State of Cloud Computing: Locking in Migration Cost

Grazed from Business2Community.  Author: Matthew Ramsey.

While migrating to the cloud is ultimately intended to reduce costs and make it easier to run your business, not following the right steps at first can lead to the exact opposite. Ultimately, it is the risk of downtime, security of your data, and objectives of the cloud service vendor in question as your enterprise nurtures this ongoing relationship. A Statement of Work (SOW) should be developed from the start, with a focus on objectives, tasks, and deliverables. The SOW should also cover details on project management in a fixed price model.

A vendor often presents a special deal if an organization like yours signs a contract immediately. Signing a proposal is not the same as signing an SOW, as most proposals simply outline the services to be offered. These also do not break down the cost of services or list acceptable performance criteria. A proposal is just a legally binding contract, which could put your organization at risk if the services do not meet the qualifications for quality and consistency….

Taking the time to draft the SOW helps your organization in many ways. First, make sure that prices are firmly established and obligations are stated as such, not as just vague goals.

1. Deliverables. An SOW should incorporate a project plan complete with a schedule for all deliverables and tasks associated with the agreement. Solid deadlines should be labeled outright and dates should be defined from beginning to end. Each detail needs to be written out clearly so that even someone not involved with the project can understand what is being provided. With the deliverables clearly identified, you know exactly what the cost in migrating is getting you…

Read more from the source @ http://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/state-of-cloud-computing-locking-in-migration-cost-0395358