Server Management Agreement

Introduction
This Management and Service Level Agreement is applicable for all our dedicated servers, VPS and Cloud server customers.
Purpose
We recognise that there is not a one size fits all when it comes to server management and as a result we have designed our management agreement around the most common usage scenarios where a control panel such as cPanel or Plesk is installed, this includes:

• Single server or small multi server environments (example: Web server and database server)
• Web hosting
• Email hosting
• Database hosting (Example: MySQL, MSSQL)
• DNS services
• Control panel management (Plesk or cPanel)

This agreement is not designed for complex environments, this includes but is not limited to:

• VOIP solutions
• VDI environments
• Private Cloud
• Server Replication
• Geographical redundancy.

We offer bespoke management agreements for complex solutions, please contact our sales team for more information. You can of course run these services self-managed

Management Scope
Server management is provided in both a reactive (where you contact us) and pro-active (where we act based on monitoring), the following covers the scope of support and how our support team will react.

Item	Scope	Reaction Type
Infrastructure	Infrastructure is everything peripheral to your server, this includes power (Mains power, UPS system, backup generators), cooling, network routing and data center security.	Pro-active
Hardware (Dedicated Servers Only)	Failure of physical server hardware i.e. PSU, motherboard, CPU, memory excluding disks.	Pro-active (Subject to monitoring)
Disks (Dedicated Servers Only)	Failure or predicated failure of any physical disk.	Pro-active (Subject to monitoring)
Network	Loss of network connectivity.	Pro-active (Subject to monitoring)
Server Monitoring	Monitoring of Network connection (Ping), Dedicated servers: CPU, RAM and disk space usage.	Managed Servers - Pro-active Self-managed servers - Reactive (Subject to monitoring)
Server Setup	Initial configuration of your pre-installed server software including HTTP/2 server configuration, DNS configuration, and SSL installation if requested.	Reactive
Critical Security Patches	Security patches where there is a known critical vulnerability, a high chance of exploitation and where mitigation is not available. Applies to pre-installed software only.	Pro-active
Non-critical Security Patches	Non-critical security patches or critical patches where mitigation is in place or feature/performance enhancing patches. Applies to pre-installed software only.	Reactive
Firewall and Server hardening	Setup and configuration of security related services.	Reactive
Software Optimisation	Optimisation of pre-installed software (examples include Apache, MySQL and PHP optimisation).	Reactive
Installation of software	Installation of additional software (see installing software).	Reactive
Troubleshooting	Trouble shooting of software relating to the pre-installed software and hardware issues.	Reactive
Backup and Restoration	Backup and restoration of R1, Acronis or Veeam backups where the service has been purchased from us.	Reactive
Migration	The migration of websites from a third-party provider or from another of our own platforms. (See Migrations)	Reactive

Out of Scope
We will endeavor to provide support for most issues you may have, however, the following are considered out of scope and as such may not be resolved by our support team.

• Website development and design - including, but not limited to, updating plugins, ensuring plugins work, and changing any code
• Recovery of corrupted data
• Data recovery of content unless as part of a backup plan
• External applications such as mail clients
• Search Engine Optimisation
• Blacklisting
• Installation of software that may affect the stability or security of the server or that which conflicts with other pre-installed software
• Configuration of software to the extent that may affect the stability and/or the security of the server or that affects the normal operation of the server

If a change is made which is considered out of scope the server may be deemed self-managed (see Self-managed).

The management agreement covers only software we have pre-installed and configured, if you chose a server without a control panel only the base OS will be installed and preconfigured, any additional software you install will not be covered by this agreement.

If you are ever unsure whether a change may affect your management level please contact our support team beforehand.
Support Hours
Support is available 24x7, you can access support by either phone, live chat, or ticket (see Contacting Us).
Infrastructure
Infrastructure includes data center security, mains power, UPS systems, backup generators, HVAC (cooling) and cabling.

