This Policy defines reusable support and operational-service rules for Observata Services. It applies only where an Order Form, Service Agreement or Service Description expressly incorporates it, and only to the Support Profile and coverage stated there. It does not by itself create 24/7 support, incident-response, managed-service or security-operations obligations.
Support and operational services policy
Version 2.0 | Document Effective Date 24 March 2025
1 Scope and application
1.1 Application. This Policy applies only to Services for which it is expressly incorporated. Its incorporation does not expand the ordered Service beyond the applicable Order Form, Service Agreement or Service Description.
1.2 Support entitlement. Customer is entitled only to the Support Profile, coverage window, channels and response commitments expressly identified for the ordered Service. If no Support Profile is identified, this Policy does not create an incident-response entitlement.
1.3 Functional precedence. The Governing Agreement controls general legal matters; the Order Form controls transaction-specific commercial terms and expressly stated coverage; the applicable Service Agreement controls service-family mechanics; the Service Description controls standard service content; and this Policy controls reusable support and operational-support mechanics. An Express Override must follow the Governing Agreement.
1.4 Version governance. The applicable version of this Policy is determined under the Governing Agreement. A later version does not otherwise replace the version applicable during an active fixed term.
2 Definitions
2.1 Business Hours. 08:00–18:00 CET/CEST, Monday to Friday, excluding Swedish public holidays, unless the Order Form or applicable Service Description identifies a different Customer Site, time zone or coverage window.
2.2 Coverage Window. The hours during which the applicable Support Profile is active.
2.3 Incident. An unplanned event within the ordered scope that materially impairs the availability, performance or operation of a supported Service.
2.4 Initial Response. Acknowledgement of a properly logged Support Request, assignment or engagement of an appropriate resource, and commencement of reasonable triage. It is not a commitment to restore or permanently resolve the issue within that period.
2.5 Support Profile. The support level identified in the Order Form or applicable Service Description.
2.6 Support Request. A request submitted through an approved support channel concerning a supported Service.
2.7 Third-Party Service. Has the meaning given in the Governing Agreement and includes relevant software, cloud, infrastructure and other provider dependencies.
3 Support Profiles
3.1 Profile selection. The applicable Support Profile must be identified in the Order Form or Service Description. A Service may use a different profile from another Service under the same Customer relationship.
3.2 Advisory Only. Provides advisory and coordination activities stated in the ordered Service. It includes no incident-response target, guaranteed availability or out-of-hours coverage.
3.3 Business Hours Support. Provides incident-based technical support during Business Hours. Target Initial Response is one Business Hour for Severity 1, four Business Hours for Severity 2 and one Business Day for Severity 3.
3.4 Extended Hours Support. Provides support during the extended Coverage Window stated in the Order Form. Unless that Order Form states different response targets, the Business Hours Support targets apply and are measured only during the stated Coverage Window.
3.5 24/7 Critical Incident Support. Provides 24/7 coverage for Severity 1 incidents with a one-hour Target Initial Response. Severity 2 and Severity 3 remain subject to Business Hours Support unless the Order Form expressly extends their coverage.
3.6 Managed or operated services. Where an operated or managed Service requires different coverage, monitoring, on-call duties or response targets, those commitments must be stated in the applicable Service Agreement, Service Description or Order Form. This Policy does not create them by implication.
4 Service hours and coverage
4.1 Standard service hours. Unless otherwise stated in the Order Form or applicable Service Description, Observata Services to which this Policy applies are delivered during Business Hours.
4.2 Out-of-hours coverage. Work outside Business Hours is provided only where the applicable Support Profile, Order Form or Service Description expressly provides it.
4.3 Scheduled maintenance. Planned maintenance that may materially affect a Service will be notified where reasonably practicable. Maintenance performed by a Third-Party Service is subject to the relevant provider's processes and notice.
4.4 Emergency maintenance. Observata may perform or coordinate urgent maintenance where reasonably necessary to protect security, stability or service continuity. Observata will provide notice where practicable.
5 Support request intake
5.1 Approved channels. Support Requests must be submitted through the support portal, service desk, support email or another channel designated by Observata for the relevant Service. Informal messages to individual personnel do not start a response clock unless Observata confirms that the request has been logged.
5.2 Required information. Customer must provide sufficient information to identify the affected Service, impact, symptoms, relevant changes, available logs or evidence, contact details and any access reasonably required for triage.
5.3 Response clock. A Target Initial Response begins when Observata receives a properly logged Support Request containing enough information for reasonable triage and during a Coverage Window applicable to that severity.
5.4 Customer or third-party delay. The response or restoration clock is paused to the extent Observata is reasonably waiting for Customer information, access, approval, action or a Third-Party Service dependency outside Observata's control.
5.5 Duplicates and known issues. Observata may associate duplicate Support Requests with an existing Incident or known problem and manage them through the same investigation, workaround or resolution process.
