Service Level Objectives & Priorities

Priority levels exist to ensure clear expectations are communicated between IronEdge & Client. Timing is measured from when the ticket is initiated. Detailed descriptions and scenarios are provided as a reference for each Priority Level listed.

During Business Hours:

Priority	Description	Initial Response & Assigned	Work in Progress
1 – Critical	System down emergency impacting all users, sites and/or business functions	30 Minutes	1 Hour
2 – Urgent	Service or system outage impacting key users and/or business functions	1 Hour	2 Hours
3 – High	Degradation of service impacting some users and/or business functions	2 Hours	4 Hours
4 – Medium	Single user impact; non-urgent change, maintenance or update	4 Hours	8 Hours
5 – Low	Routine maintenance; minor end user, peripheral and other issues	8 Hours	16 Hours

After Business Hours:

Priority	Description	Initial Response & Assigned	Work in Progress
1 – Critical	System down emergency impacting all users, sites and/or business functions	1 Hour	2 Hours
2 – Urgent	Service or system outage impacting key users and/or business functions	2 Hours	4 Hours
3 – High	Degradation of service impacting some users and/or business functions	4 Hours	8 Hours

Critical – System down emergency impacting all users, multiple sites and/or critical business functions. For example:

System Downtime

• Server Outages: When a key server goes down, affecting essential business applications or services.
• Network Failures: Major disruptions in network connectivity, such as a router or switch failure, halting business operations.

Security Incidents

• Cyber Attacks: Active security incidents, such as ransomware attacks, DDoS attack, or unauthorized access to critical systems.
• Malware Infections: Widespread malware or virus infections that compromise data integrity and security that IEG security tools do not kill or quarantine.

Critical Application Failures

• Business Line Application System Outages: When Business Line Application systems are down, halting core business functions for the entire organization.

Data Loss or Corruption

• Significant corruption or deletion of important business data that impacts operations for the entire organization.

Infrastructure Hardware Failures

• Power Outages: Loss of power to data centers or critical IT infrastructure causing service interruptions.
• Storage System Failures: Failures in primary or secondary storage systems leading to data inaccessibility.
• Failure of critical equipment such as core network switching or server infrastructure.

Communication System Failures

• Telephony Outage: Complete failure of VoIP or telephony systems critical to business communications impacting all users.
• Email System Outages: Disruptions in email services affecting internal and external communications impacting all users.
• Internet Connectivity Failure: Complete site failure of internet connection impacting all users.

Urgent – Service or system outage impacting key users and/or business functions. For Example:

High-Impact End User Issues

• IT issues affecting senior executives or key personnel critical to decision-making and business continuity.
• System and/or software failures impacting key personnel critical to business operations.

High – Degradation of service impacting some users and/or business functions. For Example:

Performance Degradation

• Slow Network Performance: Noticeable degradation in network speed affecting user productivity.
• Application Slowness: Critical business applications running slower than usual, impacting user efficiency.

Intermittent Issues

• Intermittent Connectivity: Fluctuating network connectivity that disrupts users intermittently.
• Unstable Applications: Key applications crashing or freezing intermittently, affecting workflow consistency.

User Account Issues

• Account Lockouts: Multiple users unable to access or log into their accounts due to lockouts.
• Password Resets: Urgent password reset requests for multiple users or key personnel.

Hardware Failures

• Non-Critical Server Issues: Failures in secondary servers or non-critical systems that need attention but do not halt operations.

Backup and Recovery Issues

• Backup Job Failures: Failures in scheduled backup jobs that do not immediately threaten data but need resolution to ensure data protection.
• Recovery Verification: Issues found during routine verification of backups and disaster recovery procedures.
• Any backup system not provided by IronEdge will be best effort

Configuration Issues

• Misconfigurations: Incorrect configuration of systems or network devices causing performance or accessibility issues.
• Policy Application Failures: Issues with the application of security or usage policies across the network.

Service Degradations

• Email Delivery Delays: Delays in email delivery affecting communication efficiency.
• VoIP Quality Issues: Poor quality in VoIP calls impacting business communication.

Natural Disasters or Environmental influences:

• Events such as floods, fires, or earthquakes impacting IT infrastructure.

Vendor or Third-Party Service Failures

• Service Provider Outages: Downtime or failures from third-party service providers such as cloud services or software as a service that affect business operations.

