Office 365 Service Level Agreements: Understanding What You`re Signing Up For

If you`re considering purchasing an Office 365 subscription for your business, it`s important to understand the service level agreements (SLAs) that come with it. SLAs are agreements between the service provider (in this case, Microsoft) and the customer (you) that define the level of service the provider is expected to deliver. In short, SLAs outline what you can expect from Office 365 in terms of uptime, availability, and support.

Office 365 SLAs vary depending on the specific subscription plan you choose, so it`s important to read and understand the terms of your plan before you sign up. However, there are a few key SLA components that are common across all plans:

Uptime: Office 365 guarantees a certain level of uptime for its email and other services. For example, the SLA for Exchange Online (the email service) guarantees 99.9% uptime. This means that Microsoft guarantees that Exchange Online will be available to you 99.9% of the time. If Microsoft fails to meet this uptime guarantee, you may be eligible for credits to your account.

Availability: SLAs also specify the level of availability you can expect for various Office 365 services. For example, Microsoft guarantees that SharePoint Online (a collaborative document management platform) will be available to you 99.9% of the time during the billing cycle. Again, if Microsoft fails to meet this availability guarantee, you may be eligible for credits to your account.

Support: Finally, Office 365 SLAs define the level of support you can expect from Microsoft. All Office 365 plans come with standard support, which includes online support resources and basic phone and email support. However, some plans also include premium support, which offers faster response times and more personalized support from Microsoft.

It`s important to note that SLAs only cover service disruptions caused by Microsoft. If your Office 365 service is disrupted by factors outside of Microsoft`s control (such as a power outage at your office), you may not be eligible for SLA credits.

Overall, understanding Office 365 SLAs is an important step in choosing the right subscription plan for your business. Make sure to read and understand the terms of your plan before you sign up, and if you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Microsoft`s support team for assistance.