Cloud SLA Checklist For Executives

Well-designed Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) can significantly contribute to avoiding conflict and can facilitate the resolution of an issue before it escalates into a dispute.

Who should review this document?

All enterprise stakeholders in the organization and executive responsible for the cloud security contract and service level agreement. Executives looking for a no-nonsense checklist to ensure all of the basics are covered will benefit from my checklist as well.

I strongly recommend that cloud subject matter experts are allowed to provide feedback and input before the SLA is signed because it serves as both the blueprint and warranty for cloud computing services.

Oftentimes the SLA is described as the rule book and legal contract for an organization’s relationship with the cloud services provider (CSP).

The SLA spells out the minimum level of service, availability, security, controls, processes, communications, support, and many other crucial business elements are stated and agreed to by both parties.

Not all SLAs that you review cover the focus points you may have issues or concerns with. Every effort should be made to obtain clarity prior to engaging with the cloud service provider. If you think it is time-consuming moving to cloud environments, wait until you try to get out.

The SLA also describes levels of service using various attributes such as availability, serviceability, or performance. The SLA specifies thresholds and financial penalties associated with violations of these thresholds.

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Important SLA points to consider include the following:

• Affirm data ownership
• Specify data return and destruction details
• Document specific parameters, minimum service levels, and remedies for any failure to meet the specified requirements
• Cloud system infrastructure details and security standards
• Customer right to audit legal and regulatory compliance by the CSP
• Rights and cost associated with continuing and discontinuing service use
• Service availability
• Service performance
• Data security and privacy
• Disaster recovery processes
• Data location
• Data access
• Data portability
• Problem identification and resolution expectations
• Change management processes
• Dispute mediation processes
• Exit strategy

Organizations should have contingency plans in place to support worst-case scenarios.

-Tim Layton

Tim Layton specializes in demystifying the complexities and technical jargon associated with cloud computing security and risk management for business stakeholders across the enterprise. Tim is a cloud security thought leader defining actionable and defensible strategies to help enterprise stakeholders make risk-based decisions and prioritize investments in the new digital frontier.

Medium: https://timlaytoncloudsecurity.medium.com

LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/In/TimLaytonCyber