Service Level Agreement

Rashid Mijumbi Laia Nadal Reixats

Communications Network Management

SLA definition• A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an element of a

formal, negociated, commercial contract between two parties. Ex) Service provider-Customer. – It documents responsabilities and roles of both parties

from service ordering to service termination.• Who are interested in SLA?– Service Providers, Solution Providers, Vendors, Others.

• Definitions– Actors, Services, Service Level Agreement,

Measurements.

SLA management in eTOM context

Actors

• Service Provider (SP): A general reference to an entity that provides

telecommunication services to customers and other users.

• Customer: Is an organization which has a business relationship

with a Service Provider for the provision of network services.

Both customer and SP may be in a value chain of service delivery.

Actors: Main SLA-related entities

Service definition

• eTOM (enhanced Telecom Operating Model), a TM Forum Group defines Service as:

“Services are developed by a Service Provider for sale within Products. The same service may be included in multiple products, packaged differently, with different pricing, etc.”

Service overview

Service Level Agreement

• Metric: A metric is a commonly identified and mesureable concept. It can characterize a Service or a Product.

• KPIs: Are technical metrics when applied to networking.

• KQIs: A metric that captures the overall performance of a Service or Product. Typically expressed as a percentage of customers or resources.

Service Level Agreement

Measurements

• Estimator: A value obtained by a certain method, and expected to be close to the real value. • Measurement Point: Physical

and logical demarcation point where an estimator method can be applied. • SLM: Service Level

Measurement• SLS: Service Level Specification

Service Level Measurement

SLA Life Cycle Process

• SLA activation / Execution phase: Once the Service starts being delivered, the SLA support infrastructure is activated. • SLA modification phase: SLA is

modified during its lifetime.• SLA termination phase: If the

contract is finished the SLA doesn’t apply any more.

SLA Specification process

• Step 1: Initial SLA draft • Step2: Verify SLA completeness. Ensure that SLA is complete in terms of SLS parameters.• Step 3: Verify SLA feasibility.A validation of the chosen metrics.• Step 4: Document and review• Step 5: Finalize

• Process flows represent the way that the business activities can work together to satisfy a particular need.

• Process flows can be built using the eTOM process elements in order to address business needs identified in each case.

• SLA Process Interactions

• Normal Execution

• Execution with SLA violation

• Assessment

SLA PROCESS FLOWS

NORMAL EXECUTION OF SLA SERVICEPERFOMANCE DATA DURING NORMAL OPERATION

12

34

5

67 8

9

10

11

12

THRESHOLD CROSSING ALERTS AND RESOURCE FAILURE ALARMS (1)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

NORMAL EXECUTION OF SLA SERVICE

13

14

15

16

17

THRESHOLD CROSSING ALERTS AND RESOURCE FAILURE ALARMS (2)

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

NORMAL EXECUTION OF SLA SERVICE

EXECUTION WITH SLA VIOLATION (1)

1

2

3

45

6

7 8

9

10

11

12

9

9

10

13

14

15

16

EXECUTION WITH SLA VIOLATION (2)

24

22

17

21

18

19

20

23

2625

ASSESSMENT (1)CUSTOMER NEEDS HAVE CHANGED

3

1

5

4

2

ASSESSMENT (2)INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS AT THE CUSTOMER AND SERVICE LAYERS

3

1

5

4

2

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14