INFORMATIONWEEK REPORTS
Informed CIO: Cloud Contracts and SLAs
Informed CIO: Cloud Contracts and SLAs
Cloud computing is approximately where the Internet was more than a decade ago: full of both promise and hype, and constantly changing. As companies evaluate cloud services, CIOs must help them reach business objectives and save money, while also serving in a stewardship role. A
stepwise process is what’s needed. IT must assess a business unit’s needs and help business managers come to good decisions, while balancing risk, fiscal impact, and flexibility.
If the decision goes in favor of a cloud approach, you need to figure out how to proceed, and what to do if and when things go wrong. Some of the questions that IT professionals need to ask as they evaluate cloud services include: What’s the use case? What’s the risk/benefit profile? And, what happens if the provider completely fails?
Getting the answers to these and other key questions will help you determine if cloud computing makes sense, evaluate providers, determine if you need an SLA, and, if so, how to craft a strong agreement.
