Microsoft's Visual Studio Online service gets certified for enterprise readiness

Visual Studio Online (VSO) is a great way to develop software projects without the need to build a powerful PC or install any applications. All developers need is a web browser and a subscription to the service, and Microsoft Azure and the company’s servers will do all the heavy lifting. The good news is that VSO is now enterprise certified.

Microsoft has recently announced that VSO has been awarded the ISO 27001 certification by the International Standards Organization for its data security and management system. This would alleviate concerns from enterprises over the security of the data that is hosted in the cloud.

“ISO 27001 certification means the International Standards Organization (ISO) conducted an independent evaluation and certified Visual Studio Online’s current data protection practices and procedures. The certification showcases that Microsoft has developed practices and measured them against its customer/business requirements, covering a range of customer data protection aspects.” – Microsoft Spokesperson

Additionally, Microsoft has also added the European Model Clauses to VSO’s service terms. This tells enterprises and governments alike that Microsoft is serious about abiding to international regulatory policies.

“…European Model Clauses is a set of contractual safeguards that cloud service providers can use to demonstrate their commitment to the world’s most stringent data protection requirements.” – Microsoft Spokesperson

Microsoft notes that the process of certifying software is no easy task, particularly when trying to gain a certification from the different agencies around the world, each with their own set of requirements that need to be met, but the company will continue to work towards gaining more certifications for VSO so that customers can rest assured that their data is always held with the highest standards of protection.