Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection

Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection is a compiled a checklist to give users the required guidance. A SaaS providers must meet a few basic requirements. The article, Cloud Computing Service Models and Deployment is an important guide for understanding the position SaaS in usual models used in Cloud Computing. Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection will help you in two ways – (i) Whether you should use SaaS or own Hosted Solution. (ii) What the minimum points to which make a SaaS cost effective.

An Introduction to Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection

This list, Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection encompasses many important points, but definitely not all the characteristics those should be present for being a potential SaaS provider. It is also important to think about PaaS plus a Free Software as a hosted solution for more control. PaaS Model of Cloud Computing can be the Future Mainstream.

In most cases, the answer should be answered positively by the company, however, this also depends on the particular user and the service or product offered. Depending on the country, the legal requirements may bring more questions.

Checklist for SaaS Provider Selection

Stability of overall operating costs

Stability of the environment and high availability, physical security, system security, data separation, data management, business continuity, disaster recovery, identity management, service desk support, resources and support, notifications, formal processes for service interruptions and disturbances, user preferences, rules, policies, procedures, integration, service level agreements (SLAs), stability of the SaaS provider and overall operating costs must be checked.

 
Stability of the environment and high availability – ask whether the provider uses their own data center or it is hosted on others’ data center. Much important is also the scalability of the system, the power supply in an emergency as well as emergency lighting.

Support should be available

Does the SaaS provider adequate controls for data security / data separation? if yes, What kind of controls? Is access to the customer data is on experienced administrators and restricted ?

In data management, inter alia, encryption and archiving for business continuity and disaster recovery are part of the basic package and it is important to check whether the data and services can be restored within the respective company.

The Service Desk Support should include multiple contact methods –  telephone, email, chat and more. Response time also should be checked. Upgrades, patches and maintenance are best informed in advance, with a focus should be placed on the communication path.

In addition, the provider should keep an architectural framework and manage projects based on a standard methodology. Documentation and communication of guidelines, rules, policies and procedures are important as formal processes for any change, problem and incident management.