eApps understands the importance that our role plays in supporting
an organization's business processes. We treat the service we provide
each customer as a critical component of their success.
eApps is committed to providing reliable, high-performance network
services to our customers. Our Service Level Agreement (SLA) has been
designed to ensure the highest quality service as a result of the self
discipline it imposes on our company. The key aspects of the eApps
Service Level Agreement are:
- Network Service Availability Guarantee
- Network Service Latency Guarantee
- Network Packet Loss Guarantee
- Server Availability Guarantee
- Customer Service Guarantee
Network Service Availability Guarantee
eApps' goal is to make the eApps Network Service available to the Customer free of Network Outages for 100% of the time. For purposes of this SLA, a "Network Outage" is an instance in which no traffic can pass in or out of the eApps Network Service for more than 15 consecutive minutes.
eApps guarantees 99.9% availability of the Network Service. The eApps Network Service extends from the points of presence (POPs) of eApps' facility provider's private Internet exchange extending to the Customer's servers and network equipment hosted and managed by eApps.
eApps Service Latency Guarantee
Network Latency - average time for IP packets to travel over the eApps network, presented in milliseconds and guaranteed for each calendar month.
eApps strives to achieve a Network Latency of 85ms or less.
The Internet Control Message Protocol Test (ICMP) is used to calculate packet delivery and latency. The ICMP Test consists of sending, on a periodic basis, a series of test packets between the points of presence (POPs) of eApps' facility provider's private Internet exchange to the Customer's servers and network equipment hosted and managed by eApps. The test results are analyzed to determine Network Latency vs. successful delivery and speed of delivery.
eApps Packet Loss Guarantee
Network Packet Delivery - measure of IP packets successfully sent and received over the eApps Network, displayed as an average percentage and guaranteed for each calendar month.
eApps strives to achieve Network Packet Delivery of 99% or greater.
The Internet Control Message Protocol Test (ICMP) is used to calculate packet delivery and latency. The ICMP Test consists of sending, on a periodic basis, a series of test packets between the points of presence (POPS) of eApps' facility provider's private Internet exchange to the Customer's servers and network equipment hosted and managed by eApps The test results are analyzed to determine Packet Loss vs. successful delivery and speed of delivery.
eApps Server Availability Guarantee
eApps strives to ensure that each server and related equipment are operational and available for service. eApps' goal is to make the eApps managed servers available to the Customer free of Server Outages for 100% of the time. For purposes of this SLA a "Server Outage" is defined as an instance in which no traffic can pass in or out of the eApps managed Server for more than 15 consecutive minutes.
eApps Customer Service Guarantee
Our goal is provide highly responsive and effective customer service. We measure three key events for the resolution of service requests. For each event, you will receive communication from a representative of our customer service department within the specified time. All commitment times are measured from the time the request was received by eApps. The measured time is also based on whether the customer is on the Standard Support Plan (8AM to Midnight Eastern Time Zone, Monday through Friday and 10AM to 6 PM Eastern Time Zone Saturday and Sunday except for national holidays) or Emergency Support Plan (round the clock 24/7/365). The stated response time hours are applicable only during support hours for the Standard Support Plan. The three key events are as follows:
- Acknowledge -- A live person has received your request and ensured that it has been assigned to a service representative.
- Confirm - The assigned service representative has reviewed your request and determined a course of action for resolution. When possible, the service representative will provide an estimate of when the request can be resolved.
- Resolve - The request has been resolved. The communication from the service representative will describe what was done to resolve the request.
| Severity | Acknowledge | Confirm | Resolve | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Service requests that are not related to a problem or issue that impacts the operation of your web site or application. | 4 hours | 8 hours | 16 hours |
| Critical | Service requests for problems or issues that do impact the operation or your web site or application, but the site or application continues to operate. | 2 hours | 4 hours | 8 hours |
| Emergency | Service requests for problems or issues that have rendered your entire site or application inoperable. | 1 hour | 2 hours | 4 hours |
Calculation of Credit
Network Service Availability Credit -- If eApps fails to meet the Network Service Availability guarantee in any calendar month, the Customer shall qualify for one day of credit for that month for each hour, or partial hour, of Network Outage time incurred. One day of credit is equal to 1/30th of customers' monthly recurring charge for the specific service element(s) impacted (usage based charges are excluded). Credits will be applied to any confirmed Network Outage greater than one hour. Credits will not be applied for any Network Outage less than one hour. Network Outage is measured from the time the Network Outage begins until the time the problem is repaired.
Network Service Latency Credit -- If eApps fails to meet the Network Latency monthly guarantee in any calendar month, the Customer shall qualify for one day of credit for that month. One day of credit is equal to 1/30th of customers' monthly recurring charge for the specific service element(s) impacted (usage based charges are excluded).
