Overview

Cloud Computing is perhaps the most talked about topic in the technology sector at present, with some industry experts predicting that the global cloud computing market will be worth approximately US$150bn by 2014.

In order to take advantage of this Cloud Computing explosion, both suppliers of cloud services and customers need to be alive to the key regulatory and contractual risks associated with Cloud Computing.

In the first of this two-part series, UK-based law firm Herbert Smith looks at:

• What is meant by 'Cloud Computing' and its benefits;
• How Cloud Computing is currently regulated;
• Whether a licence is required to provide cloud services;
• Key data protection issues; and
• Key security issues.