Zero-Day Security Vulnerabilities

• CVSS rating of Critical that impacts internet connected Firewalls or Routers

Medium – Single user impact; non-urgent change, maintenance or update. For Example:

Minor Performance Issues

• Occasional Slowness: Intermittent slowness in applications or network performance that doesn’t significantly hinder operations.
• Minor Latency: Slight delays in network or application responses that affect user experience but are not disruptive.

User Support Requests

• Non-Urgent Password Resets: Password reset requests for non-critical accounts or individual users.
• General IT Assistance: Requests for help with software usage, installation, or minor technical support.

Software Issues

• Minor Bugs: Non-critical bugs in software applications that affect functionality but have workarounds.
• Update Assistance: Requests for help with non-critical software updates or installations.

Hardware Maintenance

• Peripheral Issues: Problems with non-critical hardware peripherals like printers, scanners, or monitors.

Configuration Changes

• Non-Urgent Configuration Updates: Changes or updates to configurations that improve performance or security but are not urgent.
• Policy Updates: Implementing changes to IT policies or security settings as part of routine updates.

Access Requests

• New User Setup: Setting up new user accounts or permissions that are part of standard user onboarding processes.
• Non-Critical Access Changes: Changes to user access levels or permissions that do not immediately impact security or operations.

Software Licensing and Compliance

• License Management: Ensuring software licenses are up to date and compliant upon service request
• Audit Preparations: Preparing for software or security audits that are scheduled but not urgent.

Third-Party Service Issues

• External Service Latency: Performance issues with third-party services integrated with critical business processes.
• Vendor Support Required: Issues that require coordination with third-party vendors for resolution.
• Customer owned products and services not provided by IronEdge (backup solutions, security software, hardware appliances, applications).

Security Issues

• Unauthorized Access Attempts: Detection of unauthorized access attempts that have been blocked but need investigation.
• Non-Critical Malware: Infections by less severe malware or adware that require cleanup but do not pose an immediate threat.
• Non-Critical Patch Management: Applying security patches that are not time-sensitive but are part of regular maintenance.

Software and System Updates

• Patch Failures: Issues with software updates or patches that need to be resolved to ensure system security and functionality.
• Application Errors: Non-critical errors in key applications that require bug fixes or updates.

Low – Routine maintenance; minor end user, peripheral and other issues. For Example:

Routine Maintenance

• Software Updates: Non-critical software updates or patches that can be scheduled during off-peak hours.
• Hardware Upgrades: Planned upgrades for hardware components such as additional memory or storage.

Minor User Support Requests

• General Inquiries: User questions about software features or IT policies.
• Cosmetic Changes: Requests for non-essential changes to desktop settings, wallpaper, or icons.

Documentation

• User Guides: Creating or updating user manuals or training materials.
• Knowledge Base Articles: Adding or updating articles in the internal knowledge base for common issues or procedures.

Non-Urgent Configuration Changes

• System Tweaks: Adjustments to system settings that are not time-sensitive.
• Policy Updates: Implementation of non-urgent IT policy updates.

Asset Management

• Inventory Updates: Updating records in the asset management system to reflect new or decommissioned hardware.
• Peripheral Issues:
• Non-Critical Printer Problems: Issues with printers or other peripherals that do not halt business operations.
• Monitor Adjustments: Requests to adjust monitor settings
• Replacement or repair of non-essential peripherals.

Backup Management

• Backup Verification: Routine checks and verification of backup systems without any immediate concern.
• Archiving Data: Archiving old data to free up space on primary storage systems.

IronEdge Managed Licenses

• License Inventory: Tracking of software licenses and ensuring they are up-to-date, without any immediate expiration concerns.
• Renewal Reminders: Setting up reminders for future license renewals.
• SSL certificate: Setting up reminders for certificate expirations.

User Account Management

• Role Changes: Implementing non-urgent changes to user roles or permissions.
• Account Clean-Up: Deleting or deactivating unused user accounts.

Security Improvements

• Routine Audits: Performing regular security audits that are part of ongoing security maintenance.
• Low-Risk Vulnerability Fixes: Addressing minor security vulnerabilities that do not pose an immediate threat.

Workstation / Computer Setup

• Workstation onboarding requests involve setting up new workstations with the necessary hardware, software, configurations, and access permissions to ensure employees can effectively perform their job functions.

Documentation

• Documentation Requests: Creating or updating documentation for IT processes or user guides.