Addressing Key Obstacles In Setting Cloud Deals

Forrester clients are often anxious to access the rapid provisioning and flexibility promised by providers of cloud technologies, but they too often languish in lengthy legal- and procurement-oriented discussions due to disagreements over relevant terms and conditions with their cloud suppliers. Even worse, clients often face an abrupt dead end when they learn that their potential cloud supplier cannot address their own minimum standards for key issues such as liability or warranties. In discussions with clients, Forrester has identified frequent areas of disagreement that clients would be well advised to address upfront so they do not waste significant time in vendor evaluation and negotiations. Moreover, clients should temper their expectations for cloud providers and recognize that some expectations gained through experiences with IT outsourcing suppliers will have to be "unlearned" in the cloud.