Service level agreement
Description
A service level agreement (SLA) is a type of agreement between the operator and the user, represented by the sponsor and the user representative. The SLA specifies the services to be provided by the operator, defines their service level (quality of service), and formulates any measures and penalties for non-compliance. As a rule, the agreed services and their service levels are subject to a charge.
If operations are outsourced, SLAs can be an important factor in evaluating the potential operator.
Content
The content of an SLA is specified by the core organization. An external provider may already have a predefined SLA. The SLA may cover points including the following:
- Preamble with
- Subject matter
- Objectives
- Partners
- Scope
- Entry into effect, duration, cancellation
- Services
- Remuneration with
- Transfer prices
- Invoicing
- Payment modalities
- Reporting with
- Service level reports (standard reports)
- Other reports (as needed)
- Consequences of deviation from agreed service levels
- Rules for monitoring the SLAs (SLA audits)
- Rules for changing the SLAs
- Rules for resolving conflicts
- Data protection
- Liability and warranty
- Damages
- Applicable law
- Legal venue
- Arbitration
- Confidentiality, secrecy, and publication
- Partial invalidity of provisions
- Signatures
- Enclosures
Document template
Relationships
| Module | Task | Task responsibility | Outcome | Involved in creation of outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT operation | Design operating concept | Operations manager | Service level agreement | Operations manager, Project sponsor*, Project management*, User representative* |