Open Usage Agreement
Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework
1. Purpose and Scope
This Open Usage Agreement governs the use of the Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework (“Framework”) and establishes terms for open collaboration, contribution, and implementation across diverse organizational environments.
2. Open Usage Rights
2.1 Permitted Uses
You are granted the right to:
- Implement the Framework in any organizational environment
- Modify and adapt the Framework to meet specific requirements
- Distribute the Framework and modifications under the same open terms
- Use commercially without licensing fees or royalties
- Integrate with proprietary and third-party systems
- Create derivative works based on the Framework
2.2 Multi-Tenant Usage Rights
- Deploy the Framework across multiple tenant environments
- Customize governance policies per tenant requirements
- Implement tenant-specific compliance frameworks
- Scale across unlimited tenant populations
- Provide Framework-based services to external tenants
2.3 Multi-Cloud Usage Rights
- Deploy across any cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP, others)
- Implement hybrid and multi-cloud architectures
- Adapt to emerging cloud technologies and platforms
- Integrate with cloud-native and third-party services
3. Compliance and Responsibility
3.1 Implementation Responsibility
- Organizations implementing the Framework are responsible for:
- Ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- Adapting the Framework to meet specific regulatory requirements
- Maintaining security and privacy standards appropriate to their environment
- Conducting proper risk assessments and due diligence
3.2 Compliance Frameworks
The Framework supports but does not guarantee compliance with:
- GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations
- SOX, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and industry-specific standards
- ISO 27001, NIST, CIS Controls, and security frameworks
- Regional and national regulatory requirements
4. Contribution and Collaboration
4.1 Open Contribution Model
- All contributions must be made under the same open license terms
- Contributors retain copyright to their contributions
- Contributions become part of the collective Framework
- No contributor licensing agreements (CLAs) required
4.2 Contribution Guidelines
- Follow established coding and documentation standards
- Ensure contributions maintain multi-tenant and multi-cloud compatibility
- Include appropriate testing and validation
- Provide clear documentation for new features or modifications
5. Commercial Usage Terms
5.1 Commercial Implementation
- No restrictions on commercial use or implementation
- Organizations may charge for implementation services
- Consulting and professional services are permitted
- No royalties or licensing fees required
5.2 Service Provider Usage
- Managed service providers may offer Framework-based services
- Cloud service providers may integrate the Framework
- Software vendors may embed Framework components
- Attribution to the original Framework is appreciated but not required
6. Liability and Warranties
6.1 No Warranties
The Framework is provided “AS IS” without warranties of any kind, including:
- Fitness for a particular purpose
- Compliance with specific regulations
- Security or performance guarantees
- Compatibility with specific environments
6.2 Limitation of Liability
Contributors and maintainers shall not be liable for:
- Direct, indirect, or consequential damages
- Business interruption or data loss
- Compliance failures or regulatory violations
- Security breaches or system failures
7. Multi-Tenant Specific Terms
7.1 Tenant Isolation
- Implementers are responsible for ensuring proper tenant isolation
- The Framework provides guidance but does not guarantee isolation
- Security boundaries must be implemented according to specific requirements
- Data segregation and privacy controls are implementation responsibilities
7.2 Tenant Data Rights
- Tenant data ownership remains with respective tenants
- Framework implementation must respect tenant data sovereignty
- Cross-tenant data sharing requires explicit consent and controls
- Data portability and deletion rights must be supported
8. Multi-Cloud Specific Terms
- The Framework is designed to be cloud-agnostic
- Specific cloud implementations may require platform-specific adaptations
- Cloud vendor lock-in prevention is a Framework design principle
- Portability across cloud platforms should be maintained where possible
8.2 Cloud Service Integration
- Integration with cloud-native services is permitted and encouraged
- Third-party cloud service dependencies should be documented
- Vendor-specific implementations should maintain Framework compatibility
- Cloud service changes may require Framework updates
9. Governance and Updates
9.1 Framework Evolution
- The Framework will evolve based on community input and industry changes
- Major version changes will be clearly documented and communicated
- Backward compatibility will be maintained where possible
- Migration guidance will be provided for breaking changes
- Framework development follows open source governance principles
- Community input is welcomed and encouraged
- Decision-making processes are transparent and documented
- Conflicts are resolved through established community processes
10. Termination and Survival
10.1 Agreement Termination
- This agreement remains in effect until terminated
- Termination does not affect previously granted rights
- Obligations regarding attribution and open licensing survive termination
- Derivative works remain subject to original license terms
10.2 Survival Clauses
The following provisions survive termination:
- License grants for distributed copies
- Limitation of liability and warranty disclaimers
- Attribution requirements
- Open source licensing obligations
- Community support is available through established channels
- Documentation and examples are provided on a best-effort basis
- Professional support may be available through third-party providers
- Bug reports and feature requests are welcomed
- Project repository: [Repository URL]
- Community discussions: [Community Platform]
- Security issues: [Security Contact]
- General inquiries: [General Contact]
Effective Date: January 2024
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: January 2024
This Open Usage Agreement is designed to promote widespread adoption and collaboration while ensuring the Framework remains open and accessible to all users. By using, modifying, or distributing the Framework, you agree to these terms and contribute to the open governance community.