Open Cloud Manifesto member companies revealed

The initial roster for the Open Cloud Manifesto was released on Monday, and many of the biggest names in the web services industry are conspicuously absent.

The official web site for the group includes a copy of the full Open Cloud Manifesto (PDF) and a list of all current members.

The six-page document outlines a proposal for how cloud computing operations should be designed and implemented.

However, the group warned that the manifesto should not be considered as a strict 'how-to guide' for web-based services.

"This document is intended to initiate a conversation that will bring together the emerging cloud computing community (both cloud users and cloud providers) around a core set of principles," reads the manifesto.

"We believe that these core principles are rooted in the belief that cloud computing should be as open as all other IT technologies."

IBM is credited with spearheading the group's organisation, and other prominent members include Cisco, AT&T, VMWare, EMC, Novell and SAP.

Just as notable is the absence of several companies considered instrumental in the establishment of cloud computing.

Google is not currently a supporter, neither is Salesforce.com, whose software-as-a-service model set the stage for much of what is now considered the enterprise cloud computing market.

The two companies are part of what is becoming a growing list of firms that have not opted to join the Open Cloud Manifesto.

The most vocal opponent of the project thus far, however, has been Microsoft. After news of the manifesto leaked out, executives in Redmond were quick to criticise the effort as being specially crafted to benefit IBM and other companies that had led the effort.

Over the weekend news emerged that cloud computing host Amazon would not be part of the project either.