained. Large tentative enterprises will look to adopt cloud but it will first need to be embraced by the SMEs to demonstrate its true flexibility, costs and security.

Matt Watson, Opal, said: “The market is actually quite far ahead on cloud and there seems to be a lot of people writing a lot of things about it. What the market needs now is some guidance and insights.”

Moving forward the NOA steering committee will endeavour to provide some guidance and insights and produce an agreed model for cloud computing, encompassing Cloud / SaaS Platforms, Identity Management, API Management, Integrations, as well as Subscriber Management and Billing Systems. This model will be used to map the Cloud / SaaS Scene, and also to generate topics for discussion during the NOA’s scheduled Cloud Computing seminar in 2011.

A sourcing focus feature on cloud computing will be available early November.