5 Things to Consider Before Selecting the Right Vendor

According to Gartner Inc the cloud security market could reach a whopping $ 4.2 billion by 2016. As more companies add on to the already increasing number of cloud service aficionados and IT support in Miami, the issue of cloud security becomes paramount. With changing industry standards and demands, the requisites of IT support, cloud service and security, too, are evolving every day.

Cloud security is an important issue for companies that employ cloud services. Data outages and breaches could lead to loss of crucial company information if not dealt with efficiently. In light of such developments, it is essential for companies to collaborate with cloud service providers who understand and practice ethical cloud security. The dealings/solutions of cloud service partners must be transparent.

Most companies are unsure of partnering with outside vendors as they fear giving up control of internal data and systems. Quite contrarily, established cloud service vendors can provide high-degree security in comparison to in-house solutions. It is essential to analyze carefully your vendor alternatives on the following lines, before settling for your best fit:

The vendor should have ownership and a comprehensive understanding of cloud security

The best thing to do is select a vendor who places substantial importance on security. A vendor who does so will have an expert employed solely for this purpose. This appointed expert should be available at all times to address any of your security doubts and concerns. This kind of practice shows how seriously they take cloud security issues. Let me give you an example, if you come across a vendor whose Head of Operations also functions as the Security Head, you might have to reconsider your options.

Is the vendor straightforward with your queries?

Since you might end up employing their services in the future, you will be making multiple queries. It is best to steer clear of vendors who are not willing to share their track record or past business operations. It is justified when the vendor does not want to share valuable and confidential company information. Nevertheless, there are a few things that any vendor should be able to share freely with you, without compromising their confidentiality:

The necessary details regarding the vendor’s latest penetration testing.
The vendor’s third-party audit reports.
The required details about the high-quality coding methodologies they utilize.
A test account that you could use to run your security tests.

The value of past failures

Failures are inevitable in business endeavors. The chances of any established business being free of past mistakes are unlikely. Past failures can teach many valuable lessons to businesses. Vendors who have had a near miss in the past are likely to make comparatively informed decisions. These decisions can play a major role in determining the success of your security solutions. Your vendor should be able to provide correct information regarding their failures. Although, mistakes can be looked upon as a learning experience, too many mistakes could also suggest incompetence.

The overall willingness and demeanour of the vendor

Your conversation with the probable vendor can provide useful insights regarding their work behaviour and ethics. The manner in which they handle and answer you queries speak a lot about their style of business dealings. You could observe the responses they give to your questions. Besides their readiness to answer, the comprehensiveness of their answers matters too. Do ask yourself- Was the answer useful? Did it settle all my doubts? Would they have a security documentation that could immediately be made available to you if need be? Would that security documentation answer your queries in good detail?

The right way to answer such queries is in a broad and detailed manner. They should also be able to back their statements with the evidence of valid documents, audit reports, and international codes or standards that they follow ( For instance, PCI, CSA, etc.) Giving consideration to such questions could help you get a clearer idea regarding what you seek.

What will be the commitment level of both the parties involved?

For a smooth and profitable business relationship, it is important to maintain consistent levels of commitment. Your cloud vendor should be capable of committing to set standards of operations as well as a comprehensive SLA. They should also be open to suggestions and inputs from your end when the need arises.

The application of the above in your search for a competent cloud service vendor can help you assess their transparency, work ethics and level of commitment. These factors are crucial in deciding the right andidate, so you can focus on your core business and let them take care of security issues.