Service Level Agreement (SLA)
A formal contract outlining the expected level of service between a service provider and a customer.
Description
In the context of AWS, a Service Level Agreement (SLA) defines the performance metrics and expectations for various cloud services offered by Amazon Web Services. It outlines specific commitments made by AWS regarding service availability, response times, and support. For instance, AWS typically guarantees a service uptime of 99.99% for critical services like Amazon S3 and Amazon EC2, meaning that the services are expected to be available and operational for at least 99.99% of the time over a given period. The SLA also specifies remedies for customers in the event that AWS fails to meet these service levels, such as service credits. This formal agreement helps businesses understand their rights and the level of reliability they can expect, enabling them to plan their operations accordingly. Understanding the SLA is vital for businesses that rely on AWS for hosting applications and storing data, as it provides a framework for accountability and performance expectations.
Examples
- AWS Lambda SLA guarantees 99.95% availability for the service.
- Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) offers a 99.95% uptime SLA for Multi-AZ deployments.
Additional Information
- SLAs are crucial for compliance with regulatory requirements in industries like finance and healthcare.
- AWS SLAs are subject to change and should be regularly reviewed for the most current terms.