service level agreement (SLA)

SLA

« Back to Glossary Index

service level agreement (SLA)What is an SLA (service level agreement)?

An SLA – or service level agreement – is a document that It may define, for example, the services that will be provided, the service-provider responsibilities, customer responsibilities and an objectives statement. It may also define the performance metrics, such as response time, resolution time, etc.

An SLA will also include how risk management and how disaster recovery will be handled, as well as penalties for failing to meet expectations of the agreement.

In technology, SLAs are often used for IT service providers and managed service providers. Cloud computing and internet service providers also have SLAs with customers.