Vendor Lock-In Considerations

Summary

Using a provider's proprietary, deeply integrated services (versus more portable, open alternatives) trades convenience and capability for reduced flexibility to switch providers later — a conscious decision, not an accident.

• 1Identify a proprietary cloud service you've used and its more portable open-source equivalent.
• 2Learn why lock-in isn't inherently bad — it's a trade-off against genuine convenience and capability.
• 3Practice weighing lock-in risk against the productivity gain of a managed, proprietary service.