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ChaPter 3 • ProjeCt management 59

necessary. Using cloud services makes your applications scalable, which means you can grow
them easily by adding more cloud resources. Cloud computing also has the potential to offer
consistency across multiple platforms that were previously disjointed or difficult to integrate.
Finally, no capital is tied up, and no financing is required.
DRAWBACKS OF CLOUD COMPUTING. As with any other innovation, there are some disadvantages
of adopting cloud computing for organizations. Loss of control of data stored in the cloud is
perhaps the most striking concern of relying on cloud computing; if the cloud services provider
ceased to exist, it is unclear what would happen to the organization’s data. Looming almost
as large are potential security threats to data that is not stored on premises or even on the
organization’s own computers. Reliability of the Internet as a platform forms the third main
concern for organizations.
Furthermore, something that could dampen an organization’s maneuverability when it
comes to cloud computing is the prospect that the company could get stuck using application
programming interfaces (APIs) that are proprietary with the cloud provider. This might make
switching among cloud computing providers more difficult. It is interesting to note that as this
text is being written, there are no standards for cloud interoperability, although several are in
the works and have been submitted for testing. Some experts believe that companies such as
Amazon, Google, and Salesforce are competing to make their cloud APIs standards for cloud
service providers.

Evaluation of Vendor Support for Computer Hardware
Several key areas need to be evaluated when weighing the support services vendors offer to busi-
nesses. Most hardware vendors offer testing of hardware on delivery and a 90-day warranty cov-
ering any factory defects, but you must ascertain what else the vendor has to offer. Cloud service
providers offer 30- or 60-day money-back guarantees. Vendors of comparable quality frequently
distinguish themselves from others in the range of support services they offer.
A list of key criteria that ought to be checked when evaluating vendor support is provided in
Figure 3.7. Support services include routine and preventive maintenance of hardware, specified
response time (within six hours, next working day, etc.) in case of emergency equipment break-
downs, loan of equipment in the event that hardware must be permanently replaced or off-site
repair is required, and in-house training or off-site group seminars for users. Cloud providers
make claims for uptime and promises to get back to you on a question within a certain amount

Figure 3.7
Vendor Services Specifics Vendors Typically Offer
Guidelines for vendor selection.
Hardware Support Full line of hardware
Quality products
Warranty
Software Support Complete software needs
Custom programming
Warranty
Installation and Training Commitment to schedule
In-house training
Technical assistance

Maintenance Routine maintenance procedures
Specified response time in emergencies
Equipment loan while repair is being done

Cloud Services Web hosting
Email hosting
Data storage
Software as a Service Automatic software upgrades
Support services
Security and antivirus protection