You are here: silicon.com > Resources > White Papers > IT Management > User Satisfaction > SLA

SLA White Papers

The Problem With Service Level Agreements

Overview A good Service Level Agreement (SLA) should provide a sound basis for two parties to work together. If it is done well, everyone knows what to expect and there are well defined incentives for putting things right when a problem occurs. In practice, the SLA often causes more harm than it does good - it is not unknown for a supplier to ignore faults on a critical service in favour of less vital tasks, simply to minimise penalties. This paper explores some of the unwanted side effects of a poorly crafted SLA and explains how to design an effective one.

Further White Paper Details
Publisher	Intercai Mondiale	File Format	PDF
Date Published	December 2005	Downloads	5
Format	White Papers
Topics	SLA, Quality of Service, Service Level Management

Did you find this white paper useful?

Achieving a Cultural Revolution

Publisher:
ITILPeople.com

24*7 Data Center Support for a Manufacturing Company

Publisher:
Wipro

Trialware: Improving Customer Support and Help Desk Efficiencies with On-Demand Remote Support

Publisher:
NTRglobal

CGI Group Inc. Turns to BMC Application Problem Resolution to Improve Customer Satisfaction for Top Telecommunications Client

Publisher:
BMC Software

Tags:
service level management

Winn-Dixie Gets Groceries to Customers Faster by Enhancing Workload Automation and Systems Monitoring

Publisher:
CA (Computer Associates)

Tags:
groupware - workflow

What to look for in an outsourcing contract

Service level agreements (SLAs) referring to business goals rather than arbitrary technical metrics should be specified - but they should be enforced more by incentives and bonuses than penalties. Though penalties have their place, a contract that...

The Bloor Perspective: ID theft, infrastructure modelling, new breed of consultants

This is unique to every customer but the modelling can support everything from basic device monitoring through to full-scale SLA implementation. Web based reporting ensures corporate dashboards, SLA compliance or even shared consoles are easily...

Channel:
IT Director

Contracting an answer to outsourcing woes

Roger Rawlinson, head of consultancy at the NCC Group, agrees: "An exit strategy needs to be understood - asset transfer, performance bonds, SLA penalties etc all need to be firmly established at contract.

Leader: Why silicon.com is taking on ID cards

It's not a decision we have taken lightly but as an IT publication we have heard too many voices of concern from across the political parties, from respected academics and, most tellingly of all, from within the technology industry itself to...

Three golden rules of success for CIOs

Essentially the business must have internal support systems that conform to aggressive SLA standards. The use of cross-section focus groups, working parties and good outward flow of communication always assists in getting IT seen not as a fixer but...

Channel:
CIO Jury

Is outsourcing too risky?

And of course, any financial penalties will only be as effective as the outsourcer's ability to pay them, which means that the final part of the jigsaw is to have some form of insurance to cover these risks.

Live Webcast: Telecoms 2.0 - Where is telecoms heading?

In this webcast, our panel of experts will review where we are with next generation telecoms in the UK, working through the concept of 'Telecoms 2.0': - Realising the potential of Next Generation Networks - why it isn't just about the technology? - What attributes should firms be looking for in their telco partner? - Is the relationship between telco provider and customer changing? - What things need to happen to make next generation services a reality? - You say you want the supplier to change. Do you want to change too? - What is Telecoms 2.0?

Publisher:
ZDNet UK

Telecom 2.0: Mind over matter

ntl:Telewest Business believes that the role of the telco is evolving. Gone are the days when it was enough to simply focus on circuits and minutes, customers now need a far higher degree of interaction and look for suppliers who will talk business solutions with them.

Publisher:
ntl:Telewest Business

IBM Information Server Change Data Capture

In today's fast-paced world, access to real-time data has never been more important. To be successful, organizations need to be able to report and analyze corporate data quickly and easily, regardless of what applications created the data, what platform they're running on, or what database they're stored in.

Publisher:
IBM

An examination of server consolidation: the trends that can drive efficiencies and help businesses gain a competitive edge

This white paper provides a starting point for organizations contemplating server consolidation. It includes an overview of server consolidation concepts and techniques and provides guidance on methodologies. It also looks at the potential cost savings associated with server consolidation and offers information on how organizations can sustain the advantage they have gained by consolidating their servers.

Publisher:
IBM

Also on silicon.com

Site Navigation:

SLA White Papers

The Problem With Service Level Agreements

Quick Sitemap Links:

About Us

Search

Blogs

Verticals

Advertising Features

CNET Networks in Europe

CNET Networks in the United States

CNET Networks in Asia Pacific