Network Service Packet Loss Credit -- If eApps fails to meet the Network Packet Delivery monthly guarantee in any calendar month, the Customer shall qualify for one day of credit for that month. One day of credit is equal to 1/30th of customers' monthly recurring charge for the specific service element(s) impacted (usage based charges are excluded).
Server Availability Credit -- If eApps fails to meet the Server Availability guarantee in any calendar month, the Customer shall qualify for one day of credit for that month for each hour, or partial hour, of Server Outage time incurred. One day of credit is equal to 1/30th of customers' monthly recurring charge for the specific service element(s) impacted (usage based charges are excluded). Credits will not be applied for any Server Outage less than one hour. Server Availability credit is only applicable when the network is available, but the server is not. Server Availability Credit can only be claimed when the availability problems are directly attributable to problems with the server, not the network. Server Outage is measured from the time the Server Outage begins until the time the problem is repaired.
Note: A maximum of 30 days of credit will be given for Network Service Availability, Network Service Latency, Network Service Packet Loss, and Server Availability credits combined in any given month.
Customer Service Credit -- A credit of $25 will be paid for each failure to complete the required event within the stated time periods, up to a total of $75 for any one request. For example, if eApps fails to respond with an Acknowledgement within 2 hours and a Confirmation within 4 hours for a Critical service request, but resolves the request within 8 hours, a credit of $50 may be claimed. Customer service credits may only be claimed for requests related to services that eApps has contracted to provide according to your service agreement. Furthermore, any time spent resolving problems or issues related to applications or services that we have not contracted to provide are billable to the customer at prevailing rates. Please note that Internet related hosting services are often dependent upon network services that are provided to end users by third parties over which eApps has no control or responsibility. Also, problems or issues within an application are generally not the responsibility of eApps, unless application level services have been specifically contracted for.
Filing a Claim
To qualify for a credit, the customer must first have opened a trouble ticket to report a Network Outage, network performance problem, Server Outage within twenty-four (24) hours of the outage or performance problem. For Customer Service claims, the customer must have stated the severity of the request (Normal, Critical, Emergency) when the trouble ticket was first opened. In no case will a claim be paid for Customer Service lapses unless a trouble ticket was opened stating the severity of the request. In addition, the customer must contact Customer Care to request a credit claim within ten (10) business days of the outage, performance, or customer service lapse.
The claim must include the following information:
- Customer name, account number and contact information
- Type of problem (Network Outage, Network Latency, Network Packet Delivery, Server Outage).
- Date and beginning /end time of outage or failed performance metric
- Brief description of the characteristics of the outage or failed performance metric.
- End user location and ISP used to access the eApps services
The credits available under this "Calculation of Credit" section are the sole and exclusive remedies of the Customer for any failure of eApps to satisfy any metrics, requirements, standards or other performance or service goals of any type or description within this SLA. Customer waives and releases any claims for other relief and accepts the specified credits as the only remedies. In any event Customer understands that cash refunds are not available and that the credits provided may only be used as a credit against Customer's account.
Timing of Credits
Approved credits should be applied to the Customer's next available invoice following the claim approval.
Service Level Agreement Eligibility
eApps shared hosting and dedicated hosting customers are automatically covered, free of charge, with the following exceptions:
- When a customer account is not in good financial standing with eApps, defined as having a 30 days over due account balance.
- Circumstances beyond eApps's reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of any governmental body, war, insurrection, sabotage, terrorism, embargo, fire, flood, strike or other labor disturbance, interruption of or delay in transportation, unavailability of or interruption or delay in telecommunications or third party services, or failure of any customer premise network equipment (including customer premise equipment provided by eApps).
- Customers that are using eApps as a server co-location facility are excluded from the Server Availability Guarantee.
- Scheduled maintenance
- Domain name service (DNS) issues related to thired party DNS providers
- Customer fails to report an outage and open a trouble ticket.
- Outage or error of any eApps SLA measurement system (i.e. credits not automatically granted because measurement system fails).
- Customers acts or omissions, including without limitation, any negligence, willful misconduct, or use of the eApps Network or eApps services in breach of any applicable service agreement between Customer and eApps, including but not limited to eApps's Terms and Conditions of Use, by Customer, its employees, agents or others authorized by Customer.
Service Level Agreements that are negotiated and incorporated into a service agreement between eApps and Customer take precedence over those described in this document.
eApps, in its sole discretion, may amend or revise this SLA at any time. Such amendments or revisions will be considered effective when an updated SLA is posted on eApps' website.
Additional SLA Information.
For additional information regarding the eApps SLA please contact:
Rick Lingsch
770-448-2100
sales@eApps.com
