Service Level Management
Purpose
Service Level Management measures whether agreed response and resolution targets are met. An SLA definition on the contract_sla table targets a task type with a start condition, stop condition, optional pause condition, a schedule, and a duration. Each matching task gets task SLA records that track the timer.
Conditions are evaluated continuously
Start conditions are checked when a task is created and again on update, which is why a retroactive start can apply when a task later meets the criteria. Stop conditions end the timer and mark the SLA as achieved or breached. Pause conditions suspend the timer, typically tied to a task state such as On Hold. Duration is measured in schedule time, so a 24x7 schedule and an eight-hour business schedule produce very different elapsed clocks for the same nominal target.
Stages and breaches
An SLA definition can define multiple stages, such as a response stage and a resolution stage, both attached to the same task. A breach is recorded when the stop condition is not met before the calculated breach time passes; the breach time is derived from the start time plus duration in schedule time. The SLA timeline visualises elapsed, paused, and remaining time.
SLAs, OLAs, and underpinning contracts
Service level agreements are customer-facing commitments; operational level agreements are internal commitments between support groups; underpinning contracts cover external suppliers. They share the same definition mechanism but differ in audience and scope.
Traps
Assuming a paused SLA is a stopped SLA. Assuming duration is wall-clock time regardless of schedule. Assuming an SLA applies because a task belongs to the right group, when the start condition was never met. Assuming a breached SLA cannot be repaired by later action.
Worked example
A priority 1 incident resolution SLA targets eight hours on a 24x7 schedule. The incident sits on hold for three hours with a pause condition on On Hold; the timer suspends, so breach time shifts three hours later. Rule of thumb: schedule defines the clock, conditions define when it runs, pause suspends without ending.