There are two types of Service Level Agreements (SLAs):
- External: A legally binding contract with a third-party service provider. For example, ISPs, application outsourcers, etc.
- Internal: An agreement between end users and internal support staff. For example, network availability, e-mail restores, etc.
Although an internal SLA is not legally binding, it requires the same level of measurability as an external SLA to be an effective communication and management tool. An internal SLA clearly sets out the IT support staff's specified levels of service to end-user requests. To find out how to start building an internal SLA, refer to the Info-Tech Advisor research note, "Mitigate Miscommunication with an Internal SLA."
Performance Measures
An essential step in the development of SLAs is identifying the results that should and can be measured. These measures vary greatly depending on the service. Some standard measurements include:
- Availability. The hours of the day the service will be in operation and supported, as well as overall system uptime statistics.
- Reliability. The likelihood that systems will be available...
