Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud service will become the preferred platform for Intuit App Center, a marketplace of small-business applications and services launched in October 2009.

Michael Cobb writes: You've successfully migrated your organization's selected applications and data into the cloud, and everyone has said what a great job you've done. But you and I both know the task of maintaining the security of these apps and data has only just begun. In this tip, I'll review which technologies and processes must be initiated, monitored and secured after a cloud computing implementation or initiative is up and running.

Jonathan Penn of Computerworld writes: Trying to avoid the obvious and the already underway, here are my predictions for 2010. 1. Cloud security standards emerge. By the end of 2010, we’ll see a framework emerge for establishing a well defined set of technology, practices, and processes, organised into different levels of trust. Ultimately, adherence to these specifications will need be certified by third parties. The effort won’t be complete, but it will be underway.

IBM, Sun Microsystems, AOL, Boeing, Booz Allen Hamilton, CA, Cisco, EMC, HP, Intel, Jericho Systems, Neustar, Nokia, Oracle, Red Hat, SAP, Skyworth TTG, U.S. Veterans Health Administration and Others Advance Profiles of SAML and XACML to Meet HITSP Requirements