Managed IT
What "24/7 monitoring" really means: response time vs resolution time
What does "24/7" actually promise, and what does it not? The difference between monitoring, response time and resolution time, the questions to ask any IT provider, and how to read an SLA critically.
In this article
"24/7 monitoring" usually means servers and network are watched automatically around the clock. It does not mean every problem gets fixed at night. At ONYX, 24/7 refers to automated monitoring, while the support team works during business hours. Below we explain why that difference matters and what to ask before buying any IT service.
What monitoring is, and what it is not
Monitoring is software. It checks the state of a server, a network device or a service all the time and sends an alert when something drifts outside normal. In other words, it sees the problem, but it does not always fix it.
Monitoring is not magic. A well-configured system can spot an issue before you do, but someone still has to read the alert and act on it. If nobody reads the alerts, monitoring is worth very little.
What is response time?
Response time is the gap between a request arriving and work starting on it. It is not the moment the request is solved, but the moment someone begins dealing with it.
This is often confused. A promise of "fast response" does not mean the problem will be fixed fast. The engineer has picked up the request and started, but finding and fixing the root cause is a separate stretch of time.
What is resolution time?
Resolution time is the time until the problem is completely gone. It depends on how complex the issue is, which equipment is needed and whether a third party (an ISP, a manufacturer) is involved, so it is much harder to predict.
If a contract talks only about response, it says nothing about when the problem will be over. Look at what is written about resolution, or why nothing is written.
The short version: response time means "someone has started looking at it". Resolution time means "the problem is gone". They are two different measurements.
Business hours and after hours at ONYX
The support team works during these hours, Baku time:
- Monday to Friday: 09:00 - 18:00
- Saturday: 09:00 - 14:00
The 24/7 part is the automated monitoring of servers and network. An after-hours urgent line exists only in the highest package, Managed+.
Priorities: P1, P2, P3
Not every request is equally important, so requests are sorted by priority: P1 is critical, while P2 and P3 are less urgent. Think of the difference between an office that cannot work and a printer that prints the wrong shade. Prioritisation lets the team put its effort on the most important work first.
Your part is simple: describe the impact clearly in the request (how many people cannot work, which service is down) so the right priority is set.
Questions to ask any IT provider
- What exactly is monitored? Only servers? Network devices? Workstations? The word "monitoring" does not cover everything.
- Who receives the alert? A named person, a team, or just a mailbox?
- What happens after hours? Does anyone act on an alert, is there an urgent line, and in which package?
- What is measured? First response or resolution? Are both reported separately?
- What is excluded? Are ISP outages, waiting on a manufacturer and planned work taken out of the calculation?
How to read an SLA critically
- Do not stop at one number. Look for the gap between response and resolution.
- Check the clock. Do the promises apply to business hours or around the clock?
- Read the exclusions. The most telling information usually sits in the small print.
- Do not confuse monitoring with an uptime guarantee. Monitoring is watching; a guarantee is a separate commitment.
Related information
Frequently asked questions
Does "24/7 monitoring" mean problems are fixed at night?
No. Monitoring detects a problem and sends an alert, while fixing it is a separate process. At ONYX, 24/7 refers to automated monitoring of servers and network; an after-hours urgent line exists only in the highest package, Managed+.
What is the difference between response time and resolution time?
Response time is the moment work starts on a request. Resolution time is the moment the problem is completely gone. The first does not guarantee the second.
What are ONYX support hours?
Baku time: Monday to Friday 09:00 - 18:00, Saturday 09:00 - 14:00.
What do P1, P2 and P3 mean?
They are request priorities: P1 is for critical problems, while P2 and P3 cover less urgent requests. The aim is to direct effort to the most important work first.
Let us clarify the support terms together
Ask us what is monitored, who is alerted and what happens after hours. Contact us, or read about our IT support service and the virtual IT department.