Infrastructure is pro-actively monitored, all critical systems have redundancy in place.
Physical Server Failure (Dedicated Servers only)
The physical failure of server hardware is rare however it can and does happen, the status of hardware is monitored and where there is a predicted failure our support team shall take pro-active action. Please note that hardware can still fail unexpectedly.
1. Hardware failure excluding disks
  In the event of the failure of a hardware component and where the component is replaceable and a replacement is readily available we aim to replace the component as quickly as possible during UK business hours.
  
  Where a component is not replaceable or spares are not available, or the failure has occurred outside of UK business hours, we will activate a replacement server of an equal or higher specification, onto which you can restore your data from backup. Where you have purchased backups from us, our support team can assist you in this process. (See Data Restoration).
2. Disk failure
  All servers are provided with disks in a fault tolerant RAID configuration that should withstand a failure of a single disk as a minimum without data loss. In most cases there should be no immediate downtime in the event of single disk failure, but the exact behaviour may vary depending on the combination of hardware and software running on the server. In cases where a single disk has failed and the RAID array is running in a degraded state, performance may be adversely affected.
  
  Servers that do not have hot swappable disks will require a short period of downtime, should you not wish replacement to be carried out immediately you may request a suitable time slot to perform the replacement.
  
  You acknowledge and understand that RAID is not a backup, RAID is provided for the sole purpose of reducing downtime in the event of a disk failure and should not be relied upon to prevent data loss.
Network
This includes switching, routers, firewalls and cabling that are within our exclusive control, it does not include the NIC cards built into dedicated servers or software firewalls installed on client’s servers.

We pro-actively monitor our network and will act in the event of a network related issues.
Server Monitoring
This is the pro-active monitoring of your server hardware (dedicated servers only), operating system and services, by default the following are monitored:

• Ping- The ability to send a ICMP packet to your server and receive a response
• CPU - CPU load
• Memory - Physical memory usage
• Diskspace - Disk space usage

Additional monitors are available and we can monitor almost any aspect of your server or solution, this typically depends on the individual usage case scenario, please contact support for more information.
Server Setup
If you require help with your initial server setup you can request this from our technical support team. This includes:

• Setting up your control panel
• Configuring DNS
• Installing you SSL certificate
• Setting up HTTP/2
Server Patching and Updates
Where possible automated patching is enabled as standard, this ensures that patches are delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible, the following patching polices apply.
1. Plesk and cPanel Patching
  Plesk and cPanel/WHM are pre-configured with automated patching enabled by default, you may override the default settings however this is not recommended, by doing so you will be required to install any patches manually via the control panel.
2. Linux OS Patching (Linux Servers Only)
  OS patches are classed as either critical or non-critical by our system admin team.
  1. Critical Security Patches
    Critical patches are those that address a serious vulnerability that has a high chance of exploitation and has none or limited mitigation against exploitation.
    
    Critical patches are applied pro-actively, in the event a patch is to be applied you will be informed via support ticket, however they may be applied without prior authorisation from the client if deemed particularly urgent.
    
    Critical patches may require a reboot.
    
    What is deemed a critical patch is at our own discretion and we make no guarantees
  2. Non-Critical Patches
    Non-critical patches are those that address a security issue that has a low risk of exploitation and/or has mitigation in place, or that is cosmetic or performance enhancing in nature
    
    You may request these patches are installed on a reactive basis by raising a ticket.
3. KernelCare (Optional)
  KernalCare is an optional service for Linux servers installed with Plesk or cPanel/WHM that allows for reboot-less kernel updates, if this option is selected auto updates will be turned on by default.
  
  You may turn off auto updates via the control panel, by doing so you will be required to install any patches manually via the control panel or by raising a support ticket on a case-by-case basis.
4. Windows OS Patching (Windows Servers Only)
  
  Windows updates require a reboot to apply, due to this, automatic updates are not enabled as standard as they can result in unexpected/extended downtime. It is the client's responsibility to ensure Windows update is run on a regular basis.
  1. Running Windows Update
    It is recommended you run Windows update at least once per month and that you run them attended rather than allowing them to be automatically applied.
    
    If you would like our team to enable automatic updates you may request this via ticket, please note that automatic windows updates are not monitored so failed updates may result in extended downtime.
    
    You may also enable automatic updates yourself, if you do this, please let us know the schedule so our monitoring team are aware.
    
