Checklist for the Best Open Source Cloud

This is my checklist for the best open source cloud: seven topics, a few plain questions under each. If a provider or a plan cannot answer them clearly, you have learned something important before signing anything.

Why a Checklist

By this point in our meetings, the leaders understood the layers of an open source cloud. Then the CEO said: “Every vendor tells us they are the best. How do we check?” A short checklist turns a sales conversation into a fair comparison. I kept it to a few questions per topic so busy people will actually use it.

1. Architecture and Roadmap

• Does it support the workloads we run today and the ones we plan for?
• Can it grow and shrink automatically?
• What is on its roadmap for the next two years, and who decides it?

2. Security

• How are sign-in and permissions handled? Is multi-factor sign-in supported?
• Is data encrypted when stored and when it travels?
• How quickly are security fixes released and applied?

3. Data Rules and Compliance

• In which countries will our data be stored?
• Does it meet the rules of our industry, such as finance or health?
• Can we get all our data out, in a usable format, if we leave?

4. Cost

• What is the full cost: hardware or rental, support, people and training?
• Can we see our spending clearly, per team or per project?
• What does it cost to move data out? These charges are easy to miss.

5. Skills and People

• Does our team already know these tools?
• How easy is it to hire people who do?
• Is good training available?

6. Support

• Who do we call at 2 in the morning when something breaks?
• Is there a paid support contract with clear response times?
• Are there several companies able to support it, not just one?

7. License and Community (Special to Open Source)

• Is the license a true open source license, and has it changed recently?
• How many people and companies actively contribute?
• How often are new versions released, and how long is each one supported?

How to Use the Checklist

Give each topic a simple score, such as good, okay or worrying. You are not looking for a perfect score. You are looking for surprises. One “worrying” answer about data rules or support can matter more than ten good answers elsewhere.

Words to Know

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Comparing only the price per server. People, support and data transfer often cost more.
• Skipping the exit question. Always ask how you would leave, before you arrive.
• Letting only the IT team answer. Finance, legal and security must answer their own sections.

What Comes Next

A checklist helps you choose. Making the move succeed is a leadership job. Next we look at the five steps a CXO should lead.

The best open source cloud is not the one with the best demo, it is the one that answers your hardest questions clearly.

Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.