Pandora's Web Service Level Agreement ("SLA")
Effective Date:
This Service Level Agreement was last updated on October 6, 2009.
Pandora Telecom, LLC ("Pandora") is proud to offer an exceptional level of
performance, reliability, and service. That is why we are making commitments
to our customers in the form of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which provides
certain rights and remedies regarding the performance of the Pandora network.
The Pandora Service Level Agreement (SLA) guarantees our network/equipment
reliability and performance. This Service Level Agreement (SLA) applies to
customers of Pandora's web hosting, reseller, virtual private server,
dedicated server, co-location and dial-up/dedicated access services.
Uptime Guarantee:
Pandora strives to maintain a 99.999% network and service uptime level, and
guarantees atleast 99.5% (99.9% for shared web hosting). This uptime percentage
is a monthly figure, and is is calculated solely by Pandora monitoring systems
or Pandora authorized/contracted outside monitoring services. If Pandora fails
to meet its 99.5% (or 99.9%) uptime guarantee, and it is not due to one of the
exceptions below, credits will be made available to each client, upon request,
on a case by case basis. Pandora does not credit a full month's service for
minor downtime. "Partial refunds for partial downtime" is our standard policy.
In extreme circumstances, Pandora may distribute full month credits, but this
is dealt with on a case by case basis. Details on how credit amounts are
calculated can be found below.
Exceptions:
Customer shall not receive any credits under this SLA in connection with any
failure or deficiency of the Pandora network caused by or associated with:
- Circumstances beyond reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of any governmental body, war, insurrection, sabotage, embargo, "Acts of God" (i.e. fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, etc)., strike or other labor disturbance, interruption of or delay in transportation, unavailability of or interruption or delay in telecommunications or third party services, failure of third party software or inability to obtain raw materials, supplies, or power used in or equipment needed for provision of the Service Level Agreement
- Telco Failure (i.e. a backhoe cutting a fiber line somewhere)
- Backbone peering point issues (i.e. Level3 having a router go down in Virginia that wipes out Internet service for a portion of the East Coast)
- Scheduled maintenance for hardware/software upgrades
- Hardware failure (faulty hardware is rare, but cannot be predicted nor avoided). Pandora utilizes only name brand hardware of the highest quality and performance.
- Software bugs/flaws (Expolits and bugs may develop that cause security issues or downtime)
- DNS issues not within the direct control of Pandora
- Network floods, hacks, attacks from outside parties or individuals
- Failure or error of any Pandora monitoring or measurement system
- Client's acts or omissions, including without limitation, any negligence, willful misconduct, or use of Pandora service(s) in breach of Pandora Policy and Service Guidelines (AUP), by Client or others authorized by Client.
Connectivity:
Pandora's goal is to make the Pandora network available to Clients, free of
outages, as best possible. An "outage" is defined as an instance in which
Client is unable to transmit and receive IP packets due to a Pandora service
failure for more than 15 consecutive minutes, excluding service failures
relating to Pandora's scheduled maintenance and upgrades. The Pandora network
does not include client premises equipment or any Telco access facilities
connecting Client's premises to such infrastructure.
Pandora's goal is to keep Average Round-Trip Latency on the Pandora network to
85 milliseconds or less. Pandora defines "Average Round-Trip Latency", with
respect to a given month, as the average time required for round-trip packet
transfers between the Pandora network and major US backbone peering points
during such month, as measured by Pandora. Pandora's goal is to keep "Average
Packet Loss" on the Pandora network to 1% or less. Pandora defines "Average
Packet Loss", with respect to a given month, as the average percentage of IP
packets transmitted on the Pandora network during such month that are not
successfully delivered, as measured by Pandora.
Measurement:
Pandora will periodically (on average every 5 minutes) monitor Pandora network
and server availability using software and hardware components capable of
measuring application traffic and responses. Client acknowledges that that
such measurements may not measure the exact path traversed by Client's internet
connection, and that such measurements constitute measurements across the
Pandora network but not other networks to which Client may connect. Pandora
reserves the right to periodically change the measurement points and
methodologies it uses without notice to Client.
Hardware Failure:
Pandora stands behind all equipment on our network. Faulty hardware is rare,
but cannot be predicted nor avoided. Pandora utilizes only name brand hardware
of the highest quality and perfomance. Pandora will replace all faulty hardware
affecting performance levels of equipment within 48 hours, which includes
hardware issues that cause server crashes or speed issues. Hardware failure
resulting in complete network/server outage/downtime will be corrected within
two hours of problem identification. Router failure is an exception to this
SLA guarantee, and may require on-site Cisco engineers or backbone provider
emergency personnel to correct the problem. Router failure is governed by
current Pandora contracts with Cisco and backbone providers in regard to the
emergency repair service in case of such an issue. Pandora will replace all
faulty hardware on dedicated servers (rented or leased servers), at no charge
to the Client, with an unlimited free replacement policy. This includes parts
ordered as upgrades. Pandora will replace all faulty hardware on all
non-purchased dedicated and wireless access customer premise equipment, at no
charge to the Client, unless equipment has been tampered with, or damage is
caused by direct neglect/action(s) of Client.
Credits:
Credit requests must be made on the Pandora web site, by filling out the
Service Level Agreement (SLA) Request billing support ticket. Each request in
connection with network/server outages/downtime must be received by Pandora
within five days of the occurance. Each request in connection with Average
Round-Trip Latency or Average Packet Loss in a calendar month must be received
by Pandora within five days after the end of such month. The total amount
credited to a Client for Pandora not meeting SLA service levels will not exceed
the service fees paid by Client Pandora for such services for the period in
question. Each validly requested credit will be applied to a Client invoice
within 30 days after Pandora's receipt of such request. Credits are exclusive
of any applicable taxes charged to Client or collected by Pandora. Upon
Client's request (in accordance with the procedure set forth below), Pandora
will issue a credit to Client for network/server outages/downtime occurring
during any calendar month that are reported by Client to Pandora and confirmed
by Pandora's measurement reporting. Such credit will be equal to one day's
worth (1/30th) of the monthly fees paid by Client, (for all service fees paid
if network outage, or specific affected service fees paid if individual server
downtime) multiplied by each hour (or portion thereof rounded to nearest next
hour) of the cumulative duration of such outage/downtime. If Average Round-Trip
Latency on the Pandora network for a calendar month exceeds 85 milliseconds,
then upon Client's request, Pandora will issue a credit to Client equal to six
day's worth (1/5th) of the monthly service fees paid by Client for such month.
If Average Packet Loss exceeds 1% during a calendar month, then upon Client's
request, Pandora will issue a credit to Client equal to six day's worth (1/5th)
of the monthly service fees paid by Client for such month.
General:
Pandora reserves the right to change or modify this SLA to benefit the Client,
and will post changes to location currently housing this SLA at time of
modification, which will be made available to Client. Except as set forth in
this SLA, Pandora makes no claims regarding the availability or performance of
the Pandora network or servers.
Specific terms/points of this SLA may be adjusted on a case by case basis by
the specific Service Agreement signed/agreed by client. In case of difference
terms/points in SLA and Service Agreement, the Service Agreement terms/points
prevail over this general SLA policy. The Service Agreement signed/agreed by
client, is above and beyond this SLA, and Service Agreement terms are in
affect, including, but not limited to, limitations of liability.