Designing A Framework For Cloud Service Agreements For Cloud Environments

Abstract

Cloud Computing has emerged as the prime IT computing model for on.demand access using a pool of shared resources with the least IT support. Cloud computing is starting to replace the legacy office IT infrastructure and helpdesk support system. Corporate and home users alike are hugely turning into cloud service consumers and moving their data and work to the cloud. Therefore, the Cloud Service Agreement (CSA) between cloud service consumers and cloud service providers has a critical significance that can guarantee the highest level of service quality and delivery. The current CSA parameters and CSA terms tend to fall short of the service delivery commitments with no common terminology or standard followed industry-wide by the cloud service providers. Comparing similar service offerings and agreements from multiple cloud service providers continues to be a complex issue. This chapter provides a pragmatic approach to Cloud Service Agreements, comparing the current process with the proposed parameters and the new framework for CSA to determine the role of various elements and terms in the decision-making process for cloud service agreements for SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, and STaaS.