EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
ALEX MCMULLAN , CTO INTERNATIONAL ,
PURE STORAGE
We are now entering a new phase in technology procurement where SLAs are becoming differentiators and , in many cases , the ultimate decider in purchasing decisions . Traditionally , procurement has been centred on cost , with a checklist as the mechanism for selection . The product or service that came in at the right price , with the most boxes checked , was generally selected .
In the technology sector , the ability to anticipate and react to major market shifts has always been a core tenet of success . Today , some companies are making innovative leaps forward by tying their SLAs directly to customers ’ C-level priorities . For example , one of the biggest influencers in technology purchasing decisions is sustainability .
Today ’ s procurement conversations focus on energy consumption and carbon footprint , as well as a sustainable supply chain . SLAs therefore have to relate to sustainability in order to provide meaningful value . Another important trend is data security , driven by the unabated threat posed by ransomware and other forms of cyber-attack . This trend is very prominent in the data storage sector , but it applies to the entire technology industry .
Businesses should look for a data storage partner with SLAs on the power , cooling and data centre footprint requirements of its solutions . In addition , there should be transparent measurement of actual Watts per tebibyte , TiB , and consequences if guaranteed Watts , TiB or TiB , Rack is not met .
Some storage vendors can help customers achieve up to 85 % reduction in energy use and carbon emissions and up to 95 % less rack space than competing offerings , and may even have a commitment to pay for their customers ’ power and rack space costs .
From a data protection perspective , we are also seeing the emergence of new , SLA-backed data security and resiliency offerings , with the introduction of services that ensure no data migrations are required , while guaranteeing zero data loss in the event of a cyber incident . These services allow customers to mitigate unplanned costs due to data loss incidents , while maintaining day-to-day business operations amid upgrades . These are the kinds of SLAs making a real difference for businesses today .
There is a clear societal trend towards less ownership and more subscription services . We see this in our personal lives and in business and it is giving rise to greater emphasis on SLAs , with the aim of improving these services . Above all , SLAs must stay relevant and be reflective of how the customer uses the technology and what it is they are hoping to achieve with it , rather than just what a vendor is prepared to stand behind .
GAURAV MOHAN , VP SAARC AND MIDDLE
EAST , NETSCOUT
Business leaders are particularly aware of the hazards that come in a digital oriented organisation and crafting a service level agreement , SLA with cloud security service providers demands meticulous attention to key considerations to effectively safeguard digital assets and operations . with confidence are increasingly recognising the importance of combining service assurance , cybersecurity , and business analytics to establish the business assurance that transforms IT into a true partner in the organisation ’ s success .
To address these challenges , IT professionals who want to empower their organisations to innovate
It is imperative to establish clear definitions of responsibilities within the shared responsibility model . By
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