A 10-point guide. Constructing a service level agreement requires planning and care. While the process can vary among companies, there are often basic elements in common. Bob Quinn, vice president and CIO for computer systems at Sun Microsystems Inc. in Palo Alto, Calif., and Naomi Karten, president of Randolph, Mass.-based management consultancy Karten Associates, who serves as Sun’s SLA consultant, recommend the following 10 steps as a guide: Assess whether an SLA is appropriate. Get management commitment. Designate SLA managers. Educate the parties involved about SLAs. Assess current services. Gather customer feedback. Ensure agreement about the agreement; create a draft. Solicit feedback. Complete pre-implementation activities, such as establishing tracking mechanisms and conducting pilots. Implement and manage the agreement. Related content BrandPost Stay in Control of Your Data with a Secure and Compliant Sovereign Cloud By Stan Kwong Mar 23, 2023 6 mins Cloud Security Cloud Computing News Accenture to lay off 19,000 to cut costs amid economic uncertainty Technology services giant Accenture will continue to hire but meanwhile is cutting staff to streamline operations in the face of economic headwinds. By Anirban Ghoshal Mar 23, 2023 2 mins IT Consulting Services Technology Industry BrandPost Advice from procurement: How to evaluate and propose new IT investments By clearly defining needs and requirements, evaluating TCO, and performing risk assessments, procurement and IT teams can work together to help their business leaders make more informed decisions for an improved bottom line. By Bo Bradshaw, Edgio Procurement Director Mar 23, 2023 5 mins SaaS BrandPost Why AI is key to hiring and retaining developers Data shows that the opportunity to build AI-powered apps figures very prominently in where developers decide to work. By Bryan Kirschner, Vice President, Strategy at DataStax Mar 23, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe