Cloud computing complications costing Celtic companies

The lack of an appropriate regulatory environment, standard due-diligence checklists, and standard SLAs are an economic barrier to vibrant young technology companies providing cloud-based technology solutions to enterprises that need a greater level of protection than is currently on offer. The costs of developing such offerings and dealing with due-diligence queries and contract negotiations may be beyond the financial resources of a start-up.

Professional service providers who wish to avail of the efficiencies of cloud services may decide that they are not equipped to conduct due diligence or agree SLAs without the help of specialist consultants. This is an impediment to Irish businesses reducing their costs and increasing their competitiveness through the adoption of cloud technologies.

Reamonn Smith (solicitor and member of the Law Society's Technology Committee) argues for "a clearer regulatory and legal environment" in relation to cloud computing in the Law Society Gazette (PDF, p.24).