UK Cloud computing standards
Dear colleagues,
For those of you with an interest in cloud computing or distributed platforms, I would like to invite you to consider applying to join the UK’s national standards committee on Cloud Computing and Distributed Platforms, otherwise known as committee IST/38 of the British Standards Institute (BSI).
IST/38 monitors the international SC38 subcommittee of the joint technical committee between the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). As such we appoint the British delegation to SC38, we review the documents that they produce at every stage, and we submit the British comments and votes that go into the ISO/IEC decision making process. In this sense, IST/38 acts as the “UK mirror committee” for the international SC38 subcommittee.
Our focus is primarily on cloud computing technologies, though we also cover aspects of Edge computing and other distributed platform technologies.
There are a number of increasingly hot topics for standards under study in SC38 for which we would value greater industry, academic, and other participation in our work in the UK. Notably, work is beginning or has already started on:
As these new standards areas develop, they will be increasingly important for the broader industry, especially because they are often referenced by regulations or public procurement policies. We feel it is important that British industry continues to have a strong voice in how these standards are developed and written.
If you or anyone you know has expertise in any of these areas, do please consider putting your names forward as potential expert committee members. Membership is open to anyone with a connection to the UK who is willing to take part, and who the BSI (not me) chooses to appoint as their experts. Employees of British or foreign companies based in the UK are welcome, as are UK citizens living abroad (like myself) or foreign citizens resident in the UK, provided there is some connection to UK interests. All appointments to IST/38 are as individual experts, and multiple appointments from a single company are not uncommon. Individual private consultants are also welcome to apply.
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There is no need to join any organisation, nor is there a "membership fee".
Your level of participation in IST/38 depends entirely on you. At a minimum you should plan to attend most of the 2 to 4 online IST/38 meetings held per year, each of which lasts a maximum of two hours, and be prepared to prepare and make some comments on the agenda items we discuss. We typically schedule these meetings for a 10am start, UK time, and they are all held online (since long before Covid), with no travel required.
If you want to do more, we also encourage the writing of comments against SC38 documents, the writing of national (or individual expert) contributions, and/or online attendance at any of the SC38 working group meetings on any topics where you have a special interest. SC38 typically also holds two “plenary” meetings a year where major decisions are taken. As an IST/38 member you would be entitled to join the UK delegation for these plenary meetings, either in person or remotely online. The next plenary of SC38 will be held in Washington DC, USA, in September of 2023. All global meetings are spread around the clock so that each delegation gets a fair share of favourable and unfavourable time slots based on their own time zone.
Though far less common, we also have the possibility to create new British Standards within our field of expertise, either purely for national use or with the intent to promote them to international standards at a later date.
To reiterate, we feel that British industry, academia, and others need to pay full attention and have a voice in these important new areas of cloud computing standards, and we would very much hope that you would feel able to join us in making that happen. To apply, please email either myself (mark.jeffrey@microsoft.com) or Delme Stephenson delme.stephenson@bsigroup.com, or use the form at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BSI-Standards-Maker-App. Remember to list IST/38 as the committee you are interested in.
Many thanks for your kind attention,
Mark Jeffrey,
Chair, BSI IST/38
Well worth the time and effort to volunteer. Very similar opportunites here in Canada with the Standards Council of Canada