CLOUD-SERVICES and SaaS CHECKLIST

BACKUPS	Does the vendor back up your data, or is that your responsibility? How do they back up data? What is their backup and restore process? How do they test recovery plans?
COMPATIBILITY	Are the tools and platforms vendor-neutral?
CONNECTIVITY	Can your tools connect seamlessly through APIs to share data?
COST	Is the tool worth the price? Can you get a service for free that provides the same quality of output as a paid version? Are you paying for features you won’t use?
DATA EXTRACTION	Can you get your data out of your program for backups or if you switch providers? If so, how will you reload the data?
DATA OWNERSHIP	Who owns the data you add to a cloud resource? Some free platforms retain rights to your work. If you delete the account, does the vendor delete your data?
DATA SEGREGATION	For public clouds, how is your data segregated and protected? Who has access to it? How are users verified?
DISTRIBUTED PLATFORM	Using your chosen applications, can you connect your entire distributed platform? Does your staff need a VPN to connect to the private cloud?
FUNCTIONALITY	Does the tool do the job the way you want it?
LOCATION	Is the recovery data center co-located or near your original site? Is the redundant site located between 30 to 100 miles from the primary cloud provider location?
REMOTE ACCESS	Can you easily connect to your apps from a range of devices, including mobile?
SECURITY	Is the app safe? What is its track record of hacks and data breaches? What is the vendor’s mitigation plan in the event of a hack or breach?
SERVICE-LEVEL AGREEMENT (SLA)	Do the guarantees of availability and return to service fit your needs? Do they back up data, or do you? Also, what is the protocol if your contract ends?
SUPPORT	Is support available during your working hours? Does the vendor provide user forums and robust online help?
USABILITY	Can all your employees who need it learn the app or tool quickly and feel comfortable using it? Or are you wasting money on a tool people won’t use?
VENDOR BUSINESS CONTINUITY	Does your cloud services provider have a business continuity plan? How will they protect your data if they experience a disaster or other business crisis?
VENDOR REPUTATION	How many patches does the company issue? What’s the quality of patches? How often have they been subject to malicious hacks? Is the company stable?

DISCLAIMER Any articles, templates, or information provided by Smartsheet on the website are for reference only. While we strive to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the website or the information, articles, templates, or related graphics contained on the website. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.