A European cloud group, known as the Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers in Europe, has launched the European Cloud Competition Observatory to monitor Microsoft’s compliance with a recent settlement aimed at enhancing market competition. This initiative follows Microsoft’s agreement to a settlement that involved a twenty-two million dollar payment and changes to its licensing practices after accusations of anti-competitive behavior. The observatory will also scrutinize licensing practices of other major players like Broadcom and VMware to ensure fair competition in the market. The observatory is set to release progress reports in February and April 2025, as it seeks to address unfair software licensing practices that can restrict customer choices and inflate costs for cloud users in Europe.
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced she will step down from her position on January 20, 2025, coinciding with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Rosenworcel, the first woman to lead the FCC, highlighted her tenure as an honor and emphasized her commitment to closing the digital divide. Under her leadership, the Affordable Connectivity Program assisted over 23 million low-income households in accessing high-speed internet. Additionally, she addressed the “homework gap,” helping more than 17 million students secure essential online learning tools. Rosenworcel also launched the FCC’s first-ever Space Bureau to enhance U.S. leadership in satellite communications and updated the agency’s broadband definition, increasing the benchmark from 25 megabits per second to 100 megabits per second.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has launched a new education platform called CISA Learning, aimed at providing modern cybersecurity training to its staff, the federal workforce, veterans, and external users. This platform replaces both the agency’s internal education system and the Federal Virtual Training Environment, which served over 500,000 users, including 412,000 federal employees and 25,000 individuals from state and local governments. CISA Learning offers courses in various areas, including cloud security and ethical hacking, while allowing users to track their progress and customize their learning experiences. The initial operational capability is now live, with plans for continuous improvement in user experience and course suggestions.
Why do we care?
By monitoring compliance, this initiative could lead to increased flexibility for European businesses in cloud vendor selection. This is especially relevant for smaller IT service providers who may struggle with restrictive licensing terms. Be warned, Monitoring compliance and enforcing settlements can be slow and bureaucratic, potentially delaying meaningful change in licensing practices.
Jessica Rosenworcel’s departure marks a significant change in leadership for an agency that has had substantial influence on broadband access, digital equity, and telecommunications policy. The transition could shift priorities, potentially impacting IT infrastructure investments.
CISA Learning aims to address a critical skills gap in cybersecurity, a sector that directly impacts IT service providers and managed security services. As cyber threats grow in volume and complexity, the platform’s success could indirectly bolster the broader workforce readiness in this domain.