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The cloud: look before you leap

The first thing to consider is the time and effort it will take to move company data to the cloud, says Richard Vester, director of Cloud Services at EOH.


Johannesburg, 08 Apr 2014

Cloud is the buzzword on everyone's lips today. It's all about the cloud - servers have moved to the cloud, our data is stored there, services and applications are hosted in the cloud - and the maxim is that companies who are not moving to the cloud are being left behind.

However, migrating to the cloud is not something that should be taken lightly. Before rushing off and jumping on the cloud bandwagon, there are several questions that need to be asked, and several factors that need to be considered.

Richard Vester, director of Cloud Services at EOH, says the benefits of cloud are well documented. "Over and above simplified operations, cost savings, improved efficiencies, moving storage and servers to the cloud offers ubiquitous access. It sounds too good to be true, and cloud is certainly not without its drawbacks too."

He says the first thing to consider is the time and effort it will take to move your data to the cloud at the onset. "This could come hand-in-hand with vendor lock-in; in other words, once a cloud provider is hosting your data and servers, it may be very tricky in the future should you wish to opt for a different cloud provider. Carefully scrutinise a cloud provider or two before going with the first option; this could be a relationship that you're in for a long time."

Another potential problem, says Vester, is that should your cloud provider experience technical difficulties, your business could be cut off from its data and applications too. "In addition, storing data off-premises has security and governance implications, as well as possible data residency issues. Make sure your service provider has the necessary tools and protocols in place, so that you don't fall foul of any regulatory requirements."

He advises businesses to ask several questions before embarking on the cloud journey. Firstly, Vester says having service level agreements in place is essential. "Your provider must be able to commit to certain levels of availability and performance. SLAs can be negotiated through pricing; obviously, the more you are willing to pay, the more you can expect to receive."

He adds that it is also important to check whether or not availability and liability extends to the data itself. "In the event of a catastrophe, who will accept liability for lost data? Will your provider compensate for lost data, and even guarantee a certain number of backups have been made?"

In terms of data residency, it is vital to know where your actual data will be stored. "The EU, for example, forbids the storing of data outside its boundaries. Not knowing where your data physically resides could have serious consequences in terms of regulatory requirements, not to mention associated hassles with privacy and security," Vester explains.

In terms of the lock-in issue, Vester advises to have exit strategies in place. "Vendor lock-in more often than not is a result of a long-term initial contract. Be careful of exorbitant termination fees, and clauses such as having to give notice of non-renewal within a certain time-frame before expiry."

Finally, he says to clarify the grounds for service termination. "From the provider's side, non-payment would apply, as would breach of acceptable use, or third-party complaints regarding breach of intellectual property rights and similar. However, make sure you are protected too. Understand which, if any, of these reasons would apply to you. Before entering into an agreement with a cloud service provider, make sure you have no unanswered questions. If you do, exercise your right to amend the contract to make it favourable for you, and not just the provider should any issues arise."

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EOH

EOH is one of the largest technology and knowledge services provider in South Africa and provides the technology, knowledge, skills and organisational ability critical to Africa's development and growth. EOH's 6 000 staff members deliver end-to-end enterprise applications solutions, a wide range of outsourcing, cloud, managed services and business service offerings to customers across all major industries.

EOH has been listed on the JSE ("JSE") since 1998; for more information, visit: www.eohcloud.co.za.

Editorial contacts

Mia Andric
Exposure
mia@exposureunlimited.net