    Our support team can also run windows update upon request, we will check your server boots and has network connectivity after the windows updates have installed. You are responsible for testing any applications you may run on your server to ensure they are functioning as expected after the update. To request we run windows update please raise a support ticket.
  2. Critical Security Patches
    There may be occasions where a critical patch is released that addresses a serious vulnerability that has a high chance of exploitation and has none or limited mitigation against exploitation.
    
    In those instances, we will contact you via support ticket to arrange patching of your server, however they may be also applied without prior authorisation from the client if deemed particularly urgent unless you server is self-managed.
    
    What is deemed a critical patch is at our own discretion and we make no guarantees.
5. Software Version Updates
  Minor software version updates (i.e. 2.2 to 2.3) are typically addressed by automated patching, major updates (i.e. 2.3 to 3.0) are addressed on a case-by-case basis as they may cause compatibility issues with client’s own applications. You may request a major software update in the form of a ticket. When making the request it is your responsibility to ensure any applications you run are compatible with the updated version.
  
  In some cases, particularly if the request is for a bleeding edge version, the new version may not be compatible with the installed control panel or may have security or stability issues, in those instances we will inform you and may at our own discretion reject the request.
  
  If you intend to perform a major software upgrade yourself, we recommend contacting our support team to ensure compatibility and so that the upgrade does not result in the server falling out of scope of support (see Self-managed).
6. Software Version Downgrades
  There may be instances where you are running an application that requires an older version of software than is pre-installed on your server, while we recommend clients ensure their applications are kept up to date we recognise this is not always possible.
  
  Software downgrades are judged on a case by case basis, if the version you wish to downgrade to is still supported by the vendor, and will not break existing software and is not deemed a security risk then the request will highly likely be accepted, acceptance however is solely at our own discretion. If a request is rejected you may still be given the option to have us proceed with the software installation on the basis the server is re-classed as self-managed (see Self-managed).
7. OS End of Supported Life
  All software has an end of supported life where they are no longer supported by the vendor and as a result no longer receive patches or updates, typically this means they have been superseded by a newer version of the software.
  
  Operating systems have a mainstream support period where they receive all updates and patches that is typically between 4 - 5 years, this is followed by a further extended support period of typically another 3 - 4 years where they only receive critical updates. You can find the support life cycle for your OS on the vendors website.
  
  We will support the OS until the end of its supported life however we strongly recommend clients upgrade the OS before the end of mainstream support. We will advise you a minimum of three-month prior to end of mainstream support to upgrade, in some case this can be done in place, in others you may need to migrate to a new server, we will advise you at the time of the recommended upgrade path.
  
  We recognise that some clients may still wish to run software that has reached end of life, for example if you are running a legacy application that that does not support newer software versions. While this is not recommended you may continue to do so as self-managed (See Self-managed).
Firewalls and Server Hardening
All servers include a software firewall with optional hardware firewall, if you choose a control panel then this may include additional security services such as application firewall, intrusion prevention and security policy tools.
1. Firewalls Rules
  We recognise that some clients may wish to configure the firewall themselves, this option is available on both software and hardware firewalls. However, you may prefer we setup your firewall, if you prefer this option then our team will work with you develop a ruleset specific for your usage case.
  
  You may request firewall changes by raising a support ticket.
2. Hardware Firewall (Optional)
  If you opt for a hardware firewall then these are managed separately from your server(s), even if your server(s) are self-managed your firewall can continue to be managed by our support team. Unless otherwise stated all hardware firewalls are configured in high availability Active/Active pairs, if any single firewall fails the other automatically takes over.
  
  Hardware firewall support VPN services, you can request setup of VPN via support ticket.
  
  You may request firewall changes by raising a support ticket.
3. Server Hardening (Plesk and cPanel/WHM Based Servers Only)
  The client may request server hardening to be carried out for their managed Plesk or cPanel/WHM based server, this includes:
  
  • Developmental and implementation of a custom Firewall ruleset.
  • Implementation of a vendor supplied Mod-security ruleset (Linux Only).
  • Configuration of brute force protection.
  • Configuration of SSL/TLS on website, mail services and FTP.
  • Disabling of unused services.
  • Configuration of control panel based password policy.
  • Configuration of watchdog service (Linux Only).
Software and Performance Optimisation
Clients may request optimisation of pre-installed software, this is typically based on workload and is often application specific.

