Supply chain confusion “issue that must be addressed”, says CIF Certification Partner

Cloud has moved the supply chain away from the selling of IT and towards the delivery of a service, incorporating data centres, applications, implementation skills, and management. With multiple parties involved in this process, end users need to understand the whole supply chain that they will be working with, how it operates and who is responsible for what, says APM Group, the Cloud Industry Forum’s (CIF) certification partner.

With many inexperienced resellers moving into the cloud market and a number struggling to establish the right partnership network, APM Group has set out key questions that need to be considered including:
· Which organisations are providing what services?
· Who is responsible when something goes wrong?
· What processes are in place to deal with problems when they occur?
· How does the supply chain coordinate the day-to-day delivery of services?

Speaking out on the issue of supply chain confusion, Richard Pharro, APM Group’s CEO, stated: “‘Trust’ and ‘understanding’ are the key: ‘trust’ that your data is safe and the correct procedures are in place, ‘understanding’ of how the service is delivered to you and who is accountable and liable for its delivery. For example, a third party may in fact own the data centres being used, and/or be in charge of some elements of service delivery. Understanding indirect responsibility is equally as important, to guard against confusion, should any party in the Cloud Service Provider’s (CSP’s) supply chain go out of business. For instance, if the CSP were to stop trading, can the end user work with the upstream providers to secure continuity of service?

“Ensuring that the right credentials are present is crucial when vetting potential suppliers, particularly when dealing with the channel, and therefore multiple parties. Take advantage of the information on offer from reputable industry bodies like the Cloud Industry Forum, who certify credible CSPs against a Code of Practice, ensuring that any such company can be trusted to provide a transparent and efficient cloud solution. Ensure that your proposed supply chain is CIF certified throughout and providers will need to disclose information on these crucial areas, so that it is visible to you when making your selection”, Pharro concluded.