Contracting For Cloud Services

The federal government is expected to spend $75 billion this year on IT projects, with a significant part of that money earmarked for migrating services and programs to cloud computing. Therefore, the publication of this book on cloud computing contracting for government could not be timelier.This comprehensive, expert book uses an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow six-step process that guides you through the complete contract lifecycle. It steers you through all the cloud service and deployment models available, highlighting the benefits and downsides of each. Discussed in detail are critical issues, such as security, vendor lock-in, and legal and regulatory obligations. The book discusses how to identify and determine your needs in order to develop a business use case. It defines all the potential procurement vehicles and processes and how to assess them. There is guidance on setting up an acquisition team, developing performance-based work statements and how to measure and manage performance.Included in this book is a 137 element checklist of contract terms that should be considered for your cloud contract solution. This 10-page check list is a treasure trove of critical information for any cloud program manager and/or contracting manager.All of this vital information has to be gathered, understood and analyzed before the contract can be agreed. upon. How to build and finalize the right contract constitutes a large part of this book, with insight on all the clauses used by vendors - all the things you should know but they are unlikely to tell you! There are also samples to show how potentially harmful vendor clauses can be rephrased to your advantage.The final step discusses managing the contract - how to ensure compliance, conduct audits and what to do in the event of data breaches or worse. Each step is accompanied by case studies, mistakes made and lessons learned, best practices and checklists to ensure you stay on the right path. While the book itself is comprehensive, there is also a dedicated website for people purchasing the book, which has much more reference information available and which will be kept updated.Cloud computing brings a host of new challenges to those implementing it. It is no longer just the task of the IT manager to write the contract. Many other departments need to be involved from HR and security, to legal and financial and, as a result, many decisions taken to the highest level. Because of the complexities and diverse issues that cloud contracting encompasses, this is a must-have handbook for all those who need to succeed with cloud contracting. For more information, visit www.GTIBookstore.com.

The federal government is expected to spend $75 billion this year on IT projects, with a significant part of that money earmarked for migrating services and programs to cloud computing. Therefore, the publication of this book on cloud computing contracting for government could not be timelier. This comprehensive, expert book uses an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow six-step process that guides you through the complete contract lifecycle. It steers you through all the cloud service and deployment models available, highlighting the benefits and downsides of each. Discussed in detail are critical issues, such as security, vendor lock-in, and legal and regulatory obligations. The book discusses how to identify and determine your needs in order to develop a business use case. It defines all the potential procurement vehicles and processes and how to assess them. There is guidance on setting up an acquisition team, developing performance-based work statements and how to measure and manage performance. Included in this book is a 137 element checklist of contract terms that should be considered for your cloud contract solution. This 10-page check list is a treasure trove of critical information for any cloud program manager and/or contracting manager. All of this vital information has to be gathered, understood and analyzed before the contract can be agreed. upon. How to build and finalize the right contract constitutes a large part of this book, with insight on all the clauses used by vendors - all the things you should know but they are unlikely to tell you! There are also samples to show how potentially harmful vendor clauses can be rephrased to your advantage

"Written by prominent thought leaders in the global FinTech investment space, The LegalTech Book aggregates diverse expertise into a single, informative volume. Key industry developments are explained in detail, and critical insights from cutting-edge practitioners offer first-hand information and lessons learned. Coverage includes: The current status of LegalTech, why now is the time for it to boom, the drivers behind it, and how it relates to FinTech, RegTech, InsurTech and WealthTech Applications of AI, machine learning and deep learning in the practice of law; e-discovery and due diligence; AI as a legal predictor LegalTech making the law accessible to all; online courts, online dispute resolution The Uberization of the law; hiring and firing through apps Lawbots; social media meets legal advice To what extent does LegalTech make lawyers redundant? Cryptocurrencies, distributed ledger technology and the law The Internet of Things, data privacy, automated contracts Cybersecurity and data Technology vs. the law; driverless cars and liability, legal rights of robots, ownership rights over works created by technology Legislators as innovators"--

An essential, in-depth analysis of the key legal issues that governments face when adopting cloud computing services.

The Tech Contracts Handbook is a practical and accessible reference book and training manual on IT contracts. This is a clause-by-clause "how to" guide on software licenses and technology services agreements, covering the issues at stake and offering negotiation tips and sample contract language.This handbook is written for both lawyers and businesspeople, including contract managers, procurement officers, corporate counsel, salespeople, and anyone else responsible for getting IT deals done. Perhaps most important, this book uses simple English, as any good contract should.Topics covered include: ·Software as a service (SaaS) and cloud computing agreements ·Warranties ·Indemnities ·Open source software ·Service level agreements ·Nondisclosure agreements ·Limitations of liability ·Internet and e-commerce contracts·Software escrow ·Data security ·Copyright licensing ·And much more

Service Level Agreements for Cloud Computing provides a unique combination of business-driven application scenarios and advanced research in the area of service-level agreements for Clouds and service-oriented infrastructures. Current state-of-the-art research findings are presented in this book, as well as business-ready solutions applicable to Cloud infrastructures or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) environments. Service Level Agreements for Cloud Computing contributes to the various levels of service-level management from the infrastructure over the software to the business layer, including horizontal aspects like service monitoring. This book provides readers with essential information on how to deploy and manage Cloud infrastructures. Case studies are presented at the end of most chapters. Service Level Agreements for Cloud Computing is designed as a reference book for high-end practitioners working in cloud computing, distributed systems and IT services. Advanced-level students focused on computer science will also find this book valuable as a secondary text book or reference.

Federal and private sector guidance highlights the importance of federal agencies using a service level agreement (SLA) in a contract when acquiring IT services through a cloud computing provider. Cloud computing is a means for delivering computing services via IT networks. When executed effectively, cloud-based services can allow agencies to pay for only the IT services used, thus paying less for more services. An important element of acquiring cloud services is a service level agreement that specifies, among other things, what services a cloud provider is to perform and at what level. The objectives of this report were to (1) identify key practices in cloud computing SLAs; and (2) determine the extent to which federal agencies have incorporated such practices into their SLAs. Includes recommendations. Tables and figures. This is a print on demand report.