Network Frontiers, a leader in IT regulatory compliance management, has announced the immediate availability of the Unified Compliance Framework (UCF) XML schemas. Network Frontiers is making the schemas available for free to promote a single, standard content framework, reducing the complexity of the transfer of information across the entire spectrum of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) applications, services, organizations, and content sources.

"The UCF XML schemas are complete, unambiguous, and well-designed. They will make mapping the metrics in our catalog to Authority Documents and Controls much easier to manage." stated Elizabeth Nichols, CTO PlexLogic and MetricsCenter. "We worked with the Network Frontiers team to ensure our requirements were met, and I encourage other vendors to also join in the process to provide feedback before the final specification is announced."

There are four schema standards available today:

1.   The Authority Documents schema defines how the UCF tracks all authority documents.

2.   The Glossary schema defines how the UCF tracks all glossary entries and their taxonomic structure.

3.   The Controls schema defines how the UCF tracks its main UCF Controls database to include controls per se, controls as metrics, and controls as specific audit guidance.

4.  The Information Classification schema defines how business function, information, and records relate to each other, and how their confidentiality, integrity, and availability must be protected.

Click here for more information about the UCF XML schemas.

About the UCF

The Unified Compliance Framework is the first independent initiative to exclusively support IT compliance management by focusing on commonalities across regulations, standards-based development, and simplified architectures. Unified Compliance's strategic approach to IT compliance reduces cost, limits liability. The UCF's strategic approach simplifies compliance and standards, reduces cost, limits liability, and leverages the value of compliance-related technologies through a harmonized set of controls against which all regulatory standards and best practices can be mapped.

The UCF was created by Dorian Cougias and his research partner, Marcelo Halpern of the international law firm Latham and Watkins, which oversees all legal aspects of the UCF. More information can be found at the Unified Compliance web site.

About Network Frontiers

Since 1992, Network Frontiers has been at the forefront of IT best practices and author of numerous books, including The Compliance Book and the award-winning Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data Center. The content and methodology of the Unified Compliance Framework is the result of Network Frontiers' in-depth understanding of IT regulations and standards as well as real-world experience consulting for clients, publications, and vendors in the mission-critical IT arena.