Cloud Computing Down to Earth: A Primer for Corporate Counsel

Cloud computing is the most exciting evolution in information technology today.

Defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology ("NIST") as "a model for enabling convenient, on demand network access to a shared pool of configurable resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider intervention," cloud computing represents a fundamental change in the way that corporations conduct business today, a shift that is well underway.

Gartner Group predicts that spending on cloud computing applications worldwide will increase at an annual rate of 20 percent for years to come, thereby growing to a market of over $150 billion by 2013 — a staggering figure.

Corporate counsel must understand cloud computing.

They must master relevant law and protect corporate interests contractually. They must learn the language of the cloud so as to be prepared to advise senior management as to the myriad legal issues related thereto. And they must understand how certain cloud-driven business imperatives may affect their relationships with C-suite colleagues such as the chief information officer and others who support such strategic initiatives.

These topics and others were recently the subject of a highly informative webinar hosted by the International Technology Law Association and moderated by Jon Neiditz, a senior partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and the expert founder of the firm's Information Management Practice.

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Source: Corporate Counsel
By: Ben Kerschberg