§1862p–12 Cloud computing research enhancement

Summary

The Director of the National Science Foundation must support a national research plan for cloud computing. That plan should fund work on making cloud systems faster, cheaper, and easier to manage; reducing security, privacy, identity, reliability, and management risks that are different from old-style data centers; creating and checking large, trustworthy cloud infrastructures; measuring performance, reliability, energy use, and other cloud traits; and improving ways to protect sensitive or proprietary information in global cloud systems. Not later than 60 days after January 4, 2011, the Director must start a review of these research needs and related issues, such as handling data that are covered by Federal laws in cloud settings as of January 4, 2011, theft and piracy risks, and technology for trusted communications, processing, and storage. The Director can accept unsolicited proposals judged by existing NSF criteria. The Director must give Congress an annual report for not less than 5 consecutive years on NSF cloud research results and recommendations, and post the reports on the NSF website. The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology must work with industry to create and support standards for trusted cloud infrastructures, metrics, interoperability, and assurance.