Overview
EN ISO/IEC 22123-2:2026 - "Information technology - Cloud computing - Part 2: Concepts (ISO/IEC 22123-2:2023)" - is an international standard developed by CEN in collaboration with ISO/IEC. This document specifies core concepts essential for cloud computing. It expands upon the vocabulary established in EN ISO/IEC 22123-1 and provides the conceptual foundation necessary for standardizing cloud-related processes, ensuring a common understanding for stakeholders and aiding in the effective adoption and development of cloud services.
Designed for cloud service customers (CSCs), cloud service providers (CSPs), regulators, and product developers, this standard supports interoperability and consistency across diverse cloud environments. It underpins other documents and activities within the cloud computing landscape.
Key Topics
EN ISO/IEC 22123-2:2026 covers the following essential topics in cloud computing:
- Foundational Concepts: Defines and clarifies core principles of cloud computing, ensuring a uniform interpretation of terms and concepts within the industry.
- Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing:
- Broad network access: Ensures resources are network-available and accessible via standard mechanisms from various locations and devices.
- Measured service: Enables metering of usage for monitoring, controlling, and billing.
- Multi-tenancy: Supports secure and isolated resource sharing across multiple customers.
- On-demand self-service: Facilitates automatic provisioning of services as needed.
- Rapid elasticity and scalability: Allows flexible adjustment of resources to match demand.
- Resource pooling: Aggregates physical and virtual resources to serve multiple consumers.
- Cloud Service Categories: Outlines major service models, including:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Additional service models such as Data Storage as a Service (DSaaS), Network as a Service (NaaS), and more.
- Deployment Models: Describes public, private, community, and hybrid cloud deployment options.
- Roles and Parties: Establishes distinctions between cloud providers, customers, users, and partners, including definitions of their roles and responsibilities.
- Cross-cutting Aspects: Discusses crucial topics such as security, privacy, interoperability, portability, governance, auditability, and regulatory requirements.
- Data and Virtualization: Addresses data processing within cloud services and explains virtualization concepts including containers and serverless computing.
- Multi-Provider Scenarios: Explains considerations for using and managing services from multiple cloud service providers (multi-cloud, inter-cloud).
Applications
EN ISO/IEC 22123-2:2026 delivers practical value in a wide range of applications:
- Standard Alignment: Organizations and technology developers can align their cloud solutions and processes with universally recognized concepts, fostering interoperability and trust.
- Procurement & Contracts: The standard provides a reference for drafting clear service agreements, service level agreements (SLAs), and contracts between customers and providers.
- Regulatory Compliance: Helps organizations demonstrate compliance with national and international requirements related to data protection, auditability, and governance.
- Cloud Migration and Integration: Assists enterprises in planning cloud adoption or migration projects by clarifying deployment options and service models.
- Stakeholder Communication: Establishes a shared vocabulary and understanding, improving collaboration between business and technical teams.
- Educational Foundation: Serves as a foundational resource for training, organizational policies, and developing best practices in cloud computing.
Related Standards
For comprehensive cloud computing adoption and management, consider these closely linked standards:
- EN ISO/IEC 22123-1 - Information technology - Cloud computing - Part 1: Vocabulary (Defines standard terms and definitions)
- ISO/IEC 19086 series - Service level agreements in cloud computing
- ISO/IEC 17789 - Cloud computing reference architecture
- ISO/IEC 27017/27018 - Security and privacy practices for cloud services
Referencing EN ISO/IEC 22123-2:2026 ensures robust, clear, and consistent cloud computing operations, supporting innovation and secure cloud service deployment across Europe and internationally.
