SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT (SLA)

I. OVERVIEW

This Service Level Agreement ("SLA") defines the service levels that Black Castle LLC ("Provider") commits to deliver for managed IT services. This SLA applies to all clients with active service agreements and is incorporated by reference into the Master Services Agreement.

II. SUPPORT HOURS

Business Hours Support Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays and any pre-communicated company breaks.

After-Hours Support All hours not classified under Business Hours Support; provided for critical issues only.

III. SERVICE REQUEST SUBMISSION

All incidents and requests must be submitted through Provider's ticketing system.
Provider ensures the ticketing system is accessible for all necessary client contacts.
Alternative submission methods (phone, email) are accepted and will be entered into the ticketing system by Provider staff.

IV. INCIDENT CLASSIFICATION

Critical Incidents

Definition: Issues significantly impacting business operations or security.
Examples: Network outages, server failures, confirmed security breaches, data loss requiring immediate action.
First Response: within 2 hours during Business Hours Support; within next Business Day for After-Hours Support.
Resolution Target: within 4 hours of first occurrence, but will vary with complexity of issues.

Non-Critical Incidents

Definition: Issues affecting individual users or with minimal business impact
Examples: Single workstation issues, email problems, password resets
First Response: within 4 hours during Business Hours Support; within next Business Day for After-Hours Support
Resolution Target: within 48 hours for all incidents

V. GUARANTEED RESPONSE AND RESOLUTION TIMES

VI. SERVICE AVAILABILITY AND CREDITS

Provider guarantees the following monthly availability targets and corresponding service credits for the specific incident ticket where the SLA was not met:

95% and above uptime: 0% credit
Below 95% uptime: 5% credit
Below 90% uptime: 10% credit

Credits apply only to the fees associated with that specific incident ticket.

VII. REPORTING

Monthly Reports: Service request summary and resolution statistics; system performance metrics.
Quarterly Reviews: Review SLA performance; strategic IT planning.
Incident Updates: Initial response as per SLA; status updates every 4 hours for critical incidents.

VIII. EXCLUSIONS

This SLA does not apply to:

Issues caused by client actions or negligence
Third-party service outages beyond Provider's control
Hardware failures under manufacturer warranty
Internet service provider outages
Client-managed systems or software

IX. SLA MODIFICATIONS

Provider may update this SLA with thirty (30) days written notice to clients. Updated versions will be posted at https://blackcastleit.com/sla/

X. CONTACT INFORMATION

Support:

Email: support@blackcastleit.com
Phone: 919-999-8003 ext.1
Ticketing System: https://blackcastleit.superops.ai/

This Service Level Agreement is effective as of 9/1/2025 and governs all managed services provided under active service agreements unless stated otherwise.