IT Service Level Agreement: Definition & Sample

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An IT service level agreement (SLA) is a written contract between a business and its IT provider that sets expectations around the level of service the customer can expect. This can include terms dealing with uptime, customer service response time, scheduled maintenance, and more.

An IT service legal agreement also spells out what can happen if there's an issue with your IT system. These legal documents are critical to establishing a successful relationship and engagement with your IT service provider.

Common Sections in IT Service Level Agreements

Below is a list of common sections included in IT Service Level Agreements. These sections are linked to the below sample agreement for you to explore.

IT Service Level Agreement Sample

Client Service Level Agreement

Section 1: Definitions

This service level agreement (the “ Client SLA ”) shall be used to describe Client’s responsibilities with respect to service availability and resolving incidents. Any capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.

For purposes of this Client SLA, the following definitions shall be used:

“ Business Hours ” means 9:00:00AM UTC-3 to 17:00:00PM UTC-3 from Monday through Friday, without exception (including local, national, or international holidays).

“ VV Initial Response ” means a verbal, written, or electronic response to an Initial Notice, in each case non-automatic, from Client to Airfox regarding a reported or discovered Error that details its Severity Level and provides a general approach for next steps.

“ VV Final Resolution ” means a permanent fix to the Error to bring VV Services functionality back into a resolve state.

“ VV Services ” means the Client System, including the CDC and any other Client service that connects to or integrates with the VV API or the Airfox Mobile Wallet.

“ VV Temporary Resolution ” means a temporary fix or patch to the Error to bring VV Services functionality back to a resolved state until a Final Resolution is available.

Section 2: Service Availability

Client will provide Airfox with access to the VV Services seven (7) days per week, twenty-four

hours per day, excluding VV Scheduled Downtime.

Section 3: Scheduled Downtime

Client shall perform periodic maintenance on the VV Services for purposes of system upgrades, maintenance, and backup procedures. When commercially reasonable, Client will perform such maintenance without disrupting access to the VV Services. Where access needs to be disrupted (“ VV Scheduled Downtime ”), Client shall: (i) where possible, perform such maintenance during low usage periods; (ii) where possible, provide reasonable advance notice to Airfox of the VV Scheduled Downtime; (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to limit the amount of VV Scheduled Downtime. VV Scheduled Downtime shall not exceed four (4) hours per month.

Section 4: Client IT Support

Client will use commercially treasonable efforts to provide Airfox with:

all necessary resources to support the VV Services with respect to the VV API; and

e-mail support to assist in identifying and resolving errors with respect to the VV API.

Section 5: Incident Management

Airfox and Client acknowledge and agree that there may be defects in the VV Services or defects in features within the Airfox Mobile Wallet that directly impact the performance of the VV API and prevent it from performing as accepted (“each a VV Error ”). Errors may include operation and functionality defects, security defects, viruses and bugs. When Client initially detects, or when Airfox initially reports to Client, an Error, (“ VV Initial Notice ”) Client will promptly classify the Error in accordance with the severity levels set forth in Table A1 below (each a “ Severity Level ”). Client may modify the classification after the Initial Response if appropriate.

– Severity Level Guidelines

VV Severity Level

A critical problem in which the VV Services (i) are down, inoperable, inaccessible, or unavailable, (ii) otherwise materially cease operation, or

(iii) perform or fail to perform so as to prevent useful work from being done.

A problem in which the VV Services and the hosting environment (i) are severely limited or major functions are performing improperly, and the situation is significantly impacting certain portions of Users’ operations or productivity, or (ii) have been interrupted but recovered, and there is high risk of recurrence.

A minor or cosmetic problem with the VV Services that (i) is an irritant, affects non-essential functions, or has minimal operations impact, (ii) is localized or has isolated impact, (iii) is a nuisance, (iv) results in visual errors, or (v) is otherwise not Severity 1 or Severity 2, but represents a failure of VV Services to conform to specifications.

If Initial Notice occurs during Business Hours , Client will provide Airfox with VV Initial Responses, Temporary Resolutions, and Final Resolutions within the timeframes provided in Table B1 below.

Table B1 – Incident Response for Initial Notices within Business Hours

VV Severity Level

VV Initial Response

VV Temporary Resolution

VV Final Resolution

If Initial Notice occurs outside of Business Hours , Client will provide Airfox with Initial Responses, Temporary Resolutions, and Final Resolutions within the timeframes provided in Table B2 below.

Table B2 – Incident Response for Initial Notices outside of Business Hours

VV Severity Level

VV Initial Response

VV Temporary Resolution

VV Final Resolution

Reference:
Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database, EX-10.4 11 airfox_ex10z4.htm CLIENT SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT, Viewed September 23, 2021, View Source on SEC.

Who Helps With IT Service Level Agreements?

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Meet some of our IT Service Level Agreement Lawyers

Sara S.

Free Consultation Member Since:
July 14, 2023

Sara S.

Free Consultation Washington, D.C. 4 Yrs Experience Licensed in DC, MD American University Washington College of Law

With over ten years of intellectual property experience, I’m happy to work on your contractual matter. I am very diligent and enjoy meeting tight deadlines. Drafting memoranda, business transactional documents, termination notices, demand letters, licenses and letter agreements are all in my wheelhouse! Working in a variety of fields, from construction to pharmaceutical, I enjoy resolving any disputes that come across my desk.

Thomas G.

Free Consultation Member Since:
July 16, 2023

Thomas G.

Free Consultation Manhattan, KS 9 Yrs Experience Licensed in CA University of La Verne

After graduating law school in 2015, I practiced for a few years in LA, then becoming a contractor for large litigation projects. Now working from home in Kansas, I can offer LA service at Midwest prices.

Tanu C.

Corporate Counsel Free Consultation Member Since:
July 17, 2023

Tanu C.

Corporate Counsel Free Consultation Washington DC 9 Yrs Experience Licensed in NJ Thomas M Cooley Law School

Ms. Tanu Chaturvedi Esq. brings vast experience: experience as Corporate Counsel at a multi-million dollar international corporation, experience as a legal & business leader in the legal department at the world's leading mission capability integrator in the nation's capital that has been named a Top 100 Employer Forbes by state & Top 25 Defense Contractor in the world & named Top 7 in the Washington Technology Top 100 2022 & one of the largest defense contractors in the marketplace & has also been named as Top Managed Company by The Wallstreet Journal & included in the Inc. 500, experience as the sole Attorney at a national company that was recognized in 2017 as a top employer in the capital by "The Washington Post" & has also been listed on the Inc. 5000 more than once as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation, & in 2019, & named as a Finalist for the DC Moxie award: for businesses that demonstrate significant boldness & innovation in business strategy, experience working at one of the world's largest insurance brokerage firms, one of the largest law firms in the capital, a boutique start-up that specializes in investigations, security, & risk, the world’s largest professional service firm (largest of the “big 4” companies) in conjunction with the nation’s executive law enforcement agency, experience working at a corporation with global reach that was lead by a former cabinet member of the Clinton administration, experience working at a Fortune 500 in one of the world's largest insurance markets, at an internationally recognized boutique law firm, experience as the only female legal professional in the felony division of a criminal department in the nation's most dangerous jurisdiction as an undergrad, & experience working in the offices of public officials. She is also a graduate from two different internationally recognized institutions that have a record of turning out graduates with the skill to lead in their industries & distinguished law school graduate from an ABA accredited law school that received recognition for academic & leadership achievement. She is an invited contributor to legal blogs, and she enjoys advocating for increased literacy. Notably, she also supports advocacy for the performing arts as a former graduate of a magnet school for the performing arts. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to her with any questions, and she looks forward to hearing from your team.