Vendor lock-in
From Wiki for Sustainable IT
Vendor lock-in is a situation in which changing supplier becomes so costly or complex that an organisation gives up on it, regardless of how satisfied it is.
Mechanisms
- proprietary formats that make exports unusable ;
- supplier-specific services embedded in the core of applications ;
- exit fees, often asymmetric with entry ;
- team skills concentrated on a single environment ;
- accumulated volume, which makes migration materially heavy.
Consequences
Loss of negotiating power, exposure to pricing and functional decisions made elsewhere, and vulnerability if the supplier fails or changes strategy.
Prevention
Open formats, tested reversibility, and an architecture that limits adhesion. These are decided before commitment, not after.
