Those looking to IT outsource their services to a cloud provider should ensure their partner is open, an expert claims.

Hadrian James, the technology manager of Compuware, claims this quality is one those companies looking at IT outsourcing should be seeking out.

Suggesting businesses which offer a report once every month are inadequate, he says those looking at these facilities should seek out regular and comprehensive monitoring.

He identifies the importance of “that real time visibility to how well or badly the service is performing”, saying this will allow an accurate assessment of the quality of the IT outsourcing partner.

Mr James says openness allows businesses to treat their IT outsourced services as if they were its own, enabling them to examine problems and find solutions without relying on the provider to inform them of these.

A study by Compuware suggests many businesses approach their IT services as a black box which they are unable to monitor themselves.