NERC and Regional Entities Submit Comments Related to Virtualization and Cloud Computing NOI

On July 1, 2020, in Docket No. RM20-8-000, NERC and the Regional Entities submitted Joint Comments in Response to FERC's Notice of Inquiry (NOI) regarding the use of virtualization and cloud computing services. FERC seeks comments on four topics: (1) scope of potential use of virtualization and cloud computing services, (2) potential benefits and risks associated with virtualization and cloud computing services, (3) potential impediments to adopting these technologies, including barriers within the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards requirements, and (4) potential use of other new and emerging technologies within the existing CIP framework. NERC and the Regional Entities’ comments support use of virtualization and cloud computing services but recognize that there are potential risks associated with these services that should be mitigated.