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In the News Don't Get Burned: 4 Steps to A Cloud SLA
Don't Get Burned: 4 Steps to A Cloud SLA
Written by Jonathan Shaw, Ph.D. October 10, 2011
Principal Jonathan Shaw offers readers key advice in this article about the challenges of negotiating effective SLAs for cloud computing models. Sample excerpt: “For IT teams that like control, the ‘black box’ cloud model, where customers implicitly give up the right to direct how and when most tasks are performed, can be stressful. The remedy: robust service-level agreements tailored to the as-a-service paradigm. The problem is that not all service providers agree. To the extent that cloud computing providers offer SLAs at all, in our experience their agreements tend to be weak, laden with unfavorable credit terms, and overly standardized with scant room for negotiation…The trick for enterprise IT teams is to get the protection afforded by a tailored SLA without negating the benefits--lower cost, increased scalability, and simpler management--that led them to the cloud model in the first place. In fact, an SLA itself isn't enough; just as important is a service specifications document, which spells out the respective responsibilities of the provider and customer; your ability to remove data from the cloud and mechanisms for doing so; and requirements relating to security, compliance, and data retention.”
