Cloud-Based Software Development Lifecycle: A Simplified Algorithm for Cloud Service Provider Evaluation with Metric Analysis

Abstract

At present, hundreds of cloud vendors in the global market provide various services based on a customer's requirements. All cloud vendors are not the same in terms of the number of services, infrastructure availability, security strategies, cost per customer, and reputation in the market. Thus, software developers and organizations face a dilemma when choosing a suitable cloud vendor for their developmental activities. Thus, there is a need to evaluate various cloud service providers (CSPs) and platforms before choosing a suitable vendor. Already existing solutions are either based on simulation tools as per the requirements or evaluated concerning the quality of service attributes. However, they require more time to collect data, simulate and evaluate the vendor. The proposed work compares various CSPs in terms of major metrics, such as establishment, services, infrastructure, tools, pricing models, market share, etc., based on the comparison, parameter ranking, and weightage allocated. Furthermore, the parameters are categorized depending on the priority level. The weighted average is calculated for each CSP, after which the values are sorted in descending order. The experimental results show the unbiased selection of CSPs based on the chosen parameters. The proposed parameter-ranking priority level weightage (PRPLW) algorithm simplifies the selection of the best-suited cloud vendor in accordance with the requirements of software development.