SAS 009 – Managing IT Vendor Relationships

Follow-Up Missed from SAS 006 Testing Hardware/Software Test everything, try to break it Don’t assume anything Testing backups Monthly backup tests Quarterly disaster recovery tests Annual business continuity tests Today’s Show – Managing IT Vendor Relationships Everyone will need an IT vendor at some point, so build good relationships for when you need them Staffing help Emergencies Technical assistance for core infrastructure Evaluation process Reputation Size Cost Price is important, but isn’t everything Core competencies Availability Location Qualify engineer who will actually be doing the work – these are often the best relationships Contract Review Larger companies won’t budge much This is the basis of the relationship Fixed price vs T&M vs Not to Exceed Final Thoughts Implement changes over time They work for you,  you can override their recommendations   You can send feedback and ideas for future episodes to [email protected].