Start with the data flow
Identify where inputs come from, where processing would happen and where outputs would be stored. Include the surrounding services and administrative access in the discussion.
Separate requirements from preferences
Clarify which location, access or operational requirements are mandatory and which are preferences. Ask the people responsible for your internal policies to help define those boundaries.
Consider the operating responsibilities
For any proposed environment, identify who would maintain it, manage access, monitor performance and respond to incidents. Bring these responsibilities into the comparison alongside capacity and cost.
Plan the connections
If a workflow spans local infrastructure and cloud services, describe the handoffs between them. Agree what information may move, who owns the integration and how exceptions will be handled.
Record what needs verification
Ask the selected providers to confirm the details relevant to your workload. Make the agreed configuration and responsibilities part of the project scope. A regional label on its own is not a complete description of a data flow.
