SLA & Guarantees

Our commitment to reliability, performance, and support excellence

Service Level Agreement Overview

In the mission-critical world of media delivery, reliability and performance aren't optional—they're essential to your business success. NebulaEdgeStream's Service Level Agreements (SLAs) provide concrete, measurable commitments that ensure our infrastructure meets the exacting standards required by professional broadcasters and publishers.

Our SLAs are designed specifically for the unique challenges of streaming media delivery, with metrics that directly impact viewer experience and content monetization. Unlike generic infrastructure providers, our guarantees focus on the metrics that matter most for streaming: availability across the entire delivery chain, performance at scale, end-to-end latency, and rapid expert support during critical events.

This page outlines our standard SLA framework, which serves as the foundation for client-specific agreements. While the exact values may be customized based on your specific requirements and service tier, the structure and measurement methodologies remain consistent, providing transparency and accountability.

All SLA metrics are continuously monitored through our comprehensive observability platform, with detailed reporting available through the NebulaEdgeStream dashboard. This allows you to verify our performance against commitments in real-time and access historical compliance data for your records.

Note: The specific SLA values presented on this page are representative examples. Final SLA terms, including specific metrics, measurement methodologies, and remedies, are documented in your service contract. Please contact your account representative to discuss custom SLA requirements for your specific use cases.

Uptime & Availability

Our availability guarantees cover both the control plane (management interfaces and APIs) and the data plane (actual content delivery infrastructure), with distinct SLAs for each component.

Control Plane Availability

99.95%

The control plane includes all management interfaces, APIs, and configuration systems that allow you to manage your streaming infrastructure. This SLA covers the availability of:

  • Management dashboard and user interface
  • Configuration APIs for stream management
  • Analytics dashboards and reporting interfaces
  • Account and billing management systems

Measurement is based on 5-minute intervals, with an interval considered unavailable if more than 1% of properly formatted API requests fail with server-side errors or time out. Availability percentage is calculated monthly as:

(Total Minutes - Unavailable Minutes) / Total Minutes × 100

Scheduled maintenance windows, announced at least 7 days in advance and performed during off-peak hours, are excluded from this calculation. Emergency maintenance required for security patches may be performed with shorter notice but is still excluded from SLA calculations.

Edge Delivery Availability

99.99%

Our edge delivery infrastructure, responsible for serving content to end users, maintains a higher availability standard given its direct impact on viewer experience. This SLA covers:

  • Edge caching and content delivery
  • Manifest generation and segment delivery
  • Global request routing and load balancing
  • DRM license delivery (if applicable)

Availability is measured independently across multiple geographic regions, with regional metrics aggregated for global availability calculations. An edge point is considered unavailable if more than 5% of properly formatted content requests fail with server errors or exceed 3× the baseline response time.

For live streaming workloads, additional measurements track the continuous availability of the ingest-to-delivery pipeline, with specific metrics for segment propagation success rates and manifest update reliability.

Origin and Transcoding Availability

99.95%

The origin and transcoding infrastructure processes incoming content streams, generating the multiple renditions required for adaptive bitrate delivery. This SLA covers:

  • Stream ingest endpoints (RTMP, SRT, WebRTC)
  • Transcoding pipeline and profile generation
  • Packaging services (HLS/DASH/CMAF)
  • Origin storage and retrieval systems

For live streaming, availability is measured based on successful ingest sessions and transcoding operations. For VOD content, availability is measured based on successful transcoding job completions and origin serving performance.

Our architecture includes automatic failover mechanisms that maintain availability even during partial infrastructure failures, with seamless transitions between redundant components to prevent viewer impact.

Exclusions: Events outside our reasonable control, including third-party network issues, client-side configuration errors, or force majeure events, are excluded from SLA calculations. Additionally, availability impact limited to specific geographic regions representing less than 5% of your traffic may be excluded from global availability calculations, though regional SLAs would still apply.

