slo-sli-definition

To define SLIs and SLOs for user journeys, you specify SLI dimensions like availability and latency for each journey, set internal SLO targets tighter than external SLAs, and calculate error budgets to wire policy-driven actions like freezes.

When establishing SLIs for a user journey, you should track availability, latency, correctness, freshness, and durability. These dimensions form the baseline indicators required to measure reliability targets effectively across critical service paths.

You calculate error budgets by establishing internal SLO targets and measurement windows for your service. Once the budget is computed, you configure burn-rate alerts and wire operational policies for actions like freezes or relaxations based on the remaining budget state.

Setting up reliability targets requires explicit inputs for the Service and the Critical user-journeys. You must also provide SLI formulas, define measurement windows, and establish a data source plan to accurately compute error budgets and review cycles.

Internal SLO targets should always be set tighter than external SLAs to create a safety buffer. This measured budget gap allows teams to trigger burn-rate alerts and execute policy-driven actions like deployment freezes before external commitments are breached.

You maintain operational cadence for reliability targets by establishing measurement windows, defining data sources, and setting review cycles. This ongoing process ensures SLOs and error budgets remain accurate and policy-driven actions stay effective.