Choosing vendors without lock-in panic

A practical framework for evaluating SaaS and cloud vendors—exit paths, SLAs, and integration reality checks.

Vendor choice is an architecture decision. Ask how data leaves, how identities federate, and what breaks if pricing or roadmap shifts.

Prefer clear SLAs, exportable data, and standard protocols over proprietary convenience that is hard to unwind.

Run a short proof with production-like constraints: permissions, audit logs, and failure modes—not just a happy-path demo.

The goal is not zero lock-in. The goal is conscious trade-offs with a workable exit plan.