This specifically excludes customers own applications and database structure optimisation.

Due to the many factors involved we do not guarantee minimum levels of performance in relation to optimisation
Installation of software
You may request the installation of software by our support team, this request must be made in the form of a support ticket and must include details of the software to be installed.

If the software to be installed requires a commercial license this must be provided, staff will not install unlicensed software.

All software requests are reviewed by our support team and acceptance of a request is at our sole discretion. Generally, a request will only be denied if it is deemed that installation will cause, security, stability or compatibility issues with other software already installed. In some cases, the option may be provided to proceed with the installation on the basis that the server is self-managed (see Self-managed).

This service does not include technical support or configuration unless the software requested is on our list of supported software. Our team will inform at the time by ticket if the requested software is supported.

You may install software or modify software at your own discretion however if a change is made that is found to be out of scope of support the server may be re-classed as self-managed, we will inform you of this as and when we become aware of the change (see Self-managed).

Some software may fall outside our patching scope, for example software that is compiled from source and not part of the default repositories in the case of Linux. In these instances, we shall inform you before proceeding with installation as it will be your responsibility to notify us of any security patches you wish to be installed.

If you are ever unsure whether a change may affect your management level please contact our support team beforehand.
Troubleshooting
We will provide troubleshooting support for all preinstalled software as well as additional software where support has been pre-agreed (see Installation of software), hardware and issues relating to performance.

Issues can vary greatly in nature and complexity, where an issue cannot be diagnosed immediately we will keep you informed via ticket as to the progress.

There may be instances where issues need to be escalated to the software vendor which may increase resolution time, we will inform you via ticket if this is required.
Backups and Data Restoration
Backups are optional however we strongly encourage all clients to not only ensure they are taking backups but that a suitable backup policy is in place that meets their defined RTO (Return To Operation) and RPO (Recovery Point Objective). Our staff are happy to advise in this regard upon request.

NOTE: When requesting support, and changes are required to the server, the agent may ask you to confirm if you have adequate backups before proceeding with the support request.

Data loss can occur for a variety of reasons including but not limited to hardware failure, data corruption, malware, viruses, hacking, misconfiguration and human error. You should always ensure your data is backed up.

For incidents where data has been lost, and you have chosen not to backup that data or have chosen an inadequate backup policy, we reserve the right to charge you for any services, engineer time, or travel expenses accrued as a result of that incident.
1. R1 and Acronis Backups (Optional)
  If you purchase R1 or Acronis backups you will be provided with a client area where you can configure your backups and policy, you may configure your backups yourself or you may request our staff create a backup policy for you.
  
  When backups are configured, you will be required to provide a valid email address for reporting purposes, the backup service will send you an automated email whenever a backup has been created which will contain the status of the backup. In the event of a backup issue being reported you will need to escalate this to our support team via a support ticket.
  
  It is the client's responsibility to ensure their notification address is kept up to date and notifications are configured appropriately.
  
  Backups are stored offsite in the UK and are encrypted in transit with optional at rest encryption.
2. Veeam Backup (Optional)
  If you purchase Veeam backups these are managed by our support team, you may request a restore via support ticket.
  
  Backups are stored in the UK and are available as either onsite or offsite backups, all Veeam backups have in transit encryption with optional at rest encryption (contact support for more information)
3. Veeam Replication (Optional)
  If you have purchased the optional replication service for Veeam then you have additional options these include.
  
  The ability to rollback your server to a previous check point (The frequency and number of check points can be agreed on configuration and are dependent on purchased storage)
  
  The ability to redeploy your server to another location or server (i.e in the event of a major outage.)
  
  This service is managed by our support team and you may request roll back or failover via support ticket.
4. Data Restoration for R1, Acronis Backups, and Veeam Backups
  Our R1 and Acronis backup services allow for granular control over the restoration process, you can restore everything from individual files to whole systems through the provided GUI, if you would prefer our support team carry out the restore for you, please raise a support ticket.
  
