What should an IS auditor expect to be defined in an outsourcing contract for IT facilities?

In an outsourcing contract for IT facilities, one critical component that should be defined is the ownership of intellectual property. This aspect is essential because during the course of outsourcing, the service provider may create or use various intellectual properties, including software, processes, and proprietary technologies that could belong to either party. Clear definitions regarding the ownership rights are crucial to avoid potential legal disputes in the future.

Specifying who retains ownership of intellectual property helps both the organization and the service provider understand their rights and responsibilities, which is particularly important when it comes to customizing solutions or proprietary developments within the outsourced IT infrastructure. This provision protects the interests of the organization outsourcing services and ensures that they have the necessary rights to utilize any developed technology post-contract.

Other considerations like hardware configuration, access control software, and application development methodology are indeed important elements in an IT outsourcing agreement, but they do not carry the same level of significance regarding legal and ownership implications as intellectual property rights do. These areas often relate more to operational specifics rather than fundamental ownership issues, which can have long-term effects on both parties involved.