Information Age – Storage industry body announces standard for the cloud

Cloud Data Management Interface will combat vendor lock-in and bolster security, says SNIA

A storage industry body has developed what it says is the first standard for cloud-based storage systems.

The Register – Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle unite with massive patch batch

It was an extreme version of Patch Tuesday as Microsoft, Adobe Systems, and Oracle released updates that fixed dozens of critical vulnerabilities in their wares.

CIO – Google revamps Google Docs

Google has unveiled its latest set of upgrades to Google Docs. The new improvements clearly aim to make the free online service a more robust competitor to Microsoft’s Office applications.

The Guardian – Facebook announces new safety measures but no panic button
Facebook has responded to calls for increased online safety by announcing a range of new measures including a 24-hour police hotline, a £5m education and awareness campaign and a redesigned abuse reporting system, but has declined to add a logo linking to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

IT PRO – UK doesn’t appreciate need for internet security
Identity theft is a major concern for UK residents, but many do not understand the huge effect that internet security could have.

Computing – Tories plan major public sector IT spending cuts
The Conservative Party launched its manifesto for the general election today, outlining plans to cut public sector IT spending, increase UK technology innovation and scale back the government’s database state.

Computer Weekly – Two-thirds of businesses plan to increase IT outsourcing this year

Half of businesses that outsource IT are considering using outsourcing services more than they were last year, according to the National Outsourcing Association (NOA). A total of 60 per cent of business intend to outsource services that are currently run in-house. The financial services sector is the most confident about using outsourcing.