Bill Martorelli, another analyst at Forrester, says users should also be sure to include change-of-ownership provisions in all contracts with MSPs. Over the past few years, Martorelli notes, there has been an ongoing consolidation in the MSP market. "If a new owner takes the acquired MSP in a different direction, the user wants to be able to get out of the contract," he says.

Even more important to consider is a replacement strategy, says CareerCurrency's Bean. "Exit strategies are an important consideration, but it may be time to also reconsider IT's inherent reluctance to outsourcing," he says. "The proper question relating to an exit strategy is not how do we get out of something but how do I replicate the underlying process somewhere else. It's about protecting the investment."