IT service management (ITSM) practice that defines, negotiates, monitors, and manages the quality of service provided to customers. It aligns IT services with business needs.
The SLM framework operates through three primary agreements:
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Agreements between a service provider and the customer define acceptable service standards (e.g., uptime, response times).
- Operational Level Agreements (OLAs): Internal agreements between different departments within the same organization to support the SLAs.
- Underpinning Contracts (UCs): Contracts with external vendors or suppliers that contribute to the delivery of the service.