Support Plan Example

Document Name: Production Workload Support Plan
Date Created: November 7, 2024
Last Updated: November 7, 2024
Author: Kevin McCaffrey

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Overview

This document outlines the support plans, procedures, and contingencies for maintaining the stability of our production workloads. It details support strategies, roles, responsibilities, and key artifacts necessary for effective incident management.

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Support Plan Components

1. Support for All Dependencies
   • Ensure support plans are enabled for every software and service that our workload depends on, including cloud services, third-party software, and any critical components.
   • Verify that appropriate contracts or agreements are in place for each dependency.
2. Support Level Selection
   • Criteria for Support Level Selection:
     • Mission-Critical Services: 24/7 support with rapid response times (e.g., AWS Enterprise Support).
     • Standard Services: 8/5 support with reasonable response times (e.g., AWS Business Support).
   • Current Support Levels:
     • AWS Services: AWS Enterprise Support
     • Third-Party Software: Vendor-specific 24/7 support
     • Internal Systems: On-call support with a response time SLA of 30 minutes
3. Support Plan Documentation
   • Support Request Procedures:
     • Step-by-step process for requesting support from each provider.
   • Escalation Paths:
     • Define who to escalate to if the initial support response is insufficient.
   • Points of Contact:
     • Document and maintain up-to-date contact details for all support providers.

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Roles and Responsibilities

1. Support Coordinator
   • Responsibilities:
     • Enable support plans for all critical software and services.
     • Maintain support documentation, including procedures and contact details.
   • Primary Contacts:
     • [Name, Email, Phone Number]
2. Operations Manager
   • Responsibilities:
     • Select the appropriate support level for each dependency.
     • Verify the accuracy of support contact information on a regular basis.
   • Primary Contacts:
     • [Name, Email, Phone Number]
3. Incident Responder
   • Responsibilities:
     • Follow documented support plans during incidents.
     • Escalate issues promptly if initial support efforts are insufficient.
     • Maintain communication with support vendors and ensure issue resolution.
   • Primary Contacts:
     • [Name, Email, Phone Number]

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Artifacts and Documentation

1. Support Plan Document
   • Detailed support procedures for each software or service.
   • Step-by-step instructions for initiating support and escalation.
2. Contact Information Log
   • Maintains updated contact details for all vendors and internal escalation points.
   • Includes backup contacts in case of primary contact unavailability.
3. Contingency Plan for Service Disruptions
   • Outlines failover steps, backup resources, and procedures for maintaining service levels.
   • Includes alternative solutions in case of critical dependency failures.

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Contact Verification and Updates

• Verification Schedule: Conduct quarterly reviews to ensure all contact details are accurate and up to date.
• Contact Update Procedure: Notify the Support Coordinator of any changes to ensure immediate updates.

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Contingency Planning

1. Service Disruption Scenarios:
   • Scenario 1: Cloud Service Outage
     • Steps: Initiate backup resources, notify stakeholders, engage with AWS Enterprise Support.
   • Scenario 2: Third-Party Software Failure
     • Steps: Use documented failover procedures, contact vendor support, implement temporary solutions if necessary.
2. Backup and Recovery Procedures:
   • Outline strategies for data recovery and service continuity.
   • Document alternative resources to minimize impact.

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Supporting Questions

1. How do we ensure that all dependencies are supported?
   • Regular audits and validation of support agreements.
2. What support levels are in place for each dependency?
   • See the “Support Level Selection” section for details.
3. How is contact information kept current?
   • Regular verification and immediate updates upon changes.

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End of Document