This is the first of a three part series about Cloud computing as it relates to civil society organisations (CSOs) by Keisha Taylor, Communications Manager, GuideStar International. It was first posted on the GuideStar International blog.

Civil Society Organisations are waking up to the benefits of using cloud computing services (the Cloud) for their work. Nevertheless, issues like interoperability, security, privacy and lack of a supportive technology infrastructure persist, leading many CSOs unable to decide if it is right for them. TechSoup Global is educating CSOs about the value of Cloud Computing as well as the problems they may encounter as more and more cloud computing services are introduced to the sector.

The TechSoup website and blog contain a lot of useful information about cloud services available to nonprofits and their forum facilitates useful discussion among civil society organisations such as Cloud Computing: Is It More Secure? and Is Cloud Computing Greener?. Cloud computing services are available from some of the many partners that TechSoup Global works with in countries throughout the world. Have a look at some blog posts on the issue from the TechSoup blog below.

• Why Should Nonprofits Care about Cloud Computing
• 10NTC: Cloud Computing Buzz
• What is Cloud Computing and How Will it Affect Libraries?
• Shawn Michael on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Nonprofits
• Cloud Computing: Why Should Nonprofits and Libraries Care?
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Nonprofits
• Cloud Computing Buzz
• Software as a Service Is Green, but Is It Right for You?
• Perspectives on SugarCRM
• Twitter Hacking and Cloud Security
• How to Choose a Green Website Host
• How Do You Collaborate with Staff Online? Google Docs Can Save Time, Money, and the Planet
• Reduce Travel with Online Collaboration
• Tools for Meetings Without Needing To Travel: Microsoft Communicator
• Microsoft Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, and the Cloud
• Ready or Not, Here I Chrome
• Greenpeace International Campaign to Green Cloud Computing
• TechSoup Products that Live in the Cloud and Reduce IT Energy Consumption

Jim Lynch, Co-Director of the GreenTech and Electronics Recycling & Reuse Programs at TechSoup says “TechSoup Global is working hard to find out what is and isn’t useful for CSOs as the Cloud descends upon all of us. It’s pretty clear that Cloud computing is a major transformation in the way that people will use IT as the use of mobile phones, computers, and Internet converge. To quote Nicholas Carr in his book “The Big Switch”“What happened to the generation of power a century ago is now happening to the processing of information. Private computer systems, built and operated by individual companies, are being supplanted by services provided over a common grid—the Internet—by centralized data-processing plants. Computing is turning into a utility, and once again the economic equations that determine the way we work and live are being rewritten.”

For those who want to get a more in depth and overarching view of the technical, security, legal, economic, development and environment issues involved in the use of the Cloud, read transcripts from some Cloud computing sessions held at the last Internet Governance Forum. At the Forum, Cloud providers, CSOs, governments, corporations, cloud evangelists and skeptics from around the world gathered to discuss and try to resolve some of the issues involved, in an attempt to ensure sure that cloud computing services develop in an environmentally friendly, secure and interoperable way.