Overview
When a company opts for cloud computing, the only assurance one can get in terms of reliability and service is the vendor’s reputation and track record. The reason for this is that players in this sector of web hosting, including the industry favorite, Salesforce.com Inc., don’t offer their clients an official Service Level Agreements (SLA). Cloud computing clients go through anxious episodes in the light of the recent spate of outages, including hours-long ones of market leaders Amazon.com Inc. and Google’s Gmail.
However, there are steps one can take to be able to reap the full benefits that cloud computing can offer while protecting their bottom line from unforeseen outages and shoddy services. Here are some practical tips to follow:
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Investigate and gather information. The glossy brochure about a vendor’s topnotch services is not the answer to your question about cloud computing. Reading them will not get you near your goal especially when an outage occurs. What you need to do is to find out exactly how a particular vendor defines “good customer service” and what that means in terms of redundancy processes to state-of-the-art equipment.
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Do an Ocular Inspection. Do not allow the vendor to just tell you to expect a tier-4 service. You have to verify and validate the commitments made to you by the vendor by checking out its physical facility. Visiting the facility is essential because that is what you are basically buying. When at the facility, pay attention to the processes around the maintenance building, as well as the vendor’s equipment-maintenance schedule, road map for growth, the workforce size, and the number of subscribers signing in.
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Clarify Contingency Plans. There are instances that a cloud computing vendor would have to shut down a portion of its facility for reasons like renovations—situations that will require unplugging and moving client’s equipment, as well as regression testing, which can slow down connection speeds. These are interruptions that can disrupt the operations of your company. Determine the capabilities and limitations of your company in dealing with such events. For instance, look at the standard notification period stipulated in the contract. Is it sufficient enough for your company to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate these interruptions?
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Rate Vendor Capabilities. The great thing about cloud computing is that the company can add and subtract computing and storage power as demand fluctuates. However, make sure that the vendor is capable of servicing a broad range of needs. When discussing the details of the plan with the vendor, consider any opportunity to increase technology or the need to provide for more racks throughout the term of the contract. Confirm with the vendor for any penalty for future upgrade of service.
You should also watch out for automatic renewals of your service. The company should sufficiently prepare for it.
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Undertake a Postmortem. Unexpected events may happen and problems may arise. Even the most detailed SLA can’t prevent the occasional snags. The real issue, however, is how the vendor handles a particular incident. The ability to respond and provide quick solutions can often count for more than a contract’s fine print.
