Define SLA If you enrolled in ITIL training, you
do not need to ask what a Service Level Agreement (SLA) is. However, if you
have not yet completed an ITIL online course, we will help you. A service level
agreement (SLA) is a contract between an IT service provider and a customer.
Service Level Agreement Example, you are a customer of a bank, and the
bank provides services. A service level agreement between you and the bank
describes the services provided and the service levels at which they will be
provided. For example, the bank will allow you to withdraw money from an ATM
and the transaction will not take more than 10 seconds. This is an example of a
service level agreement and is part of the service level management.
What is an SLA -
There are three types of
service level agreements that can be documented. Before defining ITIL service
level requirements and agreeing service levels through the SLA, the most
appropriate SLA structure must be designed. Depending on the services that will
be provided to a client or a company, an SLA structure adapted to this
objective is designed. Service Agreement Sample is typically signed during the ITIL service design phase of the ITIL
life cycle.
Service Level SLA –
The first type of service level agreement structure
is the service-based SLA. A service-based SLA covers service for all customers.
Keep in mind that the IT service provider offers a customer request service to
many customers. In a service level agreement based on the service, the service
level of the customer request service will be the same for all customers using
that service. For example, if the finance department and the human resources
department are two clients that will use this service, the same SLA Template
will be valid between the IT service provider and these two departments because
it is a service-based SLA.
For example, if the finance department and the human
resources department are two clients that will use this service, the same SLA
will be valid between the IT service provider and these two departments because
it is a service-based SLA.
Customer-based
SLA –
The second type of service level
agreement structure is client-based SLA. A client-based SLA Agreement is a contract with a client, which covers all of
the services used by that client. Consider the relationship between you and
your telecom operator. It uses voice, SMS, data services, and various other
services of the telecommunications operator. For all these services, you have
only one contract between you and the telecommunications operator. Likewise, if
the IT service provider provides multiple services to the business and
customers, and if all levels of service are documented in a service level
agreement for the services provided, this will be a client-based SLA.
Multilevel
SLA –
The third and last type of
service level agreement is the multilevel SLA. In the multilevel SLA, aspects
of the SLA are defined according to the client's organization, using a type of
inheritance with global definitions relevant to all secondary levels. This SLA
focuses on customer organization. All services and their relationships with ancillary
services are used when defining the structure of the multilevel service level
agreement.
Maintaining service level
contracts is part of Service Level Management. Whenever a service change or
the service level objective of a service change, the service level agreement
should be reviewed and reviewed. The new service level agreement should reflect
changes in service objectives or service levels. Therefore, managing service
level agreements are an integral part of the continuous improvement of ITIL
services.
Why
It Is Important To Have An SLA –
Without a service level
agreement, it is difficult to know what will happen if one of the parties does
not fulfill its share of the contract. For example, consider that the goal of a
telecommunications provider's service level is to answer all technical support
calls in 5 seconds and the calls are responded to in just 5 minutes. They can
easily say that they never promised to answer calls in 5 seconds if there is no
service level agreement. Having an SLA allows transparency about what the
service level objectives are and what happens if the fundamental goals are not
met. With a service level agreement, both parties are protected.
The
main components of an SLA –
A service level agreement
indicates what both parties wish to achieve with their contract, as well as a
general description of each party's responsibilities, including expected
results and performance measures. A service level agreement generally has a
period of the duration specified in the contract. All the services included in
the contract are described and may also contain details of the procedures for
monitoring the performance of the services, as well as the methods for solving
problems.
How
to set metrics in an SLA –
