Explain like I'm five · IT Mgmt

What is SLA/SLM?

SLA and SLM, told as a story about a ticket that guarantees the show to a sponsor, and managing that promise over time.

guarantee me the show's quality!sure... I'll do my best?a promise only spoken gets remembered differently by each side later

The sponsor demands quality, guaranteed, but only in words.A promise only spoken gets remembered differently by each side later.

the sound cut out! you broke your promiseI never heard that part of the dealwithout the guarantee in numbers and on paper, disputes with the sponsor follow

A quality guarantee given only in words leads to disputes later.Without the guarantee in numbers and on paper, disputes with the sponsor follow.

sound dropout under 0.1%SLA = the guarantee written on the ticket, SLM = keeping that promise managed over timewrite the show guarantee down, measure results, keep checking it was kept

SLA is the guarantee written on the ticket; SLM is keeping that promise managed over time.Write the show guarantee down, measure results, keep checking it was kept.

Define the service levelwrite what's guaranteed, and how much
Set measurable metricswrite the guarantee as numbers you can actually measure
Define the penaltyspell out what happens if the guarantee is missed
Review it regularlythe ticket's terms aren't written once and forgotten
TICKET (SLA) TERMStarget — sound dropout under 0.1%metric — logged every showif missed — 10% refundreview — re-checked quarterlytechnical reliabilitythe tech that hits the guaranteed number is separate from the ticketSLM is the ongoing process of managing the terms written on the ticket

The ticket spells out the target, metric, penalty, and review cycle.SLM is the ongoing process of managing the terms written on the ticket.

contract termsSLA/SLM writes the promise down and manages itthe tech that actually keeps the promise is a separate topicthe contract (SLA/SLM) covers what's promised; technical reliability covers how it's kept

The SLA ticket is a contract — the tech that actually keeps its promise is a separate topic.The contract (SLA/SLM) covers what's promised; technical reliability covers how it's kept.

In one breath

SLA = a show-guarantee ticket written and agreed with the sponsor, in document form; SLM = continuously measuring and managing what's written on it.

SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a documented agreement between provider and customer on service levels, metrics, and remedies for breach. SLM (Service Level Management) is the process of regularly measuring, reporting, and improving against that agreement. This page covers the contract/governance angle — for how uptime is technically achieved, see the SLA/SLO page on reliability engineering (SRE).

When grown-ups say it

SLA
The guarantee ticket agreed with the sponsor. Spells out the target and the remedy if missed.
SLM
Managing what's written on the ticket, continuously. Measure, report, improve — on repeat.
KPI/Metric
The standard, written as a number you can measure. A vague standard invites disputes.
Penalty
What happens if the promise is broken. Written in as a refund or compensation.
Periodic Review
Re-checking the ticket's terms on a set cycle, such as quarterly. Terms change as circumstances change.
Technical SLA/SLO
The technical target that actually keeps uptime up. The reliability-engineering angle is covered on another page. → the technical-reliability SLA
Negotiation & Contract
Tuning terms through the performance contract. SLA terms get set during this same negotiation. → tuning terms until both sign
IS Audit/PMO
Checks the project as a third party (audit) or supports its management (PMO). An operations-stage audit can also look at whether the SLA was met. → the checker who watches the whole publishing run
Next story
Tuning Terms Until Both Sign →
Want another term as a picture book? Request →