Critical Vendor Policy
Purpose
This policy establishes requirements and guidelines for managing critical vendor relationships, with a specific focus on cloud as the organization’s primary infrastructure provider. It aims to ensure business continuity, risk management, and vendor performance monitoring.
Scope
This policy applies to vendors deemed critical to the organization’s core business operations, particularly cloud infrastructure and related services.
Policy Owner
The DevOps/Security team owns this policy and is responsible for its maintenance and enforcement.
Critical Vendor Definition
A critical vendor is one whose services are essential to the organization’s core business operations and whose disruption would significantly impact business continuity.
Current Critical Vendors
| Vendor | Service | Criticality | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Service Provider | Cloud Infrastructure & Services | Critical | High |
Vendor Management Requirements
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Monitor service availability and performance
Track compliance with agreed-upon SLAs
Regular review of service metrics
Document and escalate SLA violations
Risk Assessment
Annual risk assessment of vendor services
Review of vendor security controls
Evaluation of business impact scenarios
Documentation of risk mitigation strategies
Business Continuity
Maintain disaster recovery plans
Regular testing of failover procedures
Documentation of recovery processes
Review of vendor backup solutions
Performance Monitoring
Regular review of service metrics
Cost optimization analysis
Resource utilization tracking
Incident response effectiveness
Compliance Requirements
Monitor vendor compliance certifications
Review security assessment reports
Track regulatory requirements
Document compliance gaps
Vendor Review Process
Quarterly Reviews
Service performance analysis
Cost review and optimization
Security assessment
Compliance status
Annual Assessment
Comprehensive risk review
Business impact analysis
Contract evaluation
Relationship assessment
Documentation Requirements
Vendor agreements and contracts
Performance metrics and SLA reports
Risk assessment findings
Incident reports and resolutions
Compliance documentation
This policy will be reviewed annually and updated based on business needs and industry best practices.
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