Delivery & Performance Guarantees

Beyond basic availability, our SLAs include specific performance guarantees that ensure content is not just delivered, but delivered with the quality and efficiency required for professional streaming operations.

Cache Hit Ratio

≥ 95%

Cache hit ratio measures the percentage of content requests served directly from edge cache rather than requiring origin fetches. A high cache hit ratio ensures efficient delivery and minimizes origin load.

This SLA applies to cacheable content (segments, manifests, and static assets) after an initial warm-up period of 30 minutes following content publication. The guarantee excludes uncacheable content (such as personalized manifests) and applies to the global average across all edge locations.

For live streaming, we guarantee a minimum cache hit ratio of 95% for segment requests after the initial segment propagation. For VOD content, we guarantee a minimum cache hit ratio of 97% for established content (content available for more than 24 hours) with more than 100 views.

Our intelligent cache prefetching and content distribution algorithms automatically optimize cache placement based on viewing patterns, ensuring efficient delivery even for long-tail content.

Time to First Byte (TTFB)

≤ 100ms

Time to First Byte measures the duration between a viewer's request for content and the receipt of the first byte of the response. This metric directly impacts startup times and seeking performance within video players.

Our SLA guarantees that the median TTFB for cached content (measured at the edge server) will not exceed 100ms, with 95th percentile performance not exceeding 200ms. These measurements exclude network transit time between our edge servers and end users, as this component is outside our direct control.

For origin fetches (cache misses), we guarantee a median TTFB not exceeding 300ms, with 95th percentile performance not exceeding 500ms. These guarantees apply globally across all edge locations, with region-specific guarantees available for premium service tiers.

TTFB measurements are collected continuously from all edge locations, with performance reported in 5-minute intervals through our analytics dashboard. This allows you to monitor delivery performance in real-time and identify any regional variations.

Transcoding Success Rate

≥ 99.9%

For content requiring transcoding (both live and VOD), we guarantee a transcoding success rate of at least 99.9% for properly formatted source content that meets our published specifications.

This guarantee covers the complete transcoding pipeline, including:

  • Successful ingest of source content
  • Generation of all specified renditions
  • Proper packaging in requested formats
  • Delivery of complete, playable output

For live transcoding, success rate is measured as the percentage of 10-second intervals during which all specified renditions are successfully generated and packaged. For VOD transcoding, success rate is measured as the percentage of transcoding jobs that complete successfully without requiring retry attempts.

This guarantee excludes failures caused by malformed source content, content that violates our published specifications, or issues with third-party systems outside our control.

Throughput Capacity

Guaranteed

Each service tier includes guaranteed throughput capacity for both ingest and delivery, ensuring that your infrastructure can scale to meet demand without performance degradation.

Your specific contract will include guaranteed minimums for:

  • Maximum concurrent ingest streams
  • Maximum ingest bitrate per stream
  • Aggregate transcoding capacity (Mbps)
  • Maximum concurrent viewers
  • Peak egress capacity (Gbps)

Our platform includes automatic scaling capabilities that provision additional capacity during traffic spikes, with burst capacity available beyond your guaranteed minimums (subject to fair use policies detailed in your contract).

For scheduled high-traffic events, we offer capacity reservation options that guarantee additional resources beyond your standard allocation, ensuring smooth delivery even during exceptional peak loads.

Latency Guarantees

For live streaming applications, end-to-end latency is a critical performance metric that impacts viewer experience, especially for interactive or time-sensitive content. Our latency guarantees provide assurance that your content will be delivered within specific time parameters, depending on your configuration and requirements.

