Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Effective date: 11/05/2026
This SLA sets out the response and resolution targets that BUE strives to meet for requests raised through the Service Desk. It is provided as a statement of intent; actual obligations between BUE and individual users / departments are governed by the Terms of Service and applicable internal procedures.
1. Hours of service
- Standard support hours: Sunday–Thursday, 09:00–17:00 (Cairo, EET/EEST).
- Out-of-hours / urgent IT incidents: covered by on-call rota for Priority 1 only.
- Excluded: Egyptian public holidays and announced University closures.
2. Priority definitions
| Priority | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| P1 — Critical | Total loss of a service affecting many users or a key business process; no workaround. | Campus-wide network outage, payroll down on payday. |
| P2 — High | Significant degradation; affects a department or a VIP; workaround partial. | Email delays for a faculty, classroom AV down before a class. |
| P3 — Medium | Standard incident or service request affecting a single user. | Software install, password reset, account change. |
| P4 — Low | Minor request, query, or scheduled work. | Information request, hardware quotation. |
3. Response & resolution targets
Targets are measured during standard support hours and pause when a ticket is set to Pending User or Pending Third Party.
| Priority | First response | Resolution | Target attainment |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 30 minutes | 4 working hours | ≥ 95% |
| P2 | 2 working hours | 1 working day | ≥ 95% |
| P3 | 4 working hours | 3 working days | ≥ 90% |
| P4 | 1 working day | 5 working days | ≥ 90% |
4. Approvals
Where an approval is required, the SLA clock for resolution pauses while the ticket is awaiting approval. Approvers are expected to action requests within 2 working days; auto-reminders are sent.
5. Major incidents
For declared Major Incidents, hourly status updates are issued via the Service Desk and email until service is restored. A Post-Incident Review is published within 5 working days.
6. Exclusions
- Force majeure (including utility failures, natural events, civil unrest).
- Third-party vendor outages outside BUE’s reasonable control.
- Issues caused by user error, unsupported configurations, or breach of the Acceptable Use Policy.
- Pre-announced maintenance windows.
7. Reporting & review
SLA performance is reviewed monthly by the IT Service Management Office and reported to departmental owners. This SLA is reviewed at least annually.