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
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.