Delivery Configuration Guaranteed Latency Range Measurement Point
WebRTC Direct 500-800ms Ingest to playback
CMAF Low-Latency Chunked 1-3 seconds Ingest to playback
Optimized HLS/DASH (2s segments) 3-5 seconds Ingest to playback
Standard HLS/DASH (4-6s segments) 6-10 seconds Ingest to playback

Latency is measured as the time interval between content arriving at our ingest point and the same content being displayed on reference player implementations. Measurements account for the complete delivery pipeline, including:

  • Ingest processing time
  • Transcoding and packaging delay
  • CDN propagation time
  • Player buffer requirements

It's important to note that actual end-user latency may vary based on factors outside our control, including:

  • Viewer's network conditions and geographic location
  • Device capabilities and performance
  • Custom player implementations and buffer settings
  • Last-mile network congestion

Our latency guarantees assume proper configuration following our best practice guidelines, including recommended player settings and buffer configurations. Deviations from these recommendations may result in increased latency not covered by these guarantees.

Latency Optimization Consulting

For use cases with stringent latency requirements, our solutions engineering team provides specialized consulting to optimize your complete workflow for minimum delay. This service includes:

  • End-to-end latency analysis of your production workflow
  • Custom configuration recommendations for your specific requirements
  • Player integration guidance for optimal latency performance
  • Tailored SLAs based on your optimized configuration

Support & Response Times

When issues arise with streaming infrastructure, rapid expert response is essential to minimize impact. Our support SLAs guarantee timely assistance from qualified technical personnel who understand the unique challenges of streaming media delivery.

Incident Response Times

We categorize support incidents by severity level, with guaranteed initial response times for each level:

Severity Definition Response Time Update Frequency
P1 (Critical) Service unavailable or severely degraded for multiple viewers, impacting core delivery functionality 15 minutes Every 30 minutes
P2 (High) Partial service degradation affecting specific features or limited viewer segments 1 hour Every 2 hours
P3 (Medium) Non-critical issues that impact functionality but have workarounds available 4 hours Daily
P4 (Low) General questions, feature requests, or minor issues with minimal impact 1 business day As appropriate

Response times are measured from the moment an incident is reported through our support channels (portal, email, or phone) until a qualified technical resource acknowledges the issue and begins investigation.

For P1 and P2 incidents, our support team will work continuously until resolution or mitigation is achieved. Update frequency indicates how often you'll receive status updates during ongoing incidents.

Support Availability

Our standard support tier provides:

  • 24/7 coverage for P1 incidents
  • Extended business hours (8 AM - 8 PM in your primary time zone) for P2 incidents
  • Standard business hours (9 AM - 5 PM in your primary time zone) for P3 and P4 incidents

Premium support tiers (available as add-ons) provide enhanced coverage:

  • 24/7 coverage for P1 and P2 incidents
  • Extended business hours for P3 incidents
  • Dedicated technical account manager
  • Proactive monitoring and incident detection
  • Scheduled health checks and optimization reviews

For mission-critical events (such as major live broadcasts), we offer Event Support packages that include:

  • Pre-event technical readiness review
  • Dedicated support team during the event
  • Real-time monitoring and proactive issue resolution
  • Post-event analysis and optimization recommendations

Escalation Procedures

Our support process includes defined escalation paths to ensure that complex or high-impact issues receive appropriate attention from senior technical resources and management.

Standard escalation triggers include:

  • P1 incidents exceeding 1 hour without mitigation
  • P2 incidents exceeding 4 hours without resolution path
  • Any incident where progress stalls or communication gaps occur
  • Client-requested escalations for business-critical situations

Your contract includes contact information for escalation paths, including senior support leadership, engineering management, and executive escalation contacts for severe situations.

Monitoring & Reporting

Transparent performance reporting is essential for verifying SLA compliance and optimizing your streaming operations. Our monitoring and reporting systems provide comprehensive visibility into all aspects of your infrastructure performance.

Real-time Dashboards

Our management portal includes real-time dashboards showing current performance against all SLA metrics. These dashboards update every 30 seconds, providing immediate visibility into:

  • Service availability across all components
  • Delivery performance metrics by region
  • Current viewer counts and distribution
  • Cache hit ratios and origin load
  • Live stream health and latency measurements

Custom dashboard views can be created to focus on specific metrics relevant to your operations, with configurable alerts for threshold violations.

