Types of SLAs
SLA terms vary according to the type of agreement you have. According to the ASP Industry Consortium, there are at least four distinct types of SLAs.
1. Network SLAs cover the network connection between the customer and the ASP. The network service provider agrees upon a suitable service level for the delivery of IP services. Possible metrics include availability, network latency, or low packet loss.
2. Hosting SLAs cover the hosting services provided to the ASP. An ASP uses this type of agreement when hardware is hosted or co-located with a third party. Metrics vary, depending upon the type of service performance, service-order acknowledgment, and mean time to respond. As an ASP customer, you should also see this document to ensure that the ASP will be able to deliver as promised.
3. Application SLAs measure application performance. The ASP agrees to a certain level of responsibility, different classes of service, performance parameters, and a manner of calculating both the demanded performance levels and penalties that result if the ASP doesn't perform its services as planned.
4. Customer care/help desk SLAs refer to the point of contact for the customer with the ASP. These SLAs may specify how quickly a problem will be reported to the customers after it has been identified and how quickly an identified problem will be resolved.
