9 Questions to Ask Before Signing a Cloud Computing Contract

Grazed from Forbes. Author: Joe McKendrick.

Cloud computing may be highly virtualized and digitized, but its is still based on a relationship between two parties consisting of human beings. And since it is still the new kid on the block, both providers and users still trying to get their footing — and best advantage — in this new evolving type of relationship.

A few months back, researchers affiliated with the QMUL Cloud Legal Project at the University of London spoke to cloud providers and consumers, identifying the major points of discussion — or disagreement — that have been coming up in their negotiations for cloud engagements. The researchers, W. Kuan Hon, Christopher Millard and Ian Walden, documented their findings in a recent issue Stanford Technology Law Review. They found that some things are negotiable in a cloud computing engagement, other things are not. Here are the top nine points of contention that have been arising:…

1. Who’s liable for damages from interruptions in service? For the most part, cloud providers refuse to accept liability for issues, the researchers report. “Providers state liability is non-negotiable, and ‘everyone else accepts it.’ Even large users had difficulty getting providers to accept any monetary liability, with one global user stating that generally it ‘had to lump it,’ and another saying, ‘they won’t move.’” Some users pushed back with some deals, however, stating that refusal to accept any liability was as a “deal breaker.”…

Read more from the source @ http://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2013/01/14/9-questions-to-ask-before-signing-a-cloud-computing-contract/