Cloud computing meaning

Checklist This Checklist is chiefly intended primarily for customers (licencees). It provides an overview of the key terms commonly and usually found in a supplier agreement to licence ‘on‑premise’ software installed on the customer’s own infrastructure. For issues related to the licensing and deployment of software as a service (SaaS), see Practice Note: Cloud computing—introduction and Precedent: Software as a service (SaaS) agreement—pro-customer, accordingly. For further reading and template documents relating to this Checklist, see the following: Practice Note: Key issues in software licence agreements Practice Note: Warranties and indemnities in software licence agreements Precedent: Software licence—pro-customer Precedent: Software licence—pro-supplier Negotiation guide—IT contracts Further information Notes (if any) Grant and scope of licence Is the software described clearly and adequately? The customer should be clear about what it is contracting for. There may also be warranties from the supplier that the software will perform as described. Who is permitted to use the software?...

Market studies CMA publishes final decision report relating to its cloud services market investigation; recommends SMS designation for Microsoft and AWS The CMA has issued its final decision report on its investigation into the UK supply of public cloud infrastructure services. It concluded that competition is not functioning effectively across infrastructure and platform cloud services, particularly due to practices by Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Consequently, the CMA has recommended that both companies be designated with Strategic Market Status (SMS) under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA). Background Public cloud infrastructure services (cloud services) enable customers to use shared computing resources on demand, avoiding the need to own the underlying hardware and software. On 6 October 2022, Ofcom commenced a market study into the provision of cloud services in the UK to examine the strength of competition and the positions held by key firms. On 5 October 2023, Ofcom issued its final report. It determined that public cloud infrastructure is highly concentrated, with...

As at 15 October 2024, our Practice Compliance forecast maps out proposed regulatory shifts relevant to law firm compliance, enabling you to prepare for developments that could affect your organisation. A careful read is essential; below we flag several points that merit attention. New items we’re tracking this month SRA inspection and review plans—the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed its next thematic review will examine source of funds. It also intends to carry out two further inspection rounds between January and March 2025, concentrating on AML and sanctions. See: AML, CTF and counter-proliferation financing SRA guidance on sham litigation—the SRA told delegates at the Law Society Anti-money laundering and financial crime conference 2024 that it plans to issue guidance on sham litigation in October 2024. See: AML, CTF and counter-proliferation financing Anonymisation, pseudonymisation and encryption—the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expects to release refreshed guidance on encryption in winter 2024, and on anonymisation and pseudonymisation in spring 2025. See: Data protection, AI and cybersecurity...

What is the background to this Bill? The existing NIS Regulations extend across five sectors: transport, energy, drinking water, health and digital infrastructure, and certain digital services, including online marketplaces, online search engines and cloud computing. Oversight sits with twelve regulators (competent authorities) tasked with putting the rules into practice and issuing guidance. The CSRB builds on a series of reviews into how well the NIS framework works, the latest of which took place in 2022. Those consultations found the regime had delivered benefit, but that legislation must evolve quickly to keep pace with a shifting cyber security environment and be widened to bring further categories of providers within scope. At the same time, a string of incidents has hit the NHS, high street names, local authorities and government suppliers, vehicle manufacturers and others, underlining the need to lift cyber security across the UK. Such events impose heavy financial and reputational costs on affected organisations, their users and the wider UK economy, exposing weaknesses spanning public and private spheres...

Qualifying R&D expenditure (pre-1 April 2024) This Practice Note sets out the scope of qualifying expenditure for two R&D relief schemes, each subject to detailed commencement and transitional provisions: the research and development relief for small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for accounting periods beginning before 1 April 2024—see Practice Notes: SME R&D relief—additional deduction (pre-1 April 2024) and SME R&D relief—tax credit (pre-1 April 2024); and the R&D expenditure credit scheme applying to accounting periods beginning before 1 April 2024—see Practice Note: R&D expenditure credit (pre-1 April 2024). Together, this Practice Note refers to these as the pre-1 April 2024 schemes. For information about the reliefs generally applying to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024, see Practice Notes: The merged R&D expenditure credit (post-1 April 2024) and Enhanced relief for R&D-intensive loss-making SMEs (post-1 April 2024). For details on what counts as qualifying R&D expenditure for those two post-1 April 2024 schemes, see Practice Note: Qualifying R&D expenditure...

