Avoiding Vendor Cloud Lock-In

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cloud-lock

Cloud lock-in’ is a familiar phrase; but what does it mean? We explore the various outcomes which can lead you to become ‘locked-in’, and how you can avoid it.


ERP vendors are forging ahead to a Cloud-based future, none more so than SAP and Oracle who are both using every tactic at their disposal to push their customers onto their Cloud products.

However, many organizations have been reluctant to move their entire ERP suite onto the Cloud, over concerns like cost, suitability, and complexities in migration. But one factor that many don’t consider is ‘Cloud lock-in’.

In this blog post, we’ll analyze what Cloud lock-in actually is, what can cause it, its effects, and ways of overcoming it.

What is Cloud lock-in?

First, be aware of the difference between Cloud as a platform for your ERP system (e.g. hosting a traditionally on-premise product on an AWS Cloud), and using a vendor’s Cloud-based SaaS product like S/4HANA:

  1. With Cloud as a platform, you are merely using someone else’s hardware to run your software in the Cloud – this potentially provides additional flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
  2. Cloud based SaaS products allow you to use a vendor’s software that is hosted within the vendor’s own Cloud.

It is the second version that we will be talking about in this blog, as it is controlled by the vendor and where you as a customer can experience Cloud lock-in.

‘Cloud lock-in’ = dependency

Customers using vendor’s SaaS Cloud products are dependent on them for their products and services, plus their support and maintenance. Customers rely on them to provide the applications they need, receive any necessary updates and patches, and use their Cloud database to host their data. The crucial lifeblood of their organisation, in the hands of the provider.

So far, this might not sound hugely different to an on-premise ERP – your data might be on your databases, but you expect your vendor to provide the service/support/security you need.

But the key difference, between on-premise and SaaS Cloud, is that word ‘dependency’. On-premise customers don’t have this problem; if they want to approach a new vendor – say they don’t like the look of an upcoming upgrade and want to avoid it – then they have the freedom and the choice to do that.

Cloud customers, “locked-in” to their vendor’s SaaS product, don’t have the same freedom.

What causes Cloud lock-in?

We believe there are three key areas where customers of Cloud-based SaaS ERP products can become locked into their vendors:

  1. Data lock-in: When moving to a vendor Cloud product, you are likely going to have to reformat your data to fit their requirement, so that data is likely to only work on their system going forwards. To make matters worse, there is also very minimal advice on how you can export data back out again if you need to, meaning you and your data are trapped.
  2. Cost lock-in: A SaaS Cloud contract is a costly, long-term agreement with the vendor, with no access to third-party providers of services like support. This is a whole reimplementation of your systems, so whatever you choose, it’s a big investment you are stuck with.
  3. Process lock-in: Unlike a traditional ERP system that you can customise to fit your organization’s needs and workflows, with a SaaS Cloud product you have to follow the same processes that the vendor dictates; working in the way that Oracle/SAP likes to do it, not necessarily the way you like to do it.

What are the effects of Cloud lock-in?

  • You have limited ways of working: On SAP or Oracle’s SaaS products, you’re limited to their user functionality and setup, with very minimal scope for customizations. This links to process lock-in as you can only work the way their products allow you to. This means you will likely need to change your organisation’s processes and workflows before moving across.
  • You’re on the vendor’s timetable: Security, patching, upgrades; all these things will be implemented at the vendor’s discretion, not your own. This means that you have to wait for security patches and cannot choose when a potentially system breaking upgrade occurs. There’s also the risk of end-of-support deadlines. For example, SAP have agreed to continue supporting S/4HANA up until 2040, but what happens to you once that date has passed?
  • You have no negotiation power: Once you’re locked into Oracle/SAP, they know how difficult it is to escape. Expect regular and non-negotiable price rises as the norm.

Can you avoid Cloud lock-in?

You have two choices, move to a vendor Cloud (in which case there are a few tactics to defend yourself) or don’t move to a vendor Cloud:

Option 1: Move to the Cloud, but fight back

If your organization is planning on moving to a vendor’s Cloud-based SaaS ERP product, don’t despair about lock-in, fight back! We advise the following three tactics to keep as much control as possible:

  1. Consider multi/hybrid-Cloud from the start: Before transitioning over to a SaaS Cloud, see what other vendors are offering, and whether their products would suit your needs in addition to your main vendor. Then, you can include these in negotiations with your vendor before the migration; rather than paying extraordinary fees for multi-Cloud after the migration. Also, remember you do not have to follow an all-or-nothing approach, combining different systems on different Clouds and vendors is likely to be in your best interests.
  2. Have a way out, before you even head in: Just in case something goes wrong. In your implementation strategy, factor in an exit plan, and the potential costs in doing so.
  3. Keep your data backed up however you can: Any and all data which is also held by the Cloud provider should be regularly backed up, stored in your own systems, and in an easily usable format – something which can be imported to another system, in case of emergency.

Option 2: Stay on your current systems

Avoid moving onto a Cloud-based SaaS product altogether.

It might not seem like a possible option, but it most certainly is. You can walk away from any Cloud discussions and sales tactics, by switching to a third-party support provider – like Support Revolution.

Third-party support lets you keep your ERP systems as they are now, versions and customisations intact. No upgrades or Cloud reimplementation necessary – you maintain the software that is functioning and familiar to you.

Whichever you choose, don’t overpay for your ERP support

Before we conclude, we will say: if you and/or your organization believe moving to the Cloud is your best option, then keep to that. You should do what is best for your organisation, and it might just be that SAP’s S/4HANA or Oracle’s SaaS Cloud products have precisely what you need. The dependency, or the ‘lock-in’ element, might not be a problem.

However, even if you are planning to move to a SaaS Cloud product, you should consider switching the support of your current systems over to us for the duration of your transition to the Cloud.

Before you transition across, you’re going to be stuck on SAP or Oracle’s support model, paying their costly fees. We’ll help reduce costs in the interim until you’re moved over – saving you 50% on your support costs; as a minimum. (Existing customers of ours have saved close to 95%.) Then the money you’ve saved with us could be put towards the upgrade.

Alternatively, if your organization wants to maintain its systems as they are now, we can support your decision as well. Ultimately you should act in your organization’s best interests, but whichever option you choose, we’ll help ensure you’re not overpaying for your ERP support.

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