Cloud Services at McGill

Requesters and portfolio managers work together to complete the Data Trustee Approval Request Form:

Data Trustee Approval Request Form

The Data Trustee Approval Request Form captures information about:

• The purpose/intended use of the solution
• What data is collected and from whom in relation to purpose
• Information about the user population

For more information about the role of the data trustee see:

Role of Data Trustee in Cloud Acquisition Process

Data trustee criteria checklist

Data trustees assess the information provided in the Data Trustee Approval Request Form submitted by the Requester/Portfolio Manager to work toward initial concept approval.

This checklist provides data trustees with a guide to the assessment of the request:

  Data Trustee Criteria Checklist

This is a summary of the roles and responsibilities as reflected in the Cloud Acquisition Process detailed process.

  Cloud Acquisition Process Roles and Responsibilities

1. What types of data will you be working with, and what do you want to do with them? 
Note that only certain types of data are eligible for use with cloud solutions, depending on their level of sensitivity and the protection offered by the vendor.

Cloud services that store, process or transmit data that are normally protected and/or regulated require special consideration, as required by Quebec and/or Canadian law, regulation or industry standard.

2. Is your proposed solution really a cloud service?
Validate that the solution you are considering is in fact a cloud service.
On-premise solutions are not subject to the same considerations.

Refer to Cloud services: Definition in Cloud services 101 on the Cloud Service Directive & Guidance page on the ITS website to find out more.

3. Does McGill already have a similar solution that meets your requirements?
IT Services can identify validated existing solutions in use at McGill. 

4. Have you researched multiple alternatives that can meet your needs?
Plan to have more than one option in case the vendor cannot comply with the regulatory obligations that the Institution must abide by. The three assessments (Privacy, IT Risk, and Contract) will identify any compliance gaps. 

5. Have you clearly defined your requirements?
Requirements need to be complete, clear, correct and consistent. To be able to identify your requirements, you need to understand how you are working today and identify how you wish to work in the future with the new solution. 

6. Most cloud services cannot be customized, so can you work within these constraints?
If your processes cannot be adjusted accordingly, we encourage you to look for alternatives. 

7. If it is necessary to leave the vendor in the future, (given your evolving needs, market changes, compliance requirements, etc.) do you understand what happens to your data after termination of the contract?
Formulate an exit strategy which will allow you to migrate your data to another service provider without losing functionality. 

8. Are you aware of the funding model for the acquisition of cloud services?
Cloud services at McGill are considered an operational expense, while other types of software are mostly classified as capital expenses.
The requester is responsible for the recurring subscription costs for the use of the cloud service. 

9. How soon do you want to start using the cloud service?
Negotiations and obtaining complete information from the vendor can result in delays of 3 months or more.
All free and paid cloud services (except those that solely involve public data) must first undergo an assessment process - see the documents Cloud 101 and Process for evaluating the acquisition and use of a Cloud Service for details.

Be aware that a cloud service may be approved or rejected as a result of the vendor assessment.Ensure that the evaluation period and possible outcomes are taken into account when planning a cloud solution.

10. Do you have the resources and expertise to support the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the cloud service and vendor? 
It is the business’ responsibility to ensure that their unit can support the ongoing maintenance and monitoring. It is strongly recommended to dedicate the right expertise and resources to these activities.

11. Cloud services do not need to undergo the assessment process upon renewal, unless one of the following factors is present: 

• Client raises issues with service
• Vendor changes processes, systems, or « flow of data »
• Any breach of contract related to security, performance or privacy compliance
• Scope change by client (which includes further or different access to protected info)
• Significant changes to laws, regulations and industry standards that would necessitate an amendment

The terms below provide you definitions and examples of common terms and acronyms used in the context of cloud services.

No. The Cloud Directive is aimed at protecting McGill institutional data, including personal data of others under McGill's custodianship. You should, however, learn about the risks associated with data in the cloud to keep your own personal data safe online.

Research data is subject to the Cloud Directive. You must follow the Cloud Service Acquisition Process when acquiring cloud services for research data.