Use of the term 'SLO'

[Tilon]

In my (relatively large) company, we seem to use the term 'service level agreement' to mean an agreement with a customer where there are penalties/credits attached for missing targets and 'service level objective' for an agreement where there are no penalties. I understand this isn't how ITIL would define the terms (in fact, I don't even see SLO as an official term in the glossary -- I see service level requirement and service level target.)

I try my best to steer things towards the ITIL definitions, but I'm wondering if this practice is widespread or if it's one of those peculiar bits of jargon in my company.

[UKVIKING]

SLO ? ppffttt

Sounding like they are mish mashing the process of developing an SLA with the SLA itself

And of course

having an SLA called SLO has all sorts of meaning
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[UrgentJensen]

Hi Tilon,

Nope, never worked to an 'SLO'. Too vague anyway.

UJ
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[Diarmid]

A service Level Objective ought to be a target to be achieved within (e.g. by x%) a Service Level Agreement. And it needs to be understood that it is an internal measure used to identify thresholds for responsive action.

As a statement of service to customers, it cannot work without agreement over budgets and charges and what will arise if it is not attained.

In the real world there are repercussions if services are not delivered to a satisfactory level. It is easier if the arrangements are formalized in an agreement. And it is better to call an agreement an agreement rather than an objective, because then there is a chance that people will know what they are talking about.
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[asrilrm]

Hi,

Service Level Agreement and Service Level Objective to me are quite "high level" words, and qualitative.
SL Agreement is all service levels that are agreed between two parties (customer and provider) whether they have consequences or not.
SL Objective is for what purpose the service levels were built.
Both words don't give quantitative measurements to assess the worthiness of the Service Level itself.

That's my opinion though.

Asril