The expansion of Cloud computing services is unavoidable, and so is the need for the United Nations system organisations to resort to such services. One of the immediate benefits of Cloud-based services is the ability to add new infrastructure capacity quickly and at lower costs and the capability of Cloud computing software to easy manipulate large databases according to the needs of the organization.
The United Nations organizations could adapt to changes in the technological and commercial environment without complex procurement processes. With the advent of the Cloud, an organization can try out or develop new applications without first investing in hardware, software, and networking. The Cloud can eliminate many of the traditional computing constraints, including space, time, power and cost.
The challenges related to Cloud computing are related to confidentiality issues with regard to sensitive or private data. There is also a need for the organizations to take responsibility for overall governance of data or services living in the Cloud and to keep internal control over some strategic business processes and intellectual property constraints. The could services must provide a predictable and guaranteed service level and full security of all constituents, which should be properly examined, defined and requested to the service provider.
Cloud computing is not a simple IT issue: it is a governance challenge and business model issue. The Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations system intends to undertake a review entitled "Managing cloud computing" in 2018. The objective of this review would be to conduct a comparative analysis of the different Cloud policies, frameworks, practices and processes in the United Nations system, with a view to identifying best practices and lessons learned and thereby promote effective Cloud governance.
The review could identify new security and privacy issues arising from the use of Cloud computing, evaluate the adequacy of current normative framework and recommend new policies. It could identify what steps are needed to have an adequate regulatory environment by conducting a comparative analysis of the different ICT governance frameworks, practices and processes in the various United Nations system organizations. It will seek to promote effective Cloud governance and system-wide opportunities to share, harmonize and recommended Cloud solutions that do fit, allow and encourage efficient inter-agency cooperation .
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Name(s) of Speaker(s):
Jovan Kurbalija, Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform (moderator)Petru Dumitriu, Inspector, United Nations Joint Inspection Unit
Prado Nieto, Chief Customer Relationship Management, International Computing CentreChristina Vasala Kokkinaki, Legal Officer, International Organization for Migration Name of Online Moderator:
Barbara Rosen Jacobson Background Paper:
Past IGF Participation: No
Report Link:
Name:
Mr. PETRU DUMITRIU Organizational Affiliation:
UNITED NATIONS JOINT INSPECTION UNIT