  If restoration to a new server is required and the server is managed, our support team will carry out the restore. For self-managed servers we will install and configure the backup agent, it is then the client’s responsibility to restore any data using the supplied web based interface.
  
  Please note restoration times can vary greatly depending on the number of files and total amount of data involved as a result we do not guarantee data restoration times.
  
  Veeam backups are managed solely by our support team, if you require a restoration, please contact our support team (see contacting us).
5. Hyperslice VPS and Hyperslice Cloud Snapshot Backups and Data Restoration
  Hyperslice VPS and Hyperslice Cloud packages include daily snapshot backups with 3 retention points.
  
  The schedule for snapshot backups are not customer configurable, but typically they occur at the same time each day, depending on the number of other backups scheduled to run at that time. In some circumstances, we may also reschedule your daily snapshot backup to a quieter time to reduce load on the platform.
  
  Under certain circumstances a snapshot backup may fail to complete successfully. Should this happen, we will keep the oldest retention point (to ensure customers have 3 retention points) until a successful snapshot backup has been taken. This will usually occur at the next scheduled backup interval the following day.
  
  Snapshot backups are full system images intended for disaster recovery purposes, and can only be restored in their entirety. Customers are able to view and restore their available snapshot backups through the client portal, but should be aware that restoring a snapshot backup will fully overwrite the running state of their VPS or Cloud server. Please restore with caution: should you accidentally overwrite your server with an old backup we can only restore your server to its last good backup.
  
  Should you require item level recovery from a snapshot backup, your image backup can be restored to a new VPS or Cloud server and made available for you to recover your items from. This is only available as a chargeable service, billed at 1 months hosting cost for the additional VM, plus a professional services fee billed at £75 during UK business hours, and £150 outside of UK business hours. As such, we strongly recommend you purchase Acronis backups if single item recovery is a requirement.
Data Recovery
If data loss occurs and no backup is available we will make reasonable attempts to recover the data from the disk using available software tools. Recovery services are only available during UK business hours, and the means of doing this and length of time spent attempting recovery are at our own discretion.

Data recovery should be considered a position of last resort only. Success rate is typically low, and even in cases where data can be recovered, speed of recovery is typically slow.

We are unable to provide the physical disks under any circumstances, disks are audited and tracked through their life cycle, from installation to final destruction and sending them to client’s poses a significant data security risk.
Migrations
Migration can vary in complexity and as a result all migrations are subject to an acceptance review. Upon acceptance and depending on the amount of data and the complexity of the migration an estimated time frame will be provided for completion.

The following terms apply, please read these carefully as they layout both our and your responsibilities and by understanding them will typically result in a smooth migration.
1. Free Website Migration
  The following applies to free migrations:
  1. Free website migration is limited to one website, if you have more than one website, please contact our team.
  2. The free website migration excludes email.
  3. All migrations are subject to acceptance by our team.
2. Our Responsibilities
  1. On acceptance of a migration our team will create a ticket, this will be used for initial data collection and to track the progress of the migrations.
  2. We will provide a time window for the migration
3. Your Responsibilities
  1. To provide accurate login credentials
  2. respond to any information requests from our migration team in a timely manner.
  3. To detail and any special configuration or software requirements pre-migration
  4. To ensure you have taken backup of your data pre-migration
  5. If your website has previously been hacked, then you are to ensure the site has been cleaned and patched before requesting a migration.
  6. To test your website to prior to switching the DNS to ensure all functionality you consider critical work as expected.
  7. If you DNS is not held with us, then you are responsible for updating your DNS records.
  8. To test your website post migration.
4. Abandonment
  We keep you informed during each stage of the migration and may request information or requires you to test your site. If we do not hear back within 7 days of any then we will consider the migration abandoned.
5. No Guarantee
  While we will make reasonable efforts to ensure your site is migrated successfully but we make no guarantees that the migration will be successful.
PCI Compliance
PCI is the payment industry security standard, and is required if you take card payments over your website.

