Question

1) Write a 2 page SLA for the cloud service that you have selected to migrate a website to the cloud. The SLA will be used to define the service level obligations of the cloud service provider.

2) Write a brief SOW for the website that you have selected to migrate to the cloud. The SOW will be used to define the obligations of the cloud service provider.

Answer 1

1) A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and its internal or external customers that documents what services the provider will provide and defines the service standards the provider is obligated to meet. A cloud SLA (cloud service-level agreement) is an agreement between a cloud service provider and a customer. A Cloud SLA serves as the blueprint and warranty for cloud computing.

For a service provider, the SLA is typically one of two foundational agreements it has with customers. Many service providers establish a master services agreement to establish the general terms and conditions in which they will work with customers. The SLA is often incorporated by reference into the service provider's master services agreement. Between the two service contracts, the SLA adds greater specificity regarding the services provided and the metrics that will be used to measure their performance.

An SLA will typically include a statement of objectives, a list of the services to be covered by the agreement and will also define the responsibilities of the service provider and customer under the SLA. The service provider will be responsible for meeting the level of service as defined by the SLA. The service provider's performance is judged according to a set of metrics. Response time and resolution time are among the key metrics included in an SLA, since they relate to how the service provider deals with a service interruption.

SLAs establish customer expectations with regard to the service provider's performance and quality in a number of ways. Some metrics that SLAs may specify include the following:

• Availability and uptime percentage -- the amount of time services are running and accessible to the customer. Uptime is generally tracked and reported on per calendar month.
• Specific performance benchmarks to which actual performance will be periodically compared.
• Service provider response time -- the time it takes the service provider to respond to a customer's issue or request. A larger service provider may operate a service desk to respond to customer inquiries.
• Resolution time -- the time it takes for an issue to be resolved once logged by the service provider.
• Usage statistics that will be provided.
• The schedule for notification in advance of network changes that may affect users.

Besides this, An SLA for cloud services also includes the following -

• It codifies the specific parameters and minimum levels required for each element of the service, as well as remedies for failure to meet those requirements.
• Affirms organization’s ownership of its data stored on the service provider’s system, and specifies their rights to get it back.
• Details the system infrastructure and security standards to be maintained by the service provider, along with their rights to audit their compliance.
• Specifies the rights and cost to continue and discontinue using the service.

In order to consistently develop an effective SLA, a list of important criteria needs to be established which are as follows -

• Performance
• Availability
• Location of the data
• Access to the data
• Security / privacy of the data
• Disaster Recovery expectations
• Portability of the data
• Process to identify problems and resolution expectations
• Change Management process
• Dispute mediation process
• Exit Strategy with expectations on the provider to ensure smooth transition

In addition to establishing performance metrics, an SLA may include a plan for addressing downtime and documentation for how the service provider will compensate customers in the event of a contract breach. Service credits are a typical remedy. Here, the service provider issues credits to the customer based on an SLA-specified calculation. As cloud customers, operations take place in an environment that can spans geographies, networks, and systems. It only makes sense to agree on the desired service level for the customers and measure the real results. It only makes sense to set out a plan for when things go badly, so that a minimum level of service is maintained. SLA sets expectations for both parties and acts as the roadmap for change in the cloud service – both expected changes and surprises. The SLA will also include a section detailing exclusions, that is, situations in which an SLA's guarantees -- and penalties for failing to meet them -- don't apply. The list might include events such as natural disasters or terrorist acts. As managed services and cloud computing services became more prevalent in recent years, SLAs evolved to address those approaches. Shared services, rather than customized resources, characterize the newer contracting methods, so SLAs tend to be broad agreements intended to cover all of a service provider's customers.

Service providers need SLA for cloud services to help them manage customer expectations and define the circumstances under which they are not liable for any performance issues. Customers can also benefit from SLAs in that they describe the performance characteristics of the service, which can be compared with other vendors' SLAs, and also set forth the means for redressing service issues -- via service credits, for example.

2)  Cloud migration is the process of moving data, applications or other business elements to a cloud computing environment. A statement of Work (SOW) needs to be written to migrate a website to cloud service provider. There are various types of cloud migrations an enterprise can perform. One common model is the transfer of data and applications from a local, on-premises data center to the public cloud. The general goal or benefit of any cloud migration is to host applications and data in the most effective IT environment possible, based on factors such as cost, performance and security. Some examples of migration services from public cloud providers are : AWS Migration Hub, Azure Migrate, Google Cloud Data Transfer Service, AWS Snowball, Azure Import/Export etc.

In a SOW the following fields needs to be mentioned clearly -

• Name of Website.
• Purpose and/or Objectives of Website.
• Relevant Background Information - We can provide any relevant information that may be necessary for the vendor to understand in order to provide an accurate proposal for services.
• Scope of the Work - The Organization needs to provide as much detail as possible regarding the scope of work they expect the vendor to perform under this statement of work. Be clear if this SOW is for new development, redesign of existing site, development of new features for an existing site, or a maintenance support agreement for existing website.
• Timeline and Work Period of Performance - Provide detailed expectations on timeline for vendor to complete the statement of work needs to be provided.
• Experience and Qualifications - The organization should identify the specific capabilities the vendor must have to provide the services.
• References - References were provided as part of the process to establish the master contract.
• Evaluation Criteria.
• Performance Measures.
• Different |Customer Requirements.
• Deliverables.
• Vendor Proposed Pricing.
• Resulting Agreement etc.