Page 78 - Cloud computing: From paradigm to operation

1 Framework and requirements for cloud computing

• tracking the sales and service usage against the plan to ensure that financial targets are achieved
for the cloud service provider;
• preparing a business plan and adjusting the business plan to provide cloud services.

8.3.2.12 Manage customer relationships
The manage customer relationships activity involves the management of the business relationship of the
cloud service provider with the cloud service customer including:
• creating and maintaining content of a product catalogue;
• acquiring customers;
• providing the point of contact for the customer for all business matters;

• discussing and resolving concerns or problems raised by the customer;
• processing change requests (e.g., entitlement changes).

8.3.2.13 Manage financial processing
The manage financial processing activity involves:
• handling billing updates or challenges;
• generating billing information and/or an invoice for charges relating to the use of cloud services and
transmitting the billing information or invoice to the cloud service customer;
• handling the receipt of payments from the cloud service customer and their accounting.

8.3.2.14 Handle customer requests
The handle customer requests activity involves:

• handling support requests, reports and incidents from cloud service customers, however received.
Customers can be provided with a variety of means to communicate, from forums through email,
customer support desk systems or web portals to real-time communication with provider support
personnel;
NOTE – Some requests or reports can only require the provision of information or the clarification of details. Other requests and
reports can require problem analysis, or they can involve the creation of a change request.
8.3.2.15 Manage peer cloud services

The manage peer cloud services activity focuses on managing the usage of cloud services of a peer cloud
service provider. This activity involves:

• selecting and using one or more services of a peer cloud service provider;
• monitoring and managing the peer cloud service provider's cloud services to ensure that they meet
agreed SLA targets including the reporting and resolution of problems with those services;

• managing the business aspects of the cloud services of a peer cloud service provider, including the
business plan and financial processing;
• keeping track of how much use is being made of each cloud service of a peer cloud service provider,
and by which users, and including assurance that the use is appropriate and within the business
plan;
• monitoring the integration of the cloud services of a peer cloud service provider with service
implementations to ensure that business goals are being met;
• coordinating identity and security credentials between the cloud service customer and all the peer
cloud service providers.
8.3.2.16 Perform peering, federation, intermediation, aggregation and arbitrage

The perform peering, federation, intermediation, aggregation and arbitrage activity involves the use of peer
cloud service provider's cloud services in particular ways:
• peering is the use of cloud services of a peer cloud service provider;

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