Should Your SaaS Company Include the Availability TSC in Your SOC 2?

For SaaS companies, achieving SOC 2 compliance is a critical trust-building measure, often required to win and retain customers. While the Security Trust Service Criteria (TSC) is mandatory, companies have the option to include additional criteria such as Availability. But is it the right move for your organization? Here, we’ll explore the considerations, benefits, and challenges of including the Availability TSC in your SOC 2 report.

What is the Availability TSC?

The Availability TSC focuses on ensuring that your systems and services are operational and accessible as agreed in your contracts or service-level agreements (SLAs). It addresses aspects like system performance monitoring, disaster recovery, and incident management to provide assurance that your platform will meet uptime and reliability expectations.

Key Considerations for Including the Availability TSC

1. Customer Expectations

If your customers rely on your SaaS platform for critical operations, they’ll likely demand assurances around uptime and reliability. Including the Availability TSC in your SOC 2 report demonstrates your commitment to minimizing downtime and ensuring a consistent user experience.

2. SLAs and Commitments

If your business has contractual obligations or SLAs guaranteeing availability, the Availability TSC can help validate that your controls and processes align with these commitments. This can strengthen your credibility and reduce customer concerns.

3. Operational Maturity

Meeting the Availability TSC requirements requires robust infrastructure, monitoring tools, and incident management processes. Evaluate whether your organization has the resources and expertise to implement and maintain these capabilities.

4. Industry Standards

In certain industries, high availability is non-negotiable. If competitors in your space already include the Availability TSC, adding it to your SOC 2 report may be necessary to stay competitive. Conversely, being one of the first in your industry to adopt it could provide a market advantage.

Benefits of Including the Availability TSC

• Increased Customer Confidence: Demonstrates your commitment to uptime and reliability.
• Risk Mitigation: Helps identify and address potential availability issues proactively.
• Market Differentiation: Positions your SaaS offering as reliable and resilient in a competitive market.

Challenges to Anticipate

• Resource Investment: Implementing the controls and systems required to meet the Availability TSC can be resource-intensive.
• Audit Complexity: Adding the Availability TSC will expand the scope of your SOC 2 audit, increasing costs and preparation time.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Requires consistent monitoring and updates to ensure compliance over time.

Factors to Guide Your Decision

To decide whether to include the Availability TSC in your SOC 2, consider the following:

• The criticality of your platform to your customers’ operations
• Existing SLAs or uptime guarantees
• The competitive landscape and customer expectations
• Your ability to implement and sustain the necessary controls

Final Thoughts

Including the Availability TSC in your SOC 2 report can be a strategic move to build trust, meet customer demands, and differentiate your SaaS company. However, it requires careful consideration of your operational readiness and market needs. By weighing the benefits against the challenges, you can determine whether this additional investment aligns with your company’s goals and long-term success.

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