We provide support for the PCI 3.2 standard up to SAQ A level or SQL A-EP levels.

To become PCI compliant you will need to source your own PCI assessor.

Our team will configure your pre-installed services, deploy a firewall ruleset that satisfies the standard and helps with your SAQ questionnaire where reasonable.

We do not guarantee your server will pass any single PCI scan as false positive are a common occurrence due to their automated nature, we will however advise how to respond to false positives that will satisfy your assessor.

This service excludes your application which must also meet the required standard.

If you require a higher PCI standard please contact our team as this may involve additional security.
Paid Support
If you have a support request falls out of scope you may still request support for a fee, subject to acceptance by us.

All paid support requests must be made by support ticket, our team will provide a quote which is valid for up to 14 days unless otherwise stated at the time.

Upon completion of the work, you must notify us within 14 days of any issues. We are not responsible for and will not help with any issue(s) that arise beyond 14 days.
Self-Managed
For clients with dedicated or virtual servers you can select for your servers to be self-managed, for example if:

-You have your own sysadmin team.
-You are running a complex application that requires an out of scope configuration.

In this state we will become responsible for only the infrastructure and hardware, all software shall be deemed out of scope. This allows clients to configure and manage their servers however they wish.

You are provided with a very high level of access to your server, this does allow you to make modifications that can result in the server falling out of scope of support, for example if you uninstall the provided control panel or install software that is deemed insecure or causes instability or compatibility issues.

If you intend to install, modify or remove software we strongly advise contacting our support team first. Whether a change falls out of scope of support is solely at our discretion however we aim to be flexible in our approach to this.
Making a Support Request
It is important for us to provide the best support possible by resolving any issues as quickly and efficiently, support can be accessed by either phone, live chat or support ticket however it is important to understand how to use the differing contact methods.
1. Live chat and Phone Support
  Live chat and Phone support are best used for non-complex requests such as password changes, general server usage and simple troubleshooting. When contacting support via either of these methods you me be requested by the agent to raise a support ticket if the request is complex in nature.
2. Ticketing
  Tickets should be used for any complex request or any issues where a significant change needs to be made to your server (i.e. software installation), this ensures our staff have a clear reference point.
Support Access Controls
Access to client’s servers by our staff is closely monitored and recorded.
1. Linux Based Servers
  For Linux servers we use encryption key based access, which is locked down to only trusted IP addresses, the IP restrictions are also embedded into the key. Access is logged and time stamped.
  
  If your server is classed as self-managed the public key will be removed from your server and our agents will no longer be able to access your server directly.
2. Windows Based Servers
  For Windows servers a support user with administrator privileges will exist for the sole purpose of use by our support agents, the password for this user is stored encrypted within our database and is access controlled.
  
  If your server is classed as self-managed the support user shall be removed from your server and our agents will no longer be able to access your server over RDP.
Scheduled and Unscheduled Emergency Maintenance
There may be instances where maintenance is required that may result in downtime, limited availability or reduced performance. We keep these to a minimum and where possible schedule maintenance for non-peak hours.
1. Scheduled Maintenance
  If scheduled maintenance is required we shall inform you by support ticket if limited to your own service or via email if the maintenance is platform wide. This will include the date and time of the maintenance, the affected services, impact and expected time window for completion.
2. Unscheduled Emergency Maintenance
  Emergency maintenance maybe required if there is a serious and/or immediate security or operational risk (i.e. critical security patches, major hardware failure), these instances are very rare but may be performed without prior notice. In these instances, a notification will be posted on our service status page.
Updates to this Agreement
The latest version of this agreement is available on our website.

We regularly review and update our agreements to keep with the ever-changing software and hardware landscape, as a result we reserve the right to update this agreement without prior notice.
Contacting Us
Questions, comments and requests regarding this agreement are welcomed, you can contact us in the following ways:

Existing customer can contact us by creating a ticket through their client area.

Email us at [email protected]
Call us on UK 0800 862 0890 or international +44 113 320 1386

․com

․org

․info

․co․uk

․net

Legal - Server Management Agreement

Hosting & Domains

Servers & Backup

Security & Website Tools