Service-Level Objectives
A Foundational Framework for Business Reliability
Master the art of balancing innovation with reliability through data-driven SLOs, error budgets, and strategic service management.
Understanding SLIs, SLOs, and SLAs
These three foundational concepts form the reliability framework. Click on each concept to learn more.
Service-Level Indicator (SLI)
Quantitative measures of service performance
What it measures:
- Availability: Proportion of successful requests
- Latency: Response time in milliseconds
- Throughput: Requests per second
- Error Rate: Failed requests percentage
Service-Level Objective (SLO)
Internal targets for service performance
Key characteristics:
- Internal performance targets
- Based on user needs and business goals
- Realistic and achievable
- Triggers internal responses when breached
Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
Legal contracts with customers
Key characteristics:
- Legal contract with customers
- Financial penalties for violations
- External-facing commitments
- Usually less strict than internal SLOs
Quick Comparison
| Concept | Purpose | Audience | Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLI | Measure performance | Engineering teams | None |
| SLO | Set internal targets | Internal teams | Triggers internal actions |
| SLA | Legal commitments | External customers | Financial penalties |
SLO & Error Budget Calculator
Calculate the real-world implications of your SLO targets and understand your error budget.
Configure Your SLO
Results
Error Budget Visualization
SLO Target Comparison
Real-World Case Studies
Explore how different companies would approach SLOs based on their business models.
Spotify: The Experience Engine
Seamless, personalized music streaming experience
Critical User Journeys
Music Discovery
Personalized playlists and recommendations
Streaming
Uninterrupted music and podcast playback
Account Management
Profile access and subscription management
Likely SLOs
Uber: Reliability as a Mission
"Transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere, for everyone"
Mission-Critical Services
Ride Matching
Connect riders with drivers instantly
Payment Processing
Secure and reliable transactions
Real-time Tracking
Live location and ETA updates
Likely SLOs
Etsy: The Trust-Based Marketplace
Secure marketplace for individual sellers and buyers
Trust-Critical Functions
Product Search
Accurate and relevant search results
Checkout Process
Secure and reliable transactions
Security
Protect seller and buyer data
Likely SLOs
Error Budget Policy Simulator
Simulate how different incidents and policies affect your error budget.