Join OpenForum Europe’s Round Table to explore how open standards and interoperability can enable a competitive multi-vendor cloud market.

Cloud has matured from a buzzword to a fully realised operational reality. It can offer numerous advantages for those adopting cloud computing, such as decreased costs, higher flexibility, efficiency and security, especially in flexible hybrid cloud environments. However, the lack of cloud interoperability is a barrier to cloud-computing uptake, because organizations fear vendor lock-in.

Lock-in leads to the situation that once an organisation has selected a cloud provider, either it cannot move to another provider or it will incur a substantial cost in doing so, either because the economic or technical offer has become inadequate, or because the vendor has ceased operations. A common mechanism for enabling interoperability is the use of open standards. In this event we want to explore how open standards and interoperability can enable a competitive multi-vendor cloud market.

The event is free to attend, but due to limited capacity we appreciate signing up through the form.

Speakers

Pierre Chastanet

Head of Unit, Cloud Unit at DG CNCT

Clark Parsons

Managing Director, Internet Economy Foundation

Daniel Melin

Swedish National Procurement Services

Moderator and Questions

After the speakers’ opening statements, Graham Taylor, Chairman of OpenForum Europe, will facilitate a discussion under Chatham House rules between our panelists on the following questions:

– How could interoperability create a level playing field in the cloud market?
– What is the impact of Hybrid Cloud on the marketplace and on interoperability requirements?
– What are the underlying roadblocks for missing interoperability of cloud services?
– What are the current policy goals of the Commission with regard to the cloud services market?

Practicalities

Venue: VIP Room at Avenue des Arts 56, 1000 Brussels

– 12:00: Light lunch
– 13:00: Start of the panels, with a short introduction by the moderator and speakers followed by a moderated discussion
– 14:30: Event concludes with opportunity to continue discussions

Introductory statements will be public, while discussions will be under Chatham House Rule.