6 Severity and response targets
6.1 Severity classification. Severity reflects actual business and service impact, not the title or urgency assigned by the requester. Observata may validate and reasonably reclassify severity after consultation with Customer.
| Severity | Impact | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Critical ≈ 1 business hour | Production service unavailable or materially impaired with no reasonable workaround. | Outage; critical processing failure; material loss of essential service function. |
| 2 Significant ≈ 4 business hours | Material degradation with service still materially available or a reasonable workaround exists. | Reduced performance; delayed processing; material partial loss. |
| 3 Standard ≈ 1 business day | Non-critical impairment, request or service inquiry. | Configuration question; minor issue; non-production request. |
6.2 No resolution guarantee. Response targets apply to Initial Response only. Workaround, restoration and permanent resolution depend on the nature of the issue, Customer cooperation, technical complexity and Third-Party Service dependencies.
6.3 Service restoration. Observata may prioritise safe service restoration or a reasonable workaround before permanent remediation. Restoration does not necessarily constitute permanent resolution.
7 Incident handling and escalation
7.1 Triage and coordination. Observata will use commercially reasonable efforts to investigate supported Incidents, identify reasonable next actions and coordinate relevant Observata resources or Third-Party Service escalations.
7.2 Critical communications. For an active Severity 1 Incident within applicable coverage, Observata will provide status updates at intervals reasonably appropriate to the Incident. A fixed update cadence applies only if expressly stated in the ordered Service.
7.3 Escalation. Observata may escalate internally or to an applicable Third-Party Service where reasonably required. Customer will maintain any vendor entitlement, licence or authorisation required for such escalation unless the ordered Service states otherwise.
7.4 Closure. An Incident may be closed when service is restored, a reasonable workaround or resolution has been provided, the issue is outside the ordered scope, or Customer does not provide information or action reasonably required to continue investigation after reasonable follow-up.
8 Operational support and Service Advisor
8.1 Operational support. Where included in the ordered Service, Operational Support may include service-health review, lifecycle planning, configuration or performance advisory, agreed service-level review, vendor coordination and structured service reviews.
8.2 Service Advisor. Where included, a Service Advisor may coordinate support and operational activities, facilitate service reviews, review priorities, support lifecycle planning, coordinate vendor escalations and support continuous improvement.
8.3 No transferred authority. Operational Support and Service Advisor activities do not transfer Customer's operational, security or decision-making authority to Observata unless the ordered Service expressly assigns that responsibility.
9 Customer responsibilities
9.1 Cooperation. Customer will provide timely and accurate information, access, logs, approvals, contacts and reasonable cooperation required for support.
9.2 Supported configuration. Customer will maintain supported software versions, licences, entitlements and configurations required for the ordered Service unless Observata has expressly assumed that responsibility.
9.3 Authorised contacts. Customer will designate personnel authorised to submit requests, approve access, make operational decisions and receive support communications.
9.4 Customer control. Customer remains responsible for its applications, infrastructure, data, security decisions and internal operational processes except to the extent an ordered managed or operated Service expressly assigns responsibility to Observata.
10 Third-party dependencies and lifecycle
10.1 Provider dependencies. Where a Service depends on a Third-Party Service, its release schedules, maintenance, lifecycle, product behaviour, availability and vendor response remain subject to that provider. Observata remains responsible for its own expressly agreed Services.
10.2 Vendor support. Customer will maintain applicable vendor support or licence entitlements where required for Observata to obtain vendor assistance, unless Observata expressly supplies those entitlements.
10.3 Lifecycle. Support may require a version, configuration or platform that remains supported by the relevant provider and by Observata. Observata may require a reasonable upgrade or remediation to preserve support eligibility.
10.4 End of support. If a provider ends support for a material dependency, the parties will reasonably cooperate on upgrade, replacement or transition options. Any material change in scope or cost requires the applicable commercial process.
11 Exclusions and boundaries
11.1 Out-of-scope systems. This Policy does not require Observata to support products, environments, integrations or services outside the ordered scope.
11.2 Unsupported changes. Support may be limited where an issue results from unsupported versions, unauthorised or unapproved changes, Customer-controlled infrastructure outside agreed scope, or use materially inconsistent with agreed documentation or architecture.
11.3 Customer-caused conditions. Observata is not responsible for delay or failure caused by Customer's failure to meet its responsibilities, but will reasonably assist where the parties agree the required scope and commercial treatment.
11.4 Security operations boundary. Technical support does not by itself include continuous security monitoring, SOC or MDR services, threat hunting, containment authority, forensic investigation, legal incident assessment or management of Personal Data Breaches. Such responsibilities apply only where expressly ordered.
11.5 Data protection boundary. A Personal Data Breach is governed by the applicable DPA. This Policy does not replace or expand data-protection notification obligations.
12 Policy governance
12.1 No expansion of liability. This Policy does not create a separate liability, warranty, indemnity, data-protection or termination regime. Those matters remain governed by the applicable Governing Agreement and DPA.
12.2 Published version. This Policy is a version-controlled Core Legal Terms document published at https://observata.com/legal/core/. Previous versions should remain retrievable for Customers whose active terms continue to use them.
12.3 Updates. Observata may publish updated versions of this Policy. The version applicable to an Order or Renewal Term is determined under the Governing Agreement; a later version does not otherwise replace the version applicable during an active fixed term.