Cloud Services Due Diligence Checklist
Clearly identify your objectives and requirements before choosing a cloud service provider.
How to use the checklist


Formalized service specifications
Frequently asked questions
ISO/IEC 19086-1 is the first of a new four-part international standard that establishes a framework and terminology for cloud service level agreements (SLAs). It offers a unified set of considerations for organizations considering cloud adoption, and common terminology so they can more easily compare cloud services and providers to ultimately establish an SLA.
No. ISO/IEC 19086-1 does not include a certification process. It is a guidance standard that provides a framework to help organizations conduct careful evaluations of cloud services and create cloud SLAs appropriate for their business.
The standard was created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The ISO is an independent non-governmental organization and the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards; the IEC is the world’s leading organization for the preparation and publication of international standards for electronic, electrical, and related technologies. Over a period of years, a joint ISO/IEC subcommittee created ISO/IEC 19086-1; Microsoft was one of many member organizations that participated.
Organizations should convene stakeholders from across the company to discuss how each checklist item applies to the organization, and specifically to the cloud project. The team can determine minimal requirements, weigh the importance of each item in the list, and assign responsibility for each item. Organizations are then in a better position to ask providers to respond to each of the considerations in the checklist, compare responses, and decide which provider best meets their organizational objectives.