Your SLA does not replace your warranty
This week’s musings on tech contracts… An article I read recently says, “Traditional warranties that cover product defects for a set time are giving way to SLAs [service level agreements], which focus on service availability and performance.” I’ve heard similar arguments elsewhere, in most cases citing the rise of software-as-a-service (SaaS) as the driver behind […]
SLA terms may be more negotiable than you think
Cloud services providers often say they can’t negotiate their SLAs. All customers get the same SLA, so customizing terms for one customer would require changing procedures used for everyone. That’s often true, but customers should test the limits of SLA flexibility. Not all SLA revisions require that the provider change its procedures. Terms addressing “legal” […]
Yes, You Can Negotiate SLA Legal Terms
IT providers often argue that they can’t negotiate service level agreements (SLAs). They’re right in most cases, but with important exceptions. SLAs govern procedures for fixing broken technology, as well as credits for downtime. The provider generally can’t modify the procedures and software it uses for that support — at least, not at reasonable cost. […]