Australia’s
Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) will launch the ‘Hosting Certification Framework’ - a new set of certifications that will target data centers. The DTA, which is a Australian Federal Government organization with offices in Canberra and Sydney, aims to help Australia’s government sector improve digital services and enhance “people’s experience of government services”. DTA works with other agencies to “create services that are simple, clear and fast to use”. The certifications it will offer will apply to data center providers participating on “whole-of-government panels”.
The certifications are part of a new ‘whole of government’ approach to organizations hosting government data and will cover data centre facilities, infrastructure and data transmission. It is intended to address issues related to data sovereignty and designed to ensure sensitive government data is hosted within Australia’s shores. It will also address issues related to data center ownership and overly complex data center supply chains.
Two certifications will be established. The ‘Certified Sovereign Data Center’ certification will only be available to organizations that permit the Australian government to determine conditions related to data center control and ownership. The ‘Certified Assured Data Center’ certification will be based on financial penalties and incentives that are intended to protect against risks related to change of ownership or control.
“The Hosting Certification Framework will allow the Digital Infrastructure Service to assess and measure supply chain risks presented by hosting providers, and outline standards, measures and timelines to achieve the government’s desired hosting standards,” explained the DTA website. “This framework will be developed in collaboration with agencies to ensure thorough consideration of Australia’s sovereign interests.”
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