CASE HUB ARCHIVED — this archived case hub reflects the position as at the decision date of 15 May 2023; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline Case facts Outline European Commission merger investigation into Microsoft Corporation’s proposed purchase of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (M.10646). The deal features horizontal overlaps in the supply of games consoles. Latest developments On 15 May 2023, the Commission approved the transaction subject to commitments. The Commission accepted a set of remedies from Microsoft Corporation to address its competition concerns. Parties Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft): A global technology enterprise headquartered in Redmond, Washington, US. Microsoft provides a broad array of products and services through three operating segments: (i) Productivity and Business Processes; (ii) Intelligent Cloud; and (iii) More Personal Computing. Microsoft develops and publishes games for PCs, games consoles and mobile devices, and also distributes games for PCs and consoles. It additionally offers the Xbox games console and related services. Activision Blizzard, Inc (Activision): A publicly...

CASE HUB ARCHIVED This case hub reflects the position as at the decision date of 12 September 2025 and is no longer maintained. See further: timeline and related cases. Case facts Outline CASE HUB—European Commission Article 102 TFEU investigation into whether Microsoft abused a dominant position by tying Teams to core SaaS productivity applications within its business suites Office 365 and Microsoft 365 (AT.40721 and AT.40873). Latest development On 12 September 2025 the Commission accepted commitments from Microsoft and accordingly closed its investigation. Parties Microsoft: A US-based global technology company offering productivity and business software, cloud computing, and personal computing. Background First complaint and launch of Commission’s first investigation On 27 July 2023, the Commission opened its first formal investigation following a complaint by Slack Technologies Inc (now owned by Salesforce, Inc). Microsoft’s changes to Teams After the launch of the first formal investigation, Microsoft revised its distribution of Teams, notably offering certain suites without Teams...

This Agreement is entered into on [ date ] Parties [ insert name of SaaS Supplier company ], a company registered in [ England and Wales ] with company number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at [ insert registered office ] (the SaaS Supplier); and [ insert name of reseller company ], a company registered in [ England and Wales ] with company number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at [ insert registered office ] (the Reseller). Each of the SaaS Supplier and the Reseller constitutes a party, and collectively the SaaS Supplier and the Reseller are the parties. Background (A) The SaaS Supplier intends to appoint the Reseller as an authorised reseller for certain of its online software applications within the United Kingdom. (B) The Reseller agrees to promote and supply the SaaS Supplier’s online software applications in accordance with this Agreement...

The present consolidated Data Protection Addendum was issued on [ insert date ]. For earlier versions, see [ insert URL ]. [ For information on updated provisions, see [ insert URL ]. ] 1 Definitions 1.1 Within this Data Protection Addendum, defined terms retain the same meanings, and the equivalent rules of interpretation apply as those used in the remainder of our Agreement...

These current consolidated terms were published on [ insert date ]. For previous versions, see [ insert URL ]. Please read these terms carefully before proceeding and before you continue. By [ clicking ‘Accept’ on the associated order form ] you confirm agreement to the terms set out on this webpage (our Agreement) on behalf of the person or organisation [ e.g. identified as the ‘customer’ in the associated order form ] (the Customer), thereby creating a legally binding contract with [ insert legal name ], a company incorporated in England and Wales whose registered number is [ insert company number ] and whose registered office is at [ insert registered office ] (the Supplier). By [ clicking ‘Accept’ ] you further affirm and warrant that you hold the requisite capacity and authority to enter into our Agreement for and on behalf of the Customer as a legally enforceable and binding contract with the Supplier in all applicable jurisdictions. If you lack such capacity or authority, or do not...