Network SLA

This policy documents the quality and availability that ServerForce's Network is to achieve. ServerForce offers to pay its clients, via service credits, if the quality or availability defined in the conditions below is not met.

Definitions

  • "ServerForce Network", "ServerForce's Network" refers to the infrstructure (routers, switches, cabling and other equipment) located within ServerForce's autonomous system (AS39332) responsible for connecting the servers hosted by ServerForce to the outside world ("External Networks").
  • "The Client" refers to the entity to which the contracted service(s) are provided.
  • "External Networks" refers to a network not part of ServerForce; "The Internet".
  • "Availability" is defined as the percentage of time the network is contactable over a calendar month.
  • "Quality" refers to two values: Latency within ServerForce's Network and packet loss within ServerForce's Network.
  • "Latency" is defined as the mean time for a packet to be transmitted between two points within ServerForce's Network.
  • "Packet loss" is defined as the number of packets (as a percentage) that do not reach their destination within ServerForce's Network over any calendar month.
  • "Scheduled Maintenance" is defined as maintenance required for the continued provision of service, which includes, but is not limited to: equipment upgrades, software upgrades, cabling changes, etc. Wherever possible, we aim to schedule no more than 1 maintenance session per week, and we will endeavor to perform said maintenance during the hours of 2300 to 0800 (UK time) the following morning, however in unusual or emergency situations this may not be possible.
  • "Downtime" is defined as a period when a portion or the entirty of ServerForce's Network is unavailable, and the client is not provided with the contracted service, excluding scheduled maintenance as defined above. This also excludes any outage defined in the 'Exclusions' section below.

Availability Guarantee

ServerForce guarantees that its network ("ServerForce Network") shall be available equal to or higher than 99.95% in any calendar month, subject to the exclusions as defined below. If ServerForce fails to meet this guarantee, a credit shall be available to The Client as defined below.

Quality Guarantee

ServerForce guarantees that the latency within its network ("ServerForce Network") shall not exceed 5ms. ServerForce further guarantees the packet loss within its network ("ServerForce Network") shall not exceed 0.4%. Both of these guarantese are subject to the exclusions as defined below. If ServerForce fails to meet these guarantees, a credit shall be available to The Client as defined below.

Exclusions

Downtime shall exclude periods when outages arise from, or are otherwise indirectly caused/affected by:

  • Downtime periods not caused by or within the ServerForce Network, including but not limited to, faults or negligence of The Client or problems associated with equipment connected on The Client's side of ServerForce's delivery point, and factors outside of ServerForce's direct control such as routing or other faults caused by intermediary or external networks.
  • In such situations where The Client's equipment should cause alterations to the quality of service or malfunctioning within ServerForce's Network, ServerForce reserves the right to disconnect the link to The Client, for benefit of the rest of the users of the network. Such disconnection will not be cause for compensation under this SLA. ServerForce will notify The Client as soon as possible of said malfunctioning and request that it be corrected. The Client's offending equipment will not be re-connected to ServerForce's Network until such time as ServerForce are satisfied that the malfunction has been corrected in full.
  • Downtime reported by The Client in which no fault is observed or confirmed by ServerForce.
  • Downtime during periods when The Client's service is suspended under provision(s) in other Agreements.
  • Downtime when ServerForce's staff cannot have access to The Client's equipment, when requested, for the purpose of investigating the problem and restoring the service, in such cases where ServerForce manages The Client's equipment on behalf of The Client.
  • The Client requesting ServerForce to test The Client's connection although no fault has been detected and/or reported by ServerForce.

No guarantee applies:

  • During Scheduled Maintenance affecting the service as defined above.
  • During performance degredations and downtime due to Denial Of Service (DoS) attacks or other unlawful activity generated by or executed against The Client's equipment

Force Majeure:

  • Neither Party will be obliged to carry out any obligation under this Agreement where performance of such obligation(s) is prevented by the occurrence of a Force Majeure event. No commitment from ServerForce applies in the case of Force Majeuere.

Service Credits

  • If The Client is unable to access ServerForce's network core, ServerForce shall credit The Client according to the following table, up to a maximum of 28 days in any one calendar month. The percentage applies to the contracted service affected.
Availability Minutes Downtime Service Credit
100-99.95% <= 22 minutes None
Below 99.95% > 22 minutes 6 hours per 1 hour of downtime or part thereof