What defines the relationship between cloud service providers and users concerning data management?

The Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines the relationship between cloud service providers and users concerning data management by outlining the expectations, responsibilities, and quality of service provided. An SLA typically includes details about the availability, performance metrics, and support commitments regarding the services offered. It serves as a crucial legal document that specifies what users can expect in terms of data handling, uptime, response times, and remediation procedures in the event of a service failure or security incident.

While access control lists and data governance policies are important in managing data security and compliance, they are more focused on the regulation and management of data itself rather than the overarching relationship and accountability between a service provider and user. Compliance frameworks address regulatory obligations but do not detail service expectations like an SLA does. Therefore, the SLA is the most comprehensive document governing the service level standards and responsibilities, making it essential for understanding the dynamics of data management in a cloud service context.