April 20, 2017 – It is estimated by 2020, around 1.7 megabytes of data will be created every second for every single human being, resulting in 44 trillion gigabytes of accumulated digital data. In light of such mind-boggling numbers, it’s important for companies and organizations to meet the challenges such growth will represent.
In order to protect the integrity of such vast quantities of data, not to mention to use it efficiently, organizations will need mechanisms in place to properly maintain their existing IT assets, ensure smooth operation and facilitate future upgrades.
Whether an organization operates in the public or private sector, an valuable option for any enterprise is an enhanced service- level agreement (SLA) from an independent service organization (ISO) and the SLA management software they can provide.
What Is Included in a Standard SLA?
While virtually all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide a basic SLA for the equipment they provide, these agreements often come up lacking in real-world circumstances. Given the average data center life cycles of 10 years (or more), OEM SLAs fall woefully short, lasting an average of three years. It can be a logistical nightmare for data centers using equipment from multiple vendors to manage the various warranties and SLAs.
Even worse, because vendors have made their cut once the equipment is sold, it is not uncommon for calls for service or assistance to go unanswered until the last possible moment. While not necessarily a breach of contract, such delays can exacerbate existing problems and potentially even lead to service outages.
What Is SLA Mangement?
An enhanced SLA from an ISO addresses these shortcomings: because it is provided by a single independent company, the enhanced SLA serves as a single point-of-entry for all service and support needs, regardless of which manufacturer’s equipment is in service. In addition, because ISOs specialize in providing dedicated service—not merely selling equipment—clients receive faster service than with traditional OEM SLAs.
While OEM SLAs can be inflexible, offering one-size-fits-all solutions, an enhanced SLA is tailored to the specific needs of each customer. For example, many OEM SLAs offer next-day parts replacements; an enhanced SLA can often deliver the parts required to make a repair much more quickly.
When taken together, these advantages combined represent significant cost savings over traditional SLAs. Billing arrangements for enhanced SLAs are also often more flexible than the three years upfront payment many OEMs require. Consider tailoring your service level agreement to meet the specific needs of your specific infrastructure.
Want to learn more about what an SLA can do for you?
With vendor-neutral support, around-the-clock on-site maintenance, customized service plans, a staff with four decades of experience helping small and medium- sized companies and a suite of management software designed to give you more control, Maintech offers a compelling option for your SLA needs.
If you’d like more help investigating enhanced support SLAs for your company, Maintech can help you consider your options and find the right solution for your needs: Request More Information ›