Service-level agreements (SLA) are the binding factor in a relationship with your vendor. Typically, they are as simple as ordering an Uber and as important as a passport when traveling internationally.
Whether the SLA is for a replacement drive or your most critical network device, the SLA needs to be met on the agreed-upon expectations. But have you ever wondered what goes into keeping that promise?
Maybe you've taken your maintenance provider at their word and haven't had to ask that question. All you know is that a spare is there when you need it to keep your network up and running worry-free. Or has your maintenance provider ever missed an SLA?
If so, you've likely wondered why your maintenance provider did not meet the SLA requirements. Today, we bring you behind the scenes of sparing to give you an insider look at what happens in order to meet SLA requirements.
You may be thinking, "I don't need to know what happens in order to meet an SLA just as long as it is met." We agree completely. Unfortunately —and way more often than we like!—we've heard from clients that NBD usually means 3 days later. That's the classic case of missed SLAs that plague the TPM industry.
The first look behind the scenes of sparing begins with the first step of guaranteeing the correct spare is found by the TPM. With OneCall maintenance, the first step is to undergo a series of tests.
We have a team of Level 1 engineers focused on testing equipment at our facility to ensure that we, as the maintenance provider, know everything we need to know so that we meet the SLA requirements.
We want to know the ins and outs of both the parent device and replacement so we can communicate to you everything about the spare sitting on the shelf waiting to be deployed.
Knowing that spare is going to fire up as soon as it is plugged into your network is important. Much like knowing your passport is 1) in your travel bag and 2) going to get you into the country.
Testing doesn't stop from the initial test upon receiving it in our facility. The device will undergo cycle testing through its time on the shelf as a replacement. This ensures that the device will operate as needed when deployed.
Alongside the rigorous testing is our quality certification from our in-house team. Through our ISO 9001 certification, we guarantee a visual inspection and proper storage that meet compliance standards and regulations.
After testing is completed, the spare is packaged for proper storage at a facility that can meet the SLA of the spare. This goes through the hands of our world-class logistics team. No matter where you need the replacement device, our team has the resources and expertise to get it to its stocking facility.
Our Field Stocking Locations (FSLs) are in more than 160 countries and thousands of locations. When the replacement equipment arrives on site, the location and a serial number of the spare will be available to you. You'll know exactly where your FSLs are, both active withholding spares and the locations available for spares.
Did the availability of both the location of your spare and the serial catch your attention? We hope so. This is the piece that completes the process for sparing with OneCall, aside from deploying the spare when it is required.
The location information available to you is not only the address of the FSL, but the rack number and position on the rack. Hypothetically, you could walk into the location and see the replacement device for yourself.
What exactly would you check for? A serial number? No need because we make that available to you as well.
Does your current TPM provider give you a serial number of your replacements and addresses where your they are stored?
By giving you the information on both the location and the serial number of your spare, you can feel confident when you put in place an SLA with OneCall.
Gain confidence and peace of mind knowing your SLAs will be met by the world-class OneCall team.
OneCall's Sparing Integrity Program is working behind the scenes of sparing to meet your service level agreements. This program has been put in place to guarantee your spares are where they are supposed to be and to give you peace of mind that the SLA will be met, whether 4HR (four hours) or NBD (next business day).
To learn more about the Sparing Integrity Program or OneCall maintenance, get in touch with a member of the team by clicking below.