Periodic Reports

In addition to real-time monitoring, we provide detailed periodic reports documenting performance against all SLA metrics:

  • Daily operational summaries
  • Weekly performance trend reports
  • Monthly SLA compliance statements
  • Quarterly business reviews (for enterprise clients)

These reports include detailed analysis of any SLA violations, including root cause identification, remediation actions taken, and preventive measures implemented to avoid recurrence.

All reports are available in both human-readable formats and machine-processable data for integration with your own reporting systems.

Proactive Alerts

Our monitoring system continuously evaluates performance against SLA thresholds and provides proactive notifications when metrics approach or exceed defined limits:

  • Early warning alerts when metrics approach SLA thresholds
  • Immediate notifications for SLA violations
  • Automated escalation for persistent or severe issues
  • Resolution notifications when issues are mitigated

Alert delivery can be configured to match your operational procedures, with options for email, SMS, webhook integration with incident management systems, and API-based notification for custom integrations.

API Access

For clients who prefer to integrate performance data with their own monitoring systems, we provide comprehensive API access to all SLA metrics:

  • RESTful API with JSON response format
  • Real-time data streams via WebSocket
  • Historical data access with flexible query parameters
  • Aggregation options for high-level or detailed views

Our API documentation includes example integrations with popular monitoring platforms, making it straightforward to incorporate NebulaEdgeStream metrics into your existing operational dashboards.

Security & Compliance Guarantees

Beyond operational performance, we provide specific guarantees regarding the security and compliance aspects of our infrastructure.

Infrastructure Security

We guarantee that all infrastructure components are maintained with current security patches, with critical vulnerabilities addressed within 24 hours of publication. Our security monitoring systems provide continuous threat detection, with anomaly investigation initiated within 15 minutes of detection.

Transport Security

All content delivery uses modern TLS protocols (minimum TLS 1.2) with strong cipher suites. Certificate rotation is performed automatically, with guaranteed zero downtime during renewals. For tokenized URL protection, we guarantee token validation latency not exceeding 5ms at the edge.

Access Controls

Our management interfaces enforce strict access controls, including multi-factor authentication, role-based permissions, and comprehensive audit logging. We guarantee that all access events are logged with tamper-evident mechanisms and retained for a minimum of 90 days.

Compliance Documentation

For clients with specific compliance requirements, we provide attestation documentation and certification evidence within 5 business days of request. This includes SOC 2 reports, penetration testing results, and infrastructure compliance documentation.

SLA Credits & Remedies

In the event of SLA violations, we provide service credits according to the following structure. Credits are automatically calculated and applied to your account, with notification provided through the management portal.

SLA Component Violation Severity Credit Percentage
Availability Minor (99.9% - 99.95%) 5% of monthly fee
Moderate (99.5% - 99.9%) 10% of monthly fee
Severe (< 99.5%) 25% of monthly fee
Performance Minor (< 10% deviation) 5% of monthly fee
Significant (≥ 10% deviation) 10% of monthly fee
Support Response Minor (< 2× guaranteed time) 5% of monthly fee
Significant (≥ 2× guaranteed time) 10% of monthly fee

Credits are calculated based on the affected service component and applied to the following month's invoice. Multiple violations during a single billing period are cumulative, up to a maximum of 30% of the monthly service fee.

To claim SLA credits, you must submit a request through the management portal within 30 days of the violation, including:

  • Date and time of the incident
  • Affected service components
  • Impact description and duration
  • Any relevant logs or evidence

Our SLA monitoring systems automatically detect most violations and apply credits without requiring manual claims. However, the claim process ensures you can report any violations that may not have been automatically detected.

Note: For mission-critical live events with custom event support packages, enhanced remedies may apply as specified in your event contract. These typically include higher credit percentages and additional compensation mechanisms for severe disruptions.

Discuss Your Specific SLA Requirements

Our standard SLAs can be customized to meet your specific operational needs. Contact our team to discuss tailored guarantees for your unique use cases.

Contact Our Team