What is an SLA?Who provides the SLA?

 

 

What is an SLA?

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines the service level that a customer expects from a supplier, defines the criteria by which this service is assessed, and whether a repair or a penalty will be received if the agreed service levels are therefore not reached. Service level agreements are usually made between companies and external providers, but can also be made between two departments within an organization.

Why do I need an SLA?

SLAs are an integral part of an IT vendor contract. An SLA pulls together information on all of the contracted services and their agreed-upon expected reliability into a single document. They clearly state metrics, responsibilities and expectations so that, in the event of issues with the service, neither party can plead ignorance. It ensures both sides have the same understanding of requirements.

The SLA is part of the IT Reseller Agreement. The SLA summarizes all the information of the contracted service and the expected reliability in a single document. They clearly indicate the parameters, responsibilities and expectations so that if there is a problem with the service, both parties cannot claim ignorance. To ensure that both parties understand the same need for the requirements

Who provides the SLA?

Most carriers have a standard SLA, sometimes multi-level, which reflects different levels of service at different prices, which can be a good starting point for negotiations. Clients and legal advisors should review and resolve them, as they are usually focused on the supplier.

When submitting, the customer should include the expected service levels as part of the request. This affects supplier offers and prices and may even affect the supplier's decision to do so. For example, if you need 99.99% system uptime, and the vendor cannot meet that requirement with the design you choose, they may come up with a different and more reliable solution.

3 Types of Service Level Agreements

Customer-based SLA

Such an agreement applies to each customer and includes all related services required by customers, but may also apply to a single agreement. Contains information about the types and quality of approved services. Communication services, for example, include voice calls, messaging and Internet services, but they are all contractual.

Service-based SLA

 This service level agreement is an agreement that includes the same service for all customers. Because the service is limited to the standard, it is easier and more convenient for vendors. For example, the use of a service-based agreement in an IT support link means that the service is valid for all end-users who have registered for SLA-based services.

Multilevel SLA

This agreement is arranged according to the needs of the end user and the company. In this way, the user can integrate multiple conditions into the same system to create the appropriate service. Its contracts operate at the following levels:

Corporate level:

This SLA does not require frequent updates as issues usually do not change. This includes a full discussion of all relevant aspects of the agreement and applies to all customers of the end user organization.

Customer level:

This contract addresses all service issues affecting a specific group of customers. However, it does not consider the type of service for the user.

An example of this is when an organization seeks additional security in one of its divisions. In this case, one company is run by a single security agency, but one of its business customers must be trustworthy for some reason.

Service level:

This Agreement covers all aspects of specific services in relation to the customer group. This Agreement covers all aspects of specific services in relation to the customer group.