We present fundamental challenges for scalable and dependable service platforms and architectures that enable flexible and dynamic provisioning of cloud services. Our findings are incorporated in a toolkit targeting the cloud service and infrastructure providers. The innovations behind the toolkit are aimed at optimizing the whole service life cycle, including service construction, deployment, and operation, on a basis of aspects such as trust, risk, eco-efficiency and cost. Notably, adaptive self-preservation is crucial to meet predicted and unforeseen changes in resource requirements. By addressing the whole service life cycle, taking into account several cloud architectures, and by taking a holistic approach to sustainable service provisioning, the toolkit aims to provide a foundation for a reliable, sustainable, and trustful cloud computing industry.