Summary: Software needs ongoing care. Here's what a maintenance agreement should include and how SLAs work.
Launching software is a milestone, not the finish line. Maintenance keeps it secure, reliable and improving.
What maintenance covers
- Bug fixes
- Security patches and dependency updates
- Infrastructure monitoring
- Performance improvements
- Small enhancements
- Documentation updates
Service level agreements (SLAs)
An SLA defines response and resolution targets by severity:
| Severity | Example | Typical response |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | System down | Fastest response |
| High | Major feature broken | Same business day |
| Medium | Minor feature issue | Within a few days |
| Low | Cosmetic issue | Scheduled release |
Exact targets should be agreed in your contract.
Planning enhancements
Reserve a monthly allowance of hours for improvements, and review the roadmap quarterly.
FAQs
Can you maintain software built by another company?
Yes, after a code and infrastructure review.
How much does maintenance cost?
Usually a monthly retainer sized to the system's complexity and support needs.
Is monitoring included?
It should be — uptime, error tracking and alerts.
