Selecting the best Marketplace apps and integrations for your unique business needs is crucial to enhancing your Atlassian Cloud environment. With hundreds of apps available, it can be difficult to know which options will work best for you. Here are our suggestions for choosing the Atlassian Marketplace apps that will improve your organization’s productivity, security, and overall success.
Conduct an In-Depth Vendor and App Evaluation
The first step individuals should take before choosing an Atlassian Marketplace App is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the app and its vendor. The following should be considered:
Verify Vendor Credibility
Users should first start by researching the app vendor. Ask questions like, is it legitimate or reputable? Perhaps it is a well-established company or part of a larger corporation. Explore their history in the Marketplace and see how long they have been in business. Asking these questions provides insight into the reliability and likelihood of long-term support from the vendor.
SOC Certification
After researching basic information about the vendor, users should determine if the vendor is SOC-certified. This certification ensures the vendor makes security a top priority, therefore indicating the apps they sell will keep your information secure. The reason that this is important is the fact that many cloud apps have moved from keeping the app data “right next to your data” in an on-premise instance have now moved to the cloud, where they have had to look at different architecture. Many marketplace apps keep your data in their cloud storage, not in your instance. Thus, those vendors being certified for their security controls and procedures is important.
Data Handling
Even if the vendor is SOC-certified, it is best practice to assess if the apps they sell can handle sensitive data. Data protection measures such as encryption and compliance with data privacy regulations should be in place.
Location
Investigating where the vendor is located can help prevent risks to your supply chain. Factors such as natural disasters can disrupt services and impact your operations.
Reviews
Feedback and reviews from the community can offer insight into the app’s performance and reliability. See if there are any negative comments about the vendor that may cause reputational and brand damage by associating with them. Additionally, any negative reviews that indicate risks or issues with the app’s functionality should be considered. Furthermore, users can see how popular the app is based on the number of downloads it has and the user satisfaction ratings. These should all be taken into consideration.
App’s Operational Importance
Users should evaluate if the app’s function is essential to their company’s operations. If so, they can then ensure it is reliable, secure, and sold from a credible vendor.
Data Storage and Backup Procedures
Understanding where the app stores its data is important to recovering it. Users should know the vendor’s backup and disaster recovery procedures before downloading the app. This is to ensure no data gets lost in the event of a system failure or other disaster.
Role-Based Access
To ensure extra security, users should explore if the app supports role-based access. This model ensures the only people who can execute specific actions within the app are authorized personnel, determined by an administrator.
Network Requirements
Does the app require access to your IT network or technical infrastructure? If so, thoroughly assess the security implications of granting access to this.
Audit Trail Availability
If this app handles critical data and activities, it’s important to have an audit trail. Verify that the app provides a detailed record of actions taken. This record can be crucial for troubleshooting, compliance, and security audits.
Atlassian’s Marketplace App Trust Program
Once you have conducted a thorough evaluation of the app and vendor, the next step is to check the Atlassian Marketplace App Trust program. If an app earns a Cloud Fortified badge, Atlassian has deemed it trustworthy. This badge signifies that the app has met Atlassian’s highest standards for security, reliability, and support in cloud environments. Cloud Fortified apps undergo additional testing to ensure they can handle the demands of enterprise environments. You can view the qualifications for being Cloud Fortified here.
Managing Marketplace Apps and Integrations
Once users select a secure, reliable app that is sure to benefit their business, they must manage it. The best way to successfully manage Atlassian products is to establish an Atlassian Governance Model. This model ensures all tools, apps, and integrations are used effectively to achieve organizational goals. It promotes scalability, enabling growth, and transparent control, enabling knowledge. Implementing a governance model allows your business to eliminate risks and maintain all compliance needs. It is the key to management success in an Atlassian environment.
Ready to Choose Marketplace Apps for your Atlassian Cloud Environment?
Now that you understand the best practices for selecting and managing an Atlassian Marketplace app, you can be confident choosing the right one. Following these guidelines will ensure your app is effective and aligns with your organization’s needs. To learn more about Atlassian Marketplace apps, add-ons, and integrations, talk to one of our experts today.
