Microsoft follows Amazon in gaining critical US gov certification

Microsoft has gained a US federal government certification that makes it easier for agencies to buy cloud services from Redmond. The company announced on Monday that the platform-as-a-service and infrastructure-as-a-service components of its Windows Azure cloud have been given a Joint Authorization Board (JAB) provisional …

[adnim]

Thanks for the...

Warning Reg!

[Anonymous Coward]

Funny how they gain official approval the next business day after Ballmer's departure party.

[Anonymous Coward]

We're Microsoft.

US government agencies store their info with us so it MUST be secure. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

[channel extended]

Backup Solution?

Does the certification mean that the NSA has a complete back door? If so, that would explain why Microsoft has a bigger back door than anyone else. Lot's of stuff for it's back door going in&out.

[codeusirae]

FedRAMP evaluation ..

"While FedRAMP is intended to be a government-wide initiative, agencies’ involvement is voluntary."

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Federal-Risk-and-Authorization-Program-FedRAMP

[Anonymous Coward]

Give me a break

The idea that the worlds least reliable software company with an almost unbroken track record of duff unfinished products released to market years before they're ready being certified for anything other than being carted away makes a mockery of the organization certifying them (yes, ISO, that means you too).

This is why we have people following Apple's maps onto runways - in the real world lousy, dangerous, and plain old inoperative products get their manufacturers into trouble and/or bankrupt. People - normal people, not IT people - have grown up with an expectation that someone somewhere is enforcing regulations on the sale of goods. So when they buy software it never crosses their minds that it might very well be expensive unreliable garbage that doesn't actually work! And then we - the IT people - take the piss out of them for being so foolish as to hold us to the same standard that the makers of tin cans and ball-point pens have been held to for a century.

And now the US government is handing out Mickey Mouse certificates that we all know are totally meaningless. That's not helping.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Give me a break

"...unfinished products released to market years before they're ready..."

Alright tough guy, which microsoft product is actually ready?

The government has been rubber stamping things for years, but to release such a cert now with all the recent NSA leaks seems so "Backdoor In Your FACE!" 'ish.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Give me a break

"Alright tough guy, which microsoft product is actually ready?"

They generally make decent mice.

[Sheep!]

Seems a bit obvious really

Given that with all the information coming out about who is stumping up the most information to the NSA it seems almost unthinkable that Microsoft, who appear to have been the most eager to stump up information on request and supply back doors into their products, could find themselves off that list. Why would the NSA risk alienating their most loyal trumpet mouth?