uptime percentage
Definition
Uptime percentage is the measure of how often a service, website, or piece of software is actually working and available to users over a given period of time. A vendor who promises 99.9% uptime is promising that their system will be down for no more than about 8.7 hours per year. You will typically see this guarantee written into technology contracts as part of a Service Level Agreement.
Example
Your website hosting company promises 99.9% uptime in your contract, but their servers go down repeatedly and you calculate they only delivered 97% uptime, meaning your site was unavailable for over 10 extra hours that year.
Watch Out
Always check what compensation the vendor owes you if they miss their uptime promise, because many contracts offer only small service credits rather than the right to cancel or collect real damages.
See which terms appear in your contract?
This definition is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with a licensed attorney for legal guidance.