Trusted Computing Group

This work group was formed in 2010 to develop a standards framework for implementing:

• Shared infrastructures
• Multi-provider infrastructures
• Reference models and implementation guidance
• Identify and address gaps in existing standards

The vision of this new work group is to develop an open framework, using existing TCG specifications when appropriate, which defines end-to-end reference models for the practical deployment of trusted cloud or shared infrastructures.

Multi-tenant infrastructure is an industry term for infrastructure that is shared by unrelated users. This is similar to what has been called “cloud” computing, in which users access computing resources that are hosted offsite by a third party. While this model can be very useful for many users, obvious issues including security have arisen.

Trusted Multi-Tenant infrastructure enables a consumer to establish trust, exchange information about the platforms they use, assure compliance to agreed policies, and provide measurement of platform state. The ability to establish consumer trust in shared and multi-tenant infrastructure drove the formation of this work group.

• Standardize: identify and address gaps in standards landscape to enable trust
• Establish trust in the provider of IT services
• Establish and monitor compliance to changing IT policy
• Assess and monitor compliance to cost, policy and performance objectives
• Do this in a multi-sourced, multi-supplier ecosystem
• Provide a Reference Implementation Framework for TMI

The work group will examine providing logical security domains to house various consumers across shared infrastructure. Issues the work group will address include establishing trust with providers, accountable compliance to policy, reliable logical isolation and related issues.

• Enable consumers to assess the trustworthiness of provider systems
• Enable real-time assessment of compliance as part of the provisioning process
• Support real-time monitoring of compliance to agreed policy
• Provide a reference implementation guidance framework of standards

This work group's objectives are to provide a framework to:

• Enable consumers to assess the trustworthiness of provider systems
• Enable real-time assessment of compliance as part of the provisioning process
• Support real-time monitoring of compliance to agreed policy
• Provide a reference implementation guidance framework of standards

Any TCG contributor member can participate in the work group. It's chaired currently by TCG member representatives from HP and BAE Systems and many other TCG members are participating.

Yes, we welcome membership and input from the cloud providers and vendors supporting cloud computing. The TMI Working Group is structured to develop and use a reference implementation framework to identify alignment and/or gaps in the existing standards to accomplish the goal of implementing a trusted solution drive technical standards from a business value and solution point of view, so companies interested in providing or consuming multi-tenant infrastructure services are encouraged to join and contribute. 

Companies interested in joining can contact TCG and learn more about membership at http://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/join_now/membership_benefits.

While the Trusted Multi-Tenant Infrastructure Work Group is new to TCG, our members have been thinking about security and the cloud for some time. For additional information on that, you can read our recent Cloud Computing white paper. You can also read several articles on this in the Media Room,  Sys-Con,  and at Sys-Con Cloud Computing, and view a short video of one our members discussing this topic.  

It is the intent of this working group to publish use cases, discussion papers and engage in public dialogue throughout the process of developing the formal reference models. We would expect to begin releasing material 3Q10.

We will also host open discussions on our LinkedIn group.