"What is your promised uptime and availability level?"
Answer examples and tips for RFPs

Introduction

The question "What is your promised uptime and availability level?" is a common inquiry in the software operations category of RFPs. This question seeks to understand the level of uptime and availability that a provider can commit to for their software services. It is crucial for customers to have a clear understanding of this aspect before engaging with a provider.

Similar questions related to this topic could include:

1. What measures do you have in place to ensure high availability of your software services?
2. Can you provide information on your historical uptime and availability performance?
3. How do you handle planned maintenance windows without impacting availability?

Why is this asked?

Customers ask this question because the uptime and availability of software services are of utmost importance to their operations. They need to have confidence that the provider's services are reliable and accessible when needed. Knowing the promised uptime and availability level helps customers evaluate the potential impact on their business processes and make an informed decision.

Key information to include in your Answer

1. Clearly state the promised uptime and availability level for your software services.
2. Describe any relevant service level agreements (SLAs) that you offer to guarantee uptime and availability.
3. Explain the metrics and methodology used to measure uptime and availability.
4. Provide examples of any redundancy or failover mechanisms in place to ensure continuous availability.
5. Mention any monitoring and alerting tools used to proactively detect and address potential downtime or service disruptions.
6. Discuss the procedures and response times for resolving any incidents that may affect uptime and availability.
7. Highlight any historical uptime and availability performance data or certifications.
8. Explain any planned maintenance processes and how they are communicated to customers to minimize impact on availability.
9. Consider mentioning any compensation or remedies offered in case uptime or availability commitments are not met.
10. Provide references or case studies from satisfied customers who have experienced high uptime and availability with your software services.

Example Answers

Example 1:

[Company Name] guarantees a 99.9% uptime and availability level for our software services. We offer a comprehensive SLA that outlines the specific commitments and remedies. Our uptime is measured based on continuous monitoring using industry-standard tools like Nagios and New Relic. We have implemented redundant infrastructure and data centers to ensure resilience and minimize any potential downtime. In the case of incidents, our dedicated operations team follows a standard incident response process with defined response times. We maintain a track record of 99.99% uptime over the past three years based on independent third-party audits.

Example 2:

At [Company Name], we promise a 99.5% uptime and availability level for our software services. This commitment is backed by our SLA, which specifies the details of our uptime guarantees and associated remedies. We utilize a combination of monitoring tools such as Zabbix and Pingdom to proactively detect and address any potential downtime or performance issues. Our redundant architecture and load balancing mechanisms help ensure continuous availability. We have a documented incident management process in place with defined response and resolution times. We communicate planned maintenance windows well in advance to minimize any impact on availability. While our historical uptime has consistently exceeded our commitments, we continue to invest in infrastructure and processes to further improve reliability.

Example 3:

We understand the criticality of uptime and availability, and our goal at [Company Name] is to provide the highest level of service. However, we currently do not have specific uptime and availability commitments in our standard offering. We are in the process of implementing a SLA framework, which will include uptime and availability guarantees, and expect to have it finalized within the next three to six months. In the meantime, we can share our historical uptime data and customer testimonials to demonstrate our commitment to reliability. We recognize the importance of this aspect to our customers and are actively working towards enhancing our offering to meet their expectations.