Pau Lo
asked on
SLA's for Windows Servers/Guests
Can I ask a few basics on service level agreements when it comes to windows servers, may be geared towards more client side management or contracts management type posters, or on the flip side management on the service providers:
1) What kind of SLA’s above and beyond “up time/availability” are typically included when creating a new IT contract with a 3rd party service provider.
2) And how can an auditor check for compliance with the agreed SLA’s, i.e. say the SLA says xyz windows file server needs to be up 95% of the time, how can you check it was? Are there tools in windows server, or is it usually a 3rd party auditing suite that will give accurate up/down times?
3) In windows based networks aside from application specific servers, which servers typically need a higher “up time” than others?
4) How does a company compute the SLA’s for a server, i.e. why do they not just ask for 100% up time for every server in the domain? Why give flexibility and scope for down time, does more up time = more cost? If not why not just ask for the best for each server?
5) Can you get a server 100% “up time”, or what kind of issues/actions require “down time”, can you give me some examples or what takes a server down for a period of time?
1) What kind of SLA’s above and beyond “up time/availability” are typically included when creating a new IT contract with a 3rd party service provider.
2) And how can an auditor check for compliance with the agreed SLA’s, i.e. say the SLA says xyz windows file server needs to be up 95% of the time, how can you check it was? Are there tools in windows server, or is it usually a 3rd party auditing suite that will give accurate up/down times?
3) In windows based networks aside from application specific servers, which servers typically need a higher “up time” than others?
4) How does a company compute the SLA’s for a server, i.e. why do they not just ask for 100% up time for every server in the domain? Why give flexibility and scope for down time, does more up time = more cost? If not why not just ask for the best for each server?
5) Can you get a server 100% “up time”, or what kind of issues/actions require “down time”, can you give me some examples or what takes a server down for a period of time?
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ASKER
Thank you. Can you help with "And do you have SLA's per server typically in a contract, i.e. would the high importance servers stand out a mile to a non techie? Or is it not really a per server SLA document. "
Also - can you give some idea of tasks that fall into "maintenance"....
Also - can you give some idea of tasks that fall into "maintenance"....
ASKER
Also, "- Request Response Time - Request Resolution Time - Support hours availability - Escalation process - Maintenance Window day and downtime."
Does performance fall into any of these? When you mention requests respose/resolution could you provide a few examples of "requests" just to aid my understanding.
Does performance fall into any of these? When you mention requests respose/resolution could you provide a few examples of "requests" just to aid my understanding.
Well I have not been involved into contracts so I wouldn't be able to tell you about SLA's per server or as a whole. But I believe that you can detail in the contract specific service agreement for specific servers.
Performance would be the measure of how stable and well is the server doing its intended functions. What I meant with requests is the tickets created by the client, when they face incidents or issues deviating from normal operation, and submitted to the service provider for their support team to troubleshoot and resolve. For example, let's say the email server hosted by the service provider is no longer sending emails. You as a client will create a request/ticket to the vendor to resolve the issue. The contract specifies the response time for this ticket - for example within 30 min from logging the request. It will include also the resolution time - for example max. 4 hours. You can also include penalty agreements in this contract for violating any of these timings for example.
Maintenance activities will include: patching, updating services/service packs/drivers, upgrading apps, restarting servers to free cache and memory etc...
For what it's worth SLA is the term used for agreements between entities of the same organization. Agreements with service providers or vendors are usually called Underpinning Contracts.
Performance would be the measure of how stable and well is the server doing its intended functions. What I meant with requests is the tickets created by the client, when they face incidents or issues deviating from normal operation, and submitted to the service provider for their support team to troubleshoot and resolve. For example, let's say the email server hosted by the service provider is no longer sending emails. You as a client will create a request/ticket to the vendor to resolve the issue. The contract specifies the response time for this ticket - for example within 30 min from logging the request. It will include also the resolution time - for example max. 4 hours. You can also include penalty agreements in this contract for violating any of these timings for example.
Maintenance activities will include: patching, updating services/service packs/drivers, upgrading apps, restarting servers to free cache and memory etc...
For what it's worth SLA is the term used for agreements between entities of the same organization. Agreements with service providers or vendors are usually called Underpinning Contracts.
ASKER
FAO - npsingh123 - what does the "P" represent in P1, P2 etc. What formula do you use to identify which servers fall into which category. Can you provide an example of the types of server in the P2 category.
All - Can SLA's be different per server. I.e. if you have an issue with a P1 system, may the SLA resolution time be faster than say for a desktop PC, or a P3 server?
What "document" will usually have a copy of the SLA's? And in what format will they be shown?
All - Can SLA's be different per server. I.e. if you have an issue with a P1 system, may the SLA resolution time be faster than say for a desktop PC, or a P3 server?
What "document" will usually have a copy of the SLA's? And in what format will they be shown?
ASKER
And do you "P" every asset in your infrastructure, or just "servers" ?
ASKER
And what is your P list referred to as, so I can ask for similar here....
SLA would be part/section of the contract or In a document called the service catalogue.
For more on SLAs and what to include in it see this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service-level_agreement
For more on SLAs and what to include in it see this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service-level_agreement
ASKER