SLA
n.n. Stands for Service Level Agreement. A formal contract between a service provider and a customer that lists exactly what service will be provided and how good it must be.
n. Abbreviation for Service Level Agreement. A formal contract between a service provider and a client that specifies the expected level of service, including metrics for quality, availability, and responsibilities.
The company failed to meet the SLA for internet uptime.
Our cloud provider guarantees 99.9% availability as part of the standard SLA, with financial penalties if they fall below that target.
Negotiating a robust SLA is critical for enterprise software procurement, as it establishes the legal framework for performance monitoring and dispute resolution throughout the contract's duration.
Abbreviations.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often used in business and IT contexts; typically takes the definite article ('the SLA') or an indefinite article ('an SLA').
Last updated July 22, 2026