Expert knowledge for digital decisions
What happens if the service provider goes offline?
Short answer
The Three Things That Decide
1. Do you have access to the code?
Repository access with read rights from the beginning. Without it, every takeover starts with a search.
2. Do the access credentials belong to you?
Domain, hosting account, certificates, service accounts – registered under your company. Otherwise, you won't be able to access your own system.
3. Is there operational documentation?
How is it delivered, what dependencies exist, what does a backup look like. Without it, a new service provider must reverse-engineer the system.
What Helps Additonally
- Regular data exports readable without the application
- Common technologies – any qualified service provider can take over
- More than one person knows the system on both sides
- Source code storage for larger projects
How to Check Today
A simple test: Could another service provider set up and further develop the system with what you currently have in hand?
If you cannot answer this question with yes, something is missing – and this is independent of how well the collaboration is currently going.
Frankly Speaking
Asking these questions is not a lack of trust but a sign of care. A service provider who perceives them as an attack already answers them with that.
Key facts
- Three Prerequisites
- Code access, own access credentials, operational documentation
- Self-Test
- Could someone else take over with what you have now?
Sources
All external claims are backed